In 1853, the Knife Society Rebellion broke out, a large number of refugees poured into the concession, housing was in short supply, and the land market flourished. A similar scene was repeated in 1860, but this time the quality of Chinese housing was greatly improved. Brick-walled low-rise houses instead of wooden houses, standing in rows, with compact layouts, and the architectural style refers to Western-style Western-style buildings according to local conditions, which is Shanghai's unique folk house - Shikumen.

Similar to Beijing's courtyard houses, Shanghai's Shikumen has been shrinking due to urban development, so if you want to experience the style of the city from a distance, Xintiandi is a good choice. As the core of Taipingqiao urban renovation, the Xintiandi project has attracted much attention, and the project team specially hired domestic and foreign experts to participate in the design of the renovation of old houses. The renovation project has better preserved the texture of the old city, the diameter between the houses is narrow and long, the atmosphere of the Shanghai style of the street building is strong, and the renovation of the old house can also "make the old with the old". The style is full of charm, so you may wish to bring photography equipment when visiting.

Xintiandi covers an area of about 3,000 square meters, and from the perspective of property form, its positioning is more inclined to a commercial area, with nearly 40 restaurants alone. This also makes the interior decoration of the Xintiandi Shikumen building out of shape, deviating from the original pattern, and many tourists are not satisfied with it. If you want to find the taste of Shanghai, you may wish to visit the Beili No. 25 House Lixiang Museum, which is a restoration of the old Shikumen house, the mansion is not large, with three floors, and the furniture and decoration are full of petty bourgeois atmosphere. Attentive visitors may be able to notice that the interior of the house is fully equipped with a kitchen, but there is a lack of toilet space, which is due to the structure of the old house, and there are no drainage pipes in the 19th-century Chinese settlements in Shanghai. The old house can be restored, but the atmosphere of life in the market is difficult to preserve, and there are some clues in the song "Nasty Morning" and "Spring in the Alley", you might as well listen to it.

If you reject the commercial atmosphere, you can avoid Xintiandi, which is the biggest drawback of the scenic spot, but it is undeniable that the façade of the buildings in the area still exists, and the density of people is lower than that of Tianzifang, and the quality of catering is also better. simply Thai Tiantai Restaurant and Estado Puro have been included in the CNPP100 Ranking Southeast Asian Cuisine and Spanish Restaurant Recommendation List for their exquisite standards, and the English afternoon tea at Hyatt Regency at The Langham Hotel is also worth trying.

Playable time: 15min-120min

Reference ticket price: Free (Xintiandi)

      25 yuan/person (House Chambers Museum)

Opening Hours: All day (Xintiandi)

House Chambers Museum: Sunday to Thursday 10:30-22:30; Friday-Saturday 11:00-23:00 

Tips: 1. Bring a camera, selfie dryer and other equipment; 2. Carry rain gear; 3. Bring sunscreen; 4. When visiting, open the CNPP100 ranking map positioning function to query nearby restaurants