10 Unusual Attractions in Shanghai – Quirky things to do in Shanghai

On your mission to discover off the wall things to do in the metropolis of China, you will find exploring M50 to be living up to your expectations. Nestled on an old industrial estate, M50 has been – over time – converted into a lively art scene. For a hand on experience: go to Island 6 – to enjoy art exhibitions and take photos: go to Chronus Art Centre.

The few parks Shanghai features usually get crowded with throngs of people filing into the city. But there's one that escapes everyone's attention – that is Jing'An Sculpture Park. Located in the thick of Shanghai's shopping precinct, the park highlights interesting features including a sculpted fox and a stag – the antlers are perched by chiselled butterflies. This is also where you'll find the National History Museum.

Located near People's Square – the best area to stay in Shanghai with hotels that can be likened to Dorsett Shanghai – Shanghai Museum is where you should come to relish in China's ancient history. With a cluster of 12,000 artefacts and cultural relics – the museum will keep you occupied for the best part of your evening.

For a small fee, you can hire a tandem bike in Century Park to enjoy your evening with your cycling partner – you are in a for a bonus if you are visiting in Spring as the park comes alive with canopied spring blossoms.

Located off the Huangpu River is the Climbing Gym with strangely shaped seats, boulders and giant old cranes. If you are up for an out of breath activity, this is for you. You can climb the boulders – although you have to take care as to not climb on the loose ones – alternatively, you can be seated under the bright orange cranes and see others climb.

Might not be the most unusual attraction when it comes to it, but an attraction nevertheless - the Hongqiao Flower Market is an arena of beautifully hued flowers – at the market, every step of the way, you will be greeted by piles of eye-catching, colourful florets. There is also esthetic garden furniture including lovely garden pots for you to buy.

This apartment complex is where all the celebrities lived at the start of the century – but now it's just a run-down building that is said to be hiding many dismal secrets. It is said that the actress Shangguan Yunzhu killed herself by jumping to her death from the 7th floor after her glorious acting days had come to a halt. Also, during the revolution, many took their own lives while living in the apartments. Due to these tragic incidents, the building is known among the locals as 'the diving board'.

If you are someone who likes all things British, go to Thames Town. With the red telephone boxes you see in London and streets such as Cambridge Street, you'd feel as though you are in London, not in Shanghai. The cobbled streets fringed with brick buildings make a lovely promenade for you to take a nice walk in the evening.

As you are on a journey to unmask the quirky things in Shanghai – add the Art Museum to your itinerary. Certainly not the best art museum that there is as there's not much art to look at – but the architecture of the building makes up for the lack of it.

Shanghai is stuffed with tiny little coffee shops. Rather than going to Starbucks as everyone else does, go to a small café that's easily found in the city for a nice pot of coffee.