Earlier this year I had the pleasure of exploring Shanghai in a beautifully restored, vintage sidecar and motorcycle. Our guide Max with Shanghai Insiders, showed us all around the city, taking us to places off the beaten path while teaching us about the history, food and culture of the city.

It’s tough to describe, but the feeling of riding around in a sidecar feels so different from your typical city tour in a bus or car. I would definitely recommend it if you’re feeling adventurous! Insider’s Experience offers a number of sidecar tours around the world. Be sure to check out their website, Facebook page and TripAdvisor reviews for more information.

Our chariot for the day

Shanghai sidecar tour with Insider’s Experience

Located in Shanghai’s Hongkou District this 4 story, art deco slaughterhouse was built in the early 20th century (1933 to be exact). The building was later abandoned and went through a number of uses including as an event space and market. It is now trying to rebrand as an art space and/or potentially some kind of live/work space for creatives.

Each floor is connected by a series of ramps, bridges and winding staircases which were originally designed to control the flow of cattle and people.

We visited a Buddhist Temple where you could feed hundreds of Koi in exchange for a small donation

The Department of Candles is serious business.

A visit to the outdoor market located in the Old City of Shanghai.

Just a small fire in the middle of the street in the Old City. Apparently it was some kind of tribute for a lost loved one.

Shanghai’s famous skyline in the background

From 1938-1939 some 17,000 residents of Central Europe migrated to Shanghai to escape the Nazis (read more here). Seen here is the ‘welcome center’ where new immigrants came. The surrounding Jewish neighborhood is where many of the 20,000 refugees lived.

The beautiful tree-line streets of Shanghai’s Old French Concession.

A quick stop at the bizarre Flower, Bird, Fish & Insect Market where the most popular item for sale was crickets.

You see that tall high-rise in the background? That’s actually a prison!

Where friendship ends

A rare sight: a parkette in Shanghai

Thanks for the tour Insider’s Experience!

The Shanghai World Financial Center, 492 m (1,614 ft), 101 floors

Shanghai Tower, the second tallest building in the world. 632 m (2,073 ft), 128 floors

All three towers are located in Pudong

A hazy view of Shanghai from the 87th floor of the Shanghai World Financial Center. In the foreground is the Jin Mao Tower. 420.5 m (1,380 ft)

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