Suzhou Creek is one of Shanghai`s oldest waterways, lined with unique relics from the colonial era. Today, both banks have been transformed into pedestrian promenades featuring cafes, art spaces, and picturesque views. You can walk from Waibaidu Bridge at sunset to see the historic facades glow under the lights.
Left Bank: The Culinary Promenade
A Dining Walkway with Restaurants
• A wooden deck along the water is dotted with cafe and bar tables—the perfect spot for a riverside dinner. In the evenings, the lighting installations cast shimmering reflections on the water.
• Old Cotton Warehouses (1890s) – Red-brick industrial Victorian-style buildings now repurposed as boutique hotels.
• Former Hongkong and Shanghai Bank Building (1923) – Now a coworking space with an open terrace.
Right Bank: The Cultural Quarter
• Union Church (1886) – Built for foreign communities, its Neo-Gothic bell tower still dominates the riverside skyline. Today, it houses an art gallery.
• Riverside Park – A small green area with modernist sculptures and fountains.
• Shanghai Postal Museum (1924) – An Art Deco building with a clock tower.
• Former British Trade Mission (1908) – Now a textile museum.
Waibaidu Bridge (Garden Bridge)
• Shanghai’s first steel bridge (1907), connecting both banks.
• Arched structure with ornamental lanterns
• The best vantage point for photographing the river panorama and colonial facades
• Illuminated in golden light at night
Atmosphere & Modern Touches
• "River Shadows" installation – Projections of old Shanghai photographs onto warehouse walls.
• Glass footbridges over the canals—offering distant views of Pudong’s skyscrapers.
• Street musicians on weekends.
