5 Best Sights in Shanghai, China

British art deco and Chinese elements combine in this 1937 building, which was designed to be the tallest in the city. However, opium magnate Victor Sassoon insisted that no building surpass his Cathay Hotel (now the Peace Hotel). Were it not for the Cathay Hotel's copper-faced pyramid roof, the bank would indeed be taller.

Looking like a stucture straight out of The Jetsons, the Oriental Pearl Tower was built when much of Pudong was still farmland. It's especially kitschy at night when it flashes with colored lights. A museum in the base recalls Shanghai's pre-1949 history. Each with its own observation deck, the three spheres are supposed to represent pearls (as in the city's nickname, the "Pearl of the Orient"). Go to the top sphere for a 360-degree bird's-eye view of the city, or grab a drink in the tower's revolving restaurant (skip the food).

Built in 1933, the Paramount was considered the finest dance hall in Asia. Until 1949, the so-called "Gate of 100 Pleasures" was the place for very late, very wild nights. After the Communist Revolution, Paramount closed and reopened as Red Capitol Cinema, showing propaganda films. In the past two decades, it underwent a series of renovations, openings, and closings before re-opening yet again in 2017 as a glitzy, retro, multistory nightclub, with a fourth-floor ballroom and plenty of private karaoke rooms.

The newest skyscraper in Lujiazui was completed in early 2017. At the time of this writing, it's the country's tallest structure and the second tallest in the world (beat out by the Burj Khalifa in Dubai). The 127-story building, with five additional levels below ground, rises more than 2,000 feet and houses a hotel, offices, restaurants, and shops. Its sky-high observation deck on the 118th floor is the world's highest, a few floors above that in the Burj Khalifa, and is reached by the world's fastest elevator. There is an excellent exhibit about the world's super-tall buildings in the basement floor on your way to the observation deck.

The iconic "bottle opener" has three observation decks, the highest of which is on the 100th floor. The Park Hyatt is housed on floors 79 to 93, giving it a loftier perch than its older sibling, the neighboring Grand Hyatt. The view from up here is a knockout; on a clear day, you can see far and wide; on an overcast day, you'll feel as though you're floating in the clouds.

Consider skipping the observation decks in favor of the hotel. Afternoon tea at the 87th-floor Living Room is a treat.