Shanghai or Beijing in Dec
 

Hi readers,<BR><BR>I am planning a trip to China on December and contemplating between Shanghai or Beijing. What would be your advice?

Beijing anytime of the year. Shanghai is interesting, however no where near as interesting and filled with historical sites as Beijing. <BR><BR>Depending on how long you will be in China, you could see both cities easily as the flying time between is just a couple of hours.

I live in Shanghai, and do have a bias that it's a fabulous, vibrant, exciting place FULL of contradictions, but for the vast majority of tourists, I'd recommend Beijing without hesitating. <BR><BR>Shanghai is great, too, and is particularly appealing to people who are interested in the history of China's treaty ports. Shanghai is packed with reminders of the foreign concessions, hidden in among the day to day hustle and bustle of modern Shanghai. Shanghai is not, however, home to a lot of traditionally "Chinese" historical places - it doesn't have a lot of what most tourists come to China to see.<BR><BR>There are many more vestiges of China's "traditional" history in/near Beijing - the Great Wall, Tienanmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace . . . <BR><BR>Again, I do have a bias, so it's hard for me to be objective, but if I were to design a general China itinerary for a first-time visitor, I'd start with Beijing, then Guilin/Yangshuo, then probably Xian, and then Shanghai, if they have an interest in the treaty port era.

Beijing definitely ... more to see and do.

I will be in Beijing in Dec. How cold will it get? And if I can only make it to one shopping center, what should it be?<BR>Thanks

Ding: Cannot tell you about choosing, because I've only been to Beijing in December 1996 for a week. We had snow and it was VERY cold (under 0°C), but I did love it so much. Everything looked clean (Hutongs) and beautiful (Summer Palace, etc., Forbidden City,).<BR>Whichever you choose, have a great trip!