Qibao Ancient Town is a historic town relatively close to downtown Shanghai, with Qibao Old Street being its renowned tourist attraction.
The entire old street features buildings with a quaint charm, rich in the architectural styles of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Various snacks can be found everywhere along the street, as well as folk attractions such as Qibao Pawnshop, Distillery, and Cricket Hall. It is an ideal place to stroll and experience the ambiance of a Jiangnan ancient town. Qibao Ancient Town was already a bustling market in the Northern Song Dynasty, and many of the old lanes and alleys are remnants of the Song period. The buildings along the old street are mostly two-story structures imitating the Ming and Qing styles, with red walls, black tiles, white wooden doors and windows, and the elongated street paved with blue bricks and stone slabs, exuding a distinctive flavor. Qibao Old Street is divided into two sections by a river. North Street primarily features various shops selling handicrafts, jewelry, antiques, calligraphy, and paintings, as well as attractions like Cotton Weaving Workshop and Zhang Chongren Memorial Hall. South Street is mainly known for its specialty foods, offering stinky tofu, meat skewers, zongzi, qiao shi cake, and braised pig’s trotters, among others. Qibao Old Street also has many interesting small attractions, such as Old Trades, Pawnshops, and Cotton Weaving Museums, which contain lifelike wax figures and realistic settings. Visitors can also enjoy a shadow play at the Shadow Art Museum. In addition, there are other attractions like Zhang Chongren Memorial Hall, Cricket Hall, Zhou’s Micro-carving Museum, Qibao Distillery, Bell Tower, and Qibao Temple. The old street is open all year round, accessible 24/7, with specific business status subject to daily operations. Mobile charging facilities are available at shops. Address: Qibao Old Street, Songjiang District, Shanghai, China. Infant stroller rental and wheelchair rental services are also provided. Essential tips: 1. Taste traditional and special snacks such as tangyuan, begonia cake, stinky tofu, marinated chicken claws, pig’s trotters, and salt-baked quail eggs. 2. The streets of the old town are relatively narrow, so avoid traveling during holidays, especially during the golden weeks when it is particularly crowded.Qibao Old Street – A Timeless Jiangnan Town
Qibao Ancient Town is a historic town relatively close to downtown Shanghai, with Qibao Old Street b[...]
