Shanghai Tower Observation Deck: China's Tallest Viewpoint

Shanghai Tower (上海中心大厦, Shànghǎi Zhōngxīn Dàshà) is 632 metres of twisting glass and the tallest building in China. The lift to the 118th floor climbs at 18 metres per second and takes under a minute — your ears will pop. At the top you get a full 360-degree walk-around at 546 metres, looking down on the Jin Mao Tower and the Shanghai World Financial Center, both of which felt enormous from the ground and now look like desk ornaments.

The honest verdict: at ¥180 ($25) it is the best-value tower view in the city, but only in decent air. Shanghai's haze can turn a ¥180 ticket into a ¥180 view of grey soup, and there are no refunds for bad visibility. Look up before you commit.

Crowds cluster on the river-facing side to shoot the Bund; walk the other way for the strange, more interesting view of endless Pudong housing blocks stretching to the horizon. Glass floor panels near the west side are the one genuinely vertigo-inducing moment.

Two hours is generous — most people spend 40 minutes up top and the rest queuing. Combine it with the Lujiazui pedestrian ring and the Oriental Pearl Tower at ground level to fill an afternoon. Address: 501 Yincheng Middle Road (银城中路501号), Pudong.