Gaoqiao Old Street: A Shanghai Must-Visit

Gaoqiao Town in Pudong New Area is part of the fifth batch of Chinese Historic and Cultural Towns. As an ancient town, its main attraction is the old street. The old street lies across from the Seventh People’s Hospital, right beside Gaoqiao Port, and consists of Gaoqiao West Street and Gaoqiao East Street.

October 31, 2021 (Shanghai weather: sunny to partly cloudy, 15–22°C)

You can enter Gaoqiao Old Street from the Datong Road side.

Several historic buildings on the street are open to visitors free of charge.

January 9, 2022 (Shanghai weather: overcast with light rain, 6.4–7.8°C)

There is a large parking lot near Datong Road, making it very convenient for a self-driving trip.

A triple-arch bridge spans Gaoqiao Port.

The chimney in the distance is a bit of an eyesore.

Cross Jijing North Road and you’re on Gaoqiao East Street, which is shorter than the west street and can be seen end to end at a glance.

At the corner where Gaoqiao West Street meets Jijing North Road is a small shop selling Gaoqiao Song Cakes – they taste great. The craft of making Gaoqiao Song Cakes is listed as a Shanghai Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The following photos are from Gaoqiao West Street.

At the Datong Road entrance to Gaoqiao Old Street, there’s a KFC in a building with strong architectural character. Of course, we also “checked in” for a meal there.

Looking back at my photos from October 31 last year – this KFC was still being renovated at that time.

January 16, 2022 (Shanghai weather: cloudy to overcast, 5.6–10.7°C)

My wife drove us along Dongtang Road to Gaoqiao. Most vehicles heading from Lujiazui in Pudong to Gaoqiao take Pudong North Road and Zhangyang North Road; traffic on Dongtang Road is very light. The road has almost no residential areas on either side, giving it a somewhat deserted and run-down feel. However, Bus No. 81, one of Pudong’s oldest bus routes, still runs along Dongtang Road.

We strolled along Gaoqiao Old Street once more.

The small song cake shop at the corner of Gaoqiao West Street and Jijing North Road – we’ve bought from them many times.

The Gaoqiao Food Factory, located at the corner of Gaoqiao West Street and Shude Street.

The Gaoqiao Food Factory shopfront.

Gaoqiao Song Cake making is a Shanghai Intangible Cultural Heritage; the cakes are named for their melt-in-the-mouth crumbly texture. There are several song cake shops on the old street, but the most authentic and popular one is the Gaoqiao Food Factory outlet.

Red bean paste song cakes are 2 yuan each.

On Shude Street, there’s an “Old Changsha Stinky Tofu” shop.

Shijia Street, at the other end of Shude Street.

Shude Street, less than a hundred metres long, links Gaoqiao West Street with Shijia Street.

Old Street Parking Lot on Datong Road. We parked for 1 hour 7 minutes, costing 10 yuan.