Expats skip travel for fun in the capital(3)

SHANGHAI

Quiet streets have a wealth of treasures

Art attack

Tucked away in a changing former industrial area of Suzhou Creek is Shanghai's hidden art quarter, known as M50 or Moganshan Road. If you feel a little lost, follow the wall of approved graffiti to the former mills and factories fitted out as warehouse studios. More than 100 artists create works here, alongside furniture outlets and cafes.

Getting there: Best to take a taxi.

Make dumplings

Street vendors often disappear at Spring Festival, so if you haven't managed to score an invite to a Chinese family's New Year banquet, why not make your own traditional treats? There are various cooking schools open as well as free dumpling classes at expat hotspots.

Where: Virgo at The Cool Docks on Saturday; book in advance at 021-6152-6542.

Cook in Shanghai at 269 Zhaojiabang Road; book in advance at cookinshanghai.com.

Hidden gems

Why not use the time to see more of the "real" Shanghai that is often hidden behind the facade of skyscrapers and smog. There are various day tours to the city outskirts and walking tours to parts you may not have discovered yet. Shanghai Pathways is rated No 1 on Trip Adviser and will be operating many tours during Spring Festival.

Contact: Book by calling 189-1793-9860 or visit shanghaipathways.com.

Time for massage

It's one of the few times hardworking Chinese get to put their feet up, so why not relax. Most massage parlors frequented by expats will stay open. You can guarantee good service at Dragonfly, but consider visiting a parlor that offers a more Chinese experience, with a banquet, musical performances and movies.

Where: Dragonfly has nine locations across Shanghai; visit dragonfly.net.cn.

Da Ban at 370 Dagu Road; call 021-6340-0366.

Tranquil escape

A few hundred meters from M50 is one of the best-designed parks in Shanghai, with almost nine hectares of trees, lakes and even a small beach hidden among an advanced ecological system that helps to clean Suzhou Creek. It's called the Environmental Theme Park and Mengqing Garden Park. Don't be fooled by the name. There are no rides to get the adrenaline rushing here. But you can lose yourself in the trees and the sound of the water, or take part in some traditional Chinese pastimes.

Where: 66 Yichang Road.

Getting there: A 10-minute walk from Zhongtan Road Metro Station.