Passing through the vibrant red and gold pillars of the traditional Chinese temple, a young girl sips her Starbucks mocha and changes the song on her iPod. Against the backdrop of renaissance-style historical buildings, a group of elderly Chinese men converge on the promenade to practice Tai Chi.

Shanghai is a city of contrasts. In recent years, it has burgeoned into a modern metropolis and has become the economic center of China. However, despite pervasive Western influence, the city has managed to retain its distinctive, historic flavor.

“The Bund” is my small Shanghai neighborhood located on the west side of the Huangpu River. This quarter exemplifies the contrasting nature of the city. The Bund immerses visitors in a colonial ambiance of Gothic and Renaissance architecture, while the towering skyscrapers across the river constantly remind them of modernity.

Strolling on the promenade at night, visitors can soak in the neon futurism of the needle-shaped Oriental Pearl Tower, home of Pearl News, and the soaring heights of the World Finance Center, the tallest building in all of China. These colors illuminate the night sky and reflect off the waters of the Huangpu, a site all the more enjoyable for those who choose to cruise the river in a boat.

At the same time, permanent traces of Shanghai’s history remain in the form of Western-style buildings, conceived by the colonial powers in the early twentieth century. The British-style Customs House stands out in all its grandeur, complete with a stout clock tower reminiscent of London’s Big Ben. Cultures thus collide at The Bund in a distinctive mix of East and West, old and new.

Visitors to the nearby Yuyuan Garden, originally created during the Ming Dynasty and now declared a national monument, find solace amidst the flurry of the city. They take a breath of fresh air inside the open pavilions with imposing red pillars and tiled, arching roofs. White lotuses bloom seasonally and orange goldfish dart around the many ponds. One of the most prominent pavilions of Yuyuan is home to a traditional Chinese teahouse, with samples of tea from wulong to tieguanyin.

Right outside Yuyuan is a street filled with food vendors and local eateries where visitors can grab a quick bite of Shanghai’s cuisine, known for its slight sweetness compared to the milder tastes in Northern China. Perhaps the ultimate of Shanghainese cuisine are xiao long bao, steamed meat buns that come with a surprise inside. The Shanghainese way to eat xiao long bao is to bite a hole in the bun, sip the soup from inside, and then saturate the entire bun in vinegar.

One of the best-kept secrets of Shanghai is Tianzifang, the city’s very own Little Bohemia. It is the more authentic alternative to the touristy Xintiandi, an area where old buildings have been converted into upscale shops and restaurants. Complete with cobblestone streets, quaint cafés, and vintage boutiques, Tianzifang is a regular hipster’s paradise. There is an array of boutiques selling everything from hand-made Chinese garments to vintage jewelry.

Cafés feature gelato and coffee, with one even specializing in Swiss chocolate desserts. Adventurous eaters should also check out Tianzifang’s famous restaurants. Whether a Thai or Taiwanese restaurant, the interior décor choices are always decidedly artsy, with dated paintings and faded wallpaper. The free-spirited bohemian feel of Tianzifang attracts the most fashionable of the urban Shanghai crowd.

A city containing elements from the East, West, and everything in between, Shanghai is bursting with modernity and traditionalism. From the eclectic architecture of The Bund, to the tranquility of the Yuyuan garden and the savory taste of local delicacies, Shanghai is at the forefront in forging contemporary Chinese culture.