Nanjing Road is the world's longest shopping district, around 5.5 km long, and attracts over 1 million visitors daily.
Nanjing Road East (南京东路) East Nanjing Road is a dedicated commercial zone. At its eastern end is the central section of the Bund, featuring the
Peace Hotel. Immediately west of the Bund precinct was traditionally the hub of European-style restaurants and cafes, although in recent years these have become less of a feature as the demographics of visitors to Nanjing Road have shifted from affluent local residents to visitors from around the country. Close by is the Central Market, a century-old outdoor market today specialising in electronic components and digital media. Further west is the Nanjing Road pedestrian mall. Located here are most of Shanghai's oldest and largest department stores, as well as a variety of domestic retail outlets, and some traditional eateries with a long history. From the perspective of the historical development of Nanjing East Road, the start and redevelopment of this road were driven by the pursuit of commerce and image. The commercialization of Nanjing East Road has both a promotion and a restrictive effect.
Nanjing Road West (南京西路) The pedestrian mall, and East Nanjing Road, ends at People's Park, formerly the
Shanghai Race Course. Opposite the park are some of Shanghai's prestigious historic hotels, including
Park Hotel. West Nanjing Road begins here, and features a number of upmarket malls including
Plaza 66,
Jing An Kerry Centre and
HKRI Taikoo Hui, office buildings such as
Tian An Centre, the
Shanghai Exhibition Centre, and shops. This area also previously featured a number of large mansions and estates, most of which are today either demolished or used by the government. West Nanjing Road, near
Jing'an Temple, was built in 1860 as
Bubbling Well Road (靜安寺路), an
extra-settlement road outside the concession proper. It was once one of Shanghai's premier residential areas, but has witnessed constant development over the past ten years. This area is now host to several five star hotels,
upscale shopping centers, restaurants and prime office buildings. Recently, the area has benefited from the construction of
Subway Line 7, connecting with Line 2 at Jing'an Temple station. Many
luxury goods, fashion and sport brand boutiques are located on West Nanjing Road. In December 2017,
Starbucks opened a 30,000 square feet (2,800 m2)
Starbucks Reserve Roastery at
HKRI Taikoo Hui on Nanjing Road West, the largest Starbucks branch in the world. It features its own roasting facility and Shanghai specific offerings including nitro draft lattes and alcoholic drinks. ==Transportation==