District offers range of getaways right in nation's most populous city

The cradle of Shanghai's culture and history, Songjiang district in the city's southwestern suburbs is attracting tourists to its wealth of cultural and natural legacies.

Related readings:  Keeping your cool at the Expo  Shanghai Symphony brings Expo message to New York  Young employ seniors to beat the queues at Expo  Songjiang tourism soars on Shanghai Expo

Representing the millennium-long history of Shanghai are 18 sites of historical and cultural interest.

They include a number of classical gardens with artistic achievements on a par with Suzhou.

Its tiny Yi Garden, covering only 1,300 sq m, is a showcase of ancient Chinese gardening and landscaping arts including brooks, footpaths, ponds and bridges.

The most ancient relic in the region is a Tang Dynasty (618-907) stele carved with classical Buddhist texts.

There are also a number of religious venues that still attract believers from home and abroad, including a Catholic church sitting atop a peak in the Sheshan Mountains.

After viewing historical interest sites, travelers can have a relaxing day in the district's large forest park and expansive countryside.

The Sheshan Forest Park is the largest in Shanghai, home to more than 2,000 species of plants and 100 kinds of animals and birds.

Songjiang's Tianma Mountain - the main peak of the Sheshan Mountains - is just 100 m above sea level, but is the highest point in Shanghai.

The area is also home to a number of golf resorts and car racing tracks that make it popular with outdoor sports enthusiasts.

Shanghai city dwellers can also take a break from the economic powerhouse by enjoying real life in the countryside.

Rustic tour destinations include Wushe Agricultural Sightseeing Zone, Western Fishing Village, Maqiao village in Yexie and Qingqing Tourism World, where tourists can taste various local foods at farmers' homes, pick fruits and vegetables and fish on the rivers and lakes.

There is also a replica of old Shanghai - the Shanghai Movie Amusement Park in Chedun township - that replicates 1930s buildings and streets, a location often used as a setting in period movies.

Songjiang's new urban area includes a development called Thames Town, a high-end residential community designed in British style.

Famed Happy Valley Amusement Park also offers a variety of options including roller coasters, bungee jumping and magic shows.