A Cute And Quirky Town Hidden In China Bears An Uncanny Resemblance To England

Cobblestone streets? Check! Half-timbered cottages? Check! Turn-of-the-century plazas built in the Garden City style? Double check! These are the hallmarks of Thames Town, a traditional English-style village that has been lovingly recreated in the suburbs of Shanghai, China. Thames Town mimics the layout and architecture that make rural England so quaint; except for the bilingual signage and sidewalks full of modern Chinese tourists, this district could serve as a shooting location for "Downton Abbey." You would never guess that this Edwardian paradise is just 25 miles from Shanghai's famous Oriental Pearl Tower.

Many travelers may balk at the idea of flying thousands of miles just to see a steepled church and antique-looking apartment buildings erected around 2006. Why go all the way to China to see a fake Britain? You should definitely add the Great Wall to your bucket list, along with the Temple of Heaven and Forbidden City. But Thames Town? What's the point?

Well, Thames Town may say more about modern China than many foreigners realize. Lots of Chinese megacities are building themed communities like this one, partly to draw people away from congested urban cores, and Thames Town is a provocative blend of the two cultures' sensibilities. It's also just fun to walk around; here you'll find coffee shops, retail options, and more red telephone boxes than you're likely to spot in an actual Cotswold town. Shanghai is one of the hottest destinations in China, and Thames Town is easy to access: just take the Line 9 train from Dapuqiao Station to Songjiang Xincheng Station, then walk or hop a cab for the remaining 3 miles.

Thames Town is part of a massive trend in China, widely known as "duplitecture": Developers fall in love with a unique form of architecture, and then they build their own version of it in a prominent location. This includes a clone of the Eiffel Tower in the city of Tianducheng, a full-sized replica of the Sphinx in Lanzhou, and several Italian-style villages scattered across the country. Some are solo structures, which are made to look like famous landmarks; others are whole neighborhoods, like Thames Town, where thousands of people live and work, and tourists are invited to imagine themselves on a far-flung holiday. The trend has triggered a lot of criticism outside of China, and even Chinese authorities have started to curb the fad. But Thames Town, just outside China's most populous city, is one of duplitecture's more successful examples.

To be fair, these European-style neighborhoods could be interpreted as "Chinatowns" in reverse. Just as Western builders have imitated East Asian design — such as Grauman's Chinese Theatre, or many of Epcot's World Showcase landmarks based on real-life destinations — Chinese developers have found similar inspiration in Occidental monuments. And not all of these projects co-opt foreign aesthetics; in the early 2000s, the city of Datong "rebuilt" a long-demolished ancient city, complete with outer walls and a moat. All this construction has benefitted from China's unprecedented prosperity, allowing architectural imaginations to run rampant.

Like many attractions in China, Thames Town is meant to be seen and photographed — and not much else. Stroll down pedestrian-friendly streets and take pictures in front of ivy-covered walls. Unlike the U.K., Shanghai is famous for its subtropical climate, so there are plenty of warm and sunny days to enjoy yourself outside in one of the town's many green spaces. Depending on your tastes, you may be relieved to know that the menus in local restaurants lean more toward traditional Chinese fare than fish and chips. Finally, you're likely to spot a wedding or two on these fairytale blocks; this is a popular spot for newlyweds to have portraits taken.

Thames Town makes for a lovely day trip from Shanghai, but you'll almost certainly stay in a hotel in the big city. Shanghai is gigantic and action-packed, and when you're not eating a delicious breakfast, per Samantha Brown's recommendation, you may be traveling on this unique (and trippy) tourist attraction. There's also a Disney Resort in Shanghai, which is ideal for Western families with a desire for something familiar.

While you're in the area, you might consider another day-trip to the city of Suzhou. Like Thames Town, Suzhou is a historic throw-back, with old buildings and beautiful gardens. Unlike Thames Town, Suzhou is 2,500 years old — about the same age as the Acropolis — and is a bastion of Chinese heritage, with temples, palaces, and a network of canals that impressed even Marco Polo. Both destinations are worth visiting, if only to compare the China of past dynasties with today's more imaginative skylines.