Ningbo Old Bund

老外滩

A north-bank wharf district that opened to trade in 1844, twenty years before the Shanghai Bund. Its Catholic church, consulate and old warehouses have been converted into restaurants and bars, making it the center of the Sanjiang Confluence night views and nightlife.

Ningbo Old Bund lies on the north bank at the Sanjiang Confluence, where the Yong, Yuyao and Fenghua rivers meet. After Ningbo opened as one of the Five Treaty Ports in 1844, Britain, France and other countries set up consulates, trading houses and wharves here. This created one of China's earliest bunds, about twenty years before the Shanghai Bund. The district preserves buildings that blend Chinese and Western styles: the Jiangbei Catholic Church (built in 1872, its Gothic bell tower is a landmark), the British Consulate, the former Zhehai Customs House, the former Ningbo Post Office and the Zhu Residence. After a renovation in 2005, the district became Ningbo's concentration of restaurants, bars and nightlife. The Waitan Bridge over the river and the high-rises of the South Bank financial district across the water form Ningbo's most iconic city night view. To enjoy it, start in the evening at the Jiangbei Catholic Church and stroll the district. Walk the riverside path to watch the sunset and lights over the Sanjiang Confluence, then dine in a restaurant inside an old building or have a drink in a bar. You can also take a Sanjiang night cruise (from the Old Bund pier, about 45 minutes) to see the lights on both banks. During the day, visit the Ningbo Merchants Museum (about 5 kilometers away, telling the history of Ningbo's merchant groups) or walk to the Hefeng Creative Plaza across the Yong River. The district is free to enter. Getting there: Metro Line 2 Waitan Bridge Station is a 5-minute walk away. From Tianyi Pavilion, a taxi takes about 10 minutes. Notes: restaurants have queues on weekend nights. It is windy by the river, so dress warmly in winter. Visiting hours inside the Jiangbei Catholic Church are limited, and visitors should keep quiet during services.

Ningbo Old Bund

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