Everyone loves Nathan Road—its bustle through Kowloon, its traffic-lit nightscapes, and its unmistakable East-meets-West energy.

Nathan Road is now more than a century old. It has carried Kowloon from quiet edges to urban intensity, witnessed Hong Kong’s shifts from colonial rule to return, and held everything from street-level daily life to high-end luxury. It is not just about extravagance. The old shop-lined streets, the cramped tong lau buildings in side alleys, and the hybrid architecture with distinctly Hong Kong character are where much of the city’s real spirit still lives.

This guide links landmark buildings and markets along Nathan Road, creating a nostalgic city walk that captures the historical texture of Kowloon.

MTR: Prince Edward Station
Route: Mong Kok Flower Market - Goldfish Market - Shanghai Street 618 - Red Brick House - Jordan - Kowloon Park - Signal Hill Garden

Mong Kok Flower Market｜Hong Kongers Find Joy in Flowers

Disembark at Prince Edward MTR Station and you’ll arrive at the starting point of Nathan Road. Head east along Prince Edward Road, and soon you’ll reach Mong Kok Flower Market. In Cantonese, “market” (墟) refers to a bustling bazaar, and this spot is Hong Kong’s largest, most diverse, and most comprehensive fresh flower hub. Over 90 florists are scattered along Flower Market Road and the surrounding Garden Street and Yuen Po Street. Blooms from around the world gather here—imported flowers flown in from the Netherlands, an entire shop filled with succulent pots, or a variety of flowers from Yunnan and Guangzhou. You can even find fresh culinary herbs for cooking here.

Buying flowers in Mong Kok is a memory of Hong Kong’s older generation, where grandparents would come early in the morning to pick freshly restocked bouquets. Especially during Lunar New Year, the scene of purchasing festive flowers becomes even more spectacular. With the rise of social media check-ins, many young people now visit to take photos and bring home a touch of romance along the way.

Address: Exit B1 of Prince Edward MTR Station, walk east along Prince Edward Road West
Business Hours: 9:30 AM–7:30 PM (most shops operate during these hours)

Some shops are marked with "No Photography," so remember to take note.

Goldfish Street | Step into an Art Film

Heading south from Flower Market Road, you'll find Hong Kong's "small commodity shopping paradise", where Fa Yuen Street with its Korean fashion, Sai Yeung Choi Street packed with electronics, and Sneaker Street for trendy brands all sit side by side.

Among them, Bute Street, known as the "Goldfish Street", exudes the most quintessential Hong Kong old-movie vibe. This is where Faye Wong bought goldfish in the film Chungking Express, with plastic bubbles enveloping colorful tropical fish—every corner feels unmistakably Wong Kar-wai.

Goldfish Street resembles an open-air aquarium, where various ornamental fish are displayed in oxygen-filled bags, each marked with a price in marker pen and hung across entire walls. Hong Kongers believe goldfish symbolize good fortune, and during the Lunar New Year, those who adhere to feng shui traditions purchase breeds like "Fortune Beads" or "Red Luck on Top," praying for a prosperous and vibrant year ahead.

Address: 43–39 Bute Street, Prince Edward, Hong Kong
Business Hours: 11:00–21:00 (varies by shop)

618 Shanghai Street｜Stepping into a Century-Old Tong Lau

Heading west along Bute Street and turning south upon reaching Shanghai Street, you’ll come across a shopping mall—618 Shanghai Street—redeveloped from 14 tenement buildings. Tenement buildings, a typical architectural style in southern China and Southeast Asia, feature shops on the ground floor and residential units above. Some adopt the arcade (or "qilou") design, where the street-facing section of the ground floor is built as a pedestrian walkway, creating the illusion that the upper floors "ride" above the sidewalk.

At the heart of the 618 Shanghai Street complex stand 10 arcade-style tenement buildings, constructed before World War II and boasting a century of history. As part of Hong Kong’s conservation and revitalization efforts, these tenements were restored, preserving their row of granite columns and vintage signage to revive the historical charm of the past.

Stepping into the mall feels like traveling back to old Hong Kong in the 1960s, with its retro-themed interior design. The space brings together iconic cultural shops from across the city—Hak Dei, a nostalgic grocery store from Shek Kip Mei; Mee & Gee, a vintage clothing store originating from Tin Hau; and Sin Tat, an embroidered shoe shop from Jordan—offering a one-stop collection of Hong Kong’s neighborhood gems.

Address: 618 Shanghai Street, Mong Kok, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM

Red Brick House | A First-Class Historic Site at the Street Corner

Heading south along Shanghai Street, an iconic British industrial building suddenly comes into view after about an 8-minute walk—this is the Red Brick House. Its European-style arched corridors and aged wooden shutters reveal its 130-year history to visitors.

The Red Brick House is the oldest waterworks structure in Hong Kong's urban area. It once served as the engineer's office for the old Shanghai Street Pumping Station and was designated as a Grade I Historic Building in 2000. After renovation, it now operates jointly with the Yau Ma Tei Theatre across the street, becoming a paradise for opera enthusiasts and staging spectacular traditional Cantonese opera performances for the public.

Address: 8 Waterloo Road, Yau Ma Tei, Hong Kong

The Yau Ma Tei Theatre was closed for renovation in September 2022 and is scheduled to reopen in the first quarter of 2026.

Jordan | Locals Hunt for Delicious Eats

After visiting the Red Brick House, return to the main Nathan Road and take bus No. 2, 6, or 9 from the "Yau Ma Tei Pitt Street" stop. After three stops, get off at "Tsim Sha Tsui Tak Shing Street." Enjoying the bustling street scenes along the way, you'll arrive in the Jordan area.

Jordan is an absolutely underrated food paradise: the perpetually crowded Australia Dairy Company, the legendary Tim Kee French Toast that’s been famous for half a century, countless noodle shops and hot pot joints, and the renowned Temple Street Night Market… It’s a culinary hotspot frequented by locals, perfect for a mid-journey break at one of its many eateries.

Address: MTR Jordan Station

Kowloon Park | Preserving the History of the Avenue

After a hearty meal, continue south along Nathan Road, where the high-rises fade away at Kowloon Park. The park preserves the original roadside trees planted when Nathan Road was first built, and the century-old trees block out the bustle of the city. Like an urban oasis, Kowloon Park offers pedestrians a peaceful retreat.

Kowloon Park was originally a British military barracks, and four of its historic military buildings still remain within the park today, serving as museums that showcase Hong Kong's cultural relics and history. Nowadays, local residents visit the outdoor swimming pools for a swim, children chase each other in the playground, and by the waterfowl lake, you can even spot a flock of flamingos standing leisurely by the shore, with the towering facade of the shopping mall The One as their backdrop.

Address: 22 Austin Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Business Hours: 5:00 AM – 12:00 AM

Signal Hill Garden｜The Beacon Illuminating Victoria Harbour

Passing through the bustling Tsim Sha Tsui, you arrive at the seaside corner—Signal Hill Garden. In 1907, the Hong Kong Observatory built a signal tower here to broadcast time signals to ships in Victoria Harbour. With the widespread adoption of radio, vessels no longer relied on the tower for timekeeping, leaving only the structure preserved for visitors to explore.

Today's Signal Hill Garden is Tsim Sha Tsui's hidden backyard oasis. A mere 10-minute walk leads you to the summit, where you can gaze upon the Victoria Harbour scenery. Unlike the bustling Avenue of Stars at the foot of the hill, visitors here are greeted only by gentle sea breezes and tranquil moments.

Arriving here marks the southernmost end of Nathan Road, where the waterfront is home to the famous Avenue of Stars, Hong Kong Cultural Centre, and Harbour City. The tourist atmosphere grows livelier, bringing this journey through old Hong Kong to a close.