GRAPES are a perfect summer fruit, for both their delicate, juicy taste and rich vitamins.

Although the temperature keeps rising, the pleasure and sense of satisfaction from picking grapes outdoors is quite strong.

Shanghai Daily recommends several vineyards around the city where you can pick and try the fresh fruit, enjoy the natural scenes in the suburbs and explore neighboring destinations.

Malu Grape Theme Park

Jiading District

The park is a grape-producing base and a site for agri-tourism that combines cultivation, scientific research and tourism. There are different scenes in the park, including “Lovers Vineyard,” “Water Vineyard,” “Grape Gallery,” “Fishing Center” and so on.

People can also taste delicious grape juice and unique grape dumplings in the park, and even bring the wine which they make themselves back home.

Date: Through October

Admission: 30 yuan per adult, 15 yuan per child under 1.3 meters

Price for grapes: 32-50 yuan per kilo

Address: 29 Daye Rd, Malu Town, Jiading District

How to get there:

• By car: Middle Ring Road — A12 Hujia Expressway — Malu Exit — turn right to Bao’an Highway — Liuxiang Highway — turn left, go straight to Daye Road then turn right

• By public transport: Take Sightseeing Bus Line 6 to Malu stop, then take Malu Line 1 to the terminal station stop, Dayu Village.

Scenic spots nearby: Guyi Garden, Shanghai International Circuit, Qiuxia Garden, Confucius Temple, Fahua Tower

Aode Farm

Songjiang District

The farm, covering 200 acres, focuses on cultivating grapes of European and Asian breeds, including Kyoho, Giant Rose, Golden Finger and  Fuji.

Aode Farm also features facilities for tourists to have fun, such as a children’s park, barbecue, basketball and ping pong.

Date: Through mid-October

Admission: Free

Price for grapes: 32 yuan per kilo

Address: 299 Huachang Rd, Changlou Village, Chedun Town, Songjiang District

How to get there:

• By car: Go down Husong Highway and turn on Songwei Road N. When you are in Tamin Highway, turn left and then turn right in Huachang Highway. Go straight about 500 meters, and the farm is on the left.

• By public transport: Take Metro Line 9 to Songjiang University Town, then take a taxi (about 60 yuan) or take the Bus Line 9 to Songjiang Railway Station. Transfer to “community bus” to Maoting Road then turn into Huachang Road and walk around 3km to the farm.

Scenic spots nearby: Chedun Film Park

Shiquan Grapery

Jinshan District

The grape park, covering an area of nearly 200 acres, grows some special grape breeds like Kyoho, Giant Rose and Red Earth. It also brings in new breeds for experiment and spread the technology.

It applies organic fertilizer and takes advantage of advanced digital management to ensure the quality of the grapes.

Date: Through November

Admission: 6 yuan

Price for grapes: 20-32 yuan per kilo

Address: No. 4218-8, Baiyang Village, Lvxiang Town, Jinshan District

How to get there:

• By car: Take A4 Expressway and get off at Tingwei Exit, turn right at Zhulu Highway to Ganxiang Town. Then get into the Hongguang Road.

• By public transport: Take Metro Line 1 to Jinjiang Amusement Park. Transfer to Bus Huwei Line and get off at Zhangye. Take Jinshi Line to Luzhu Highway, then walk about 2km.

Scenic spots nearby: Taoyuan Farm

Jingpin Grapery in Qianwei Village

Chongming County

Qianwei Village is truly ecological. Dead branches and leaves are usually sent to the methane tank to be fermented together with pig manure. The methane is then used to produce electricity or mixed into soil to increase the fertility. The biogas slurry os also fed into the garden through an underground pipeline.

Date: Through mid-October

Admission: Free

Price for grapes: 50 yuan per kilo

Address: 7km from the northern side of Dongping National Forest Park

How to get there:

• By car: Changjiang Tunnel Bridge — Chenhai Highway — Panlong Highway — Beiyan Highway — Linfeng Highway — Qianwei Village

• By public transport: (from Puxi) Shenchong Line 3 Wenshui Road Station — Nanmen Wharf of Chongming — Nandong Line — Qianwei Village; (from Pudong) Shencong Line 6 Jufeng Road Station — Chongming Nanmen Wharf — Nandong Line — Qianwei Village

Scenic spots nearby: Dongping National Forest Park

Wusi Farm Organic Grapery

Fengxian District

The organic orchard, built in 2000, lies on the banks of Hangzhou Bay. The grape of Xinxin brand is especially famous and won silver and bronze medals at a fruit competition in 2006 in Shanghai and a gold at a Shanghai high-quality fruit competition in 2008.

Date: Through August 25

Admission: 20 yuan (including a hat, a bottle of mineral water and guide)

Price for grapes: 60 yuan per kilo

Address: 2600 Wusi Rd, Haiwan village, Fengxian District

How to get there:

• By car: Yanggao Road S. (Pudong) — Linhai Highway — Pinzhuang Highway — Hongwa Highway — Wusi Highway

A highly nutritious fruit

Every part of a grape is useful. Grape skin contains polyphenols, tannic acid and anthocyanidin that can decrease the level of blood lipids and accelerate fat decomposition.

The meat is rich in water-soluble Vitamin B, which is essential in regulating metabolism. It also has abundant minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium. It can help detoxify, clean up the internal environment and accelerate the body’s metabolism, making it easy to lose weight.

The seeds are very high in procyanidin, whose extract is very useful as an anti-aging agent for women. They also have great antioxidant capacity — 50 times that of Vitamin E and 20 times that of Vitamin C.

Here are some healthy grape recipes.

• Raisin tea

Ingredients: Raisins (50g), green tea (10g), honey

Preparation: 1. Brew the green tea with boiling water, add raisin and braise 5 minutes.

2. When the tea’s temperature becomes moderate, add honey.

Benefit: Alleviate unctuosity and accelerate fat decomposition.

• Raisin and oats congee

Ingredients: Raisins (30g), oats

Preparation: Cook the oats until they’re done and then add the raisins.

Benefit: Oats can facilitate the movement of intestinal tract, while raisins accelerate metabolism. When eaten together, they can eliminate constipation and prevent fat accumulation.

• Grape tomato juice

Ingredients: Grapes (100g), one tomato, cabbage (70g), honey

Preparation: 1. Wash the grapes. Cut the tomato and cabbage into cubes.

2. Put all the three together into a blender.

3. Add honey into the juice.

Benefit: Rich in dietary fiber, it can prevent constipation, helps eliminate waste from the body and decompose abdomen fat.