Chengdu

Chengdu's historic and cultural sights and everyday street life each have their own appeal. Allow 3–5 days to explore the main attractions and try local food at a relaxed pace. The following guide covers sights, itineraries, accommodation and dining.

• Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding: A good place to observe giant pandas going about their day. Aim to arrive before 7:30 a.m. Pandas are generally more active in the morning and spend much of the afternoon resting.

• Wuhou Shrine and Jinli: Wuhou Shrine focuses on Three Kingdoms culture, while its red walls and bamboo groves also make attractive photo backdrops. Save neighboring Jinli for early evening, when glowing red lanterns give its lanes a different look from daytime.

• Du Fu Thatched Cottage: The former home of the poet Du Fu has peaceful gardens, red walls, bamboo shadows and the site of his thatched cottage. It is a good choice for visitors interested in poetry and history.

• Dujiangyan and Mount Qingcheng: The former offers a look at an irrigation system used for thousands of years, while the latter is known for its peaceful mountain forests. Allow a full day for both, and wear comfortable walking shoes.

• Chunxi Road and Taikoo Li: Together, these form one of Chengdu's bustling shopping districts. The seventh floor of IFS offers a front-facing view of the wall-climbing panda sculpture for photos. Daci Temple, within Taikoo Li, provides a quiet retreat from the surrounding shops.

• People's Park: Visit for a glimpse of how Chengdu residents relax. Sit down for a cup of lidded-bowl tea at Heming Teahouse, or try traditional ear cleaning, a practice recognized as intangible cultural heritage.

• Wenshu Monastery: This historic temple offers free admission and a peaceful setting, with distinctive red walls and yellow roof tiles. You can also shop for reasonably priced gifts during your visit.

• Eastern Suburb Memory: This arts district, converted from old factories, combines industrial architecture with avant-garde graffiti. Younger visitors may enjoy taking photos or browsing streetwear shops.

3-Day, 2-Night City Highlights Itinerary

If you have limited time and want to see the main landmarks as well as everyday street life, consider the following plan.

• Day 1: Spend the morning exploring Chunxi Road and Taikoo Li, and head to the seventh floor of IFS for a photo with the wall-climbing panda. Try Sichuan food nearby for lunch. In the afternoon, stroll through People's Park, drink lidded-bowl tea at Heming Teahouse and try ear cleaning. After dark, head to Jiuyan Bridge to see the illuminated Anshun Covered Bridge and explore Chengdu's bar scene.

• Day 2: Set out early for the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, aiming to arrive before 7:30 a.m. to watch the pandas eating bamboo. Visit Wuhou Shrine in the afternoon to learn about Three Kingdoms culture. In the early evening, walk over to Jinli Ancient Street for snacks and a Sichuan opera face-changing performance.

• Day 3: In the morning, either photograph the red walls at Wenshu Monastery or visit Chengdu Museum to learn about the history of the Shu region. Spend the afternoon exploring the Qing-dynasty streets of Kuanzhai Alley, then try skewers or maocai, a spicy broth dish with assorted ingredients, on nearby Kuixinglou Street before heading home.

5-Day, 4-Night City and Surroundings Itinerary

With more time, you can add natural scenery and sites connected with ancient Shu civilization to your city sightseeing.

• Day 1–3: Follow the three-day city itinerary above to explore cultural sights and experience everyday life in Chengdu.
• Day 4: Take an intercity train to Dujiangyan. Visit the Fish Mouth Levee, Flying Sand Weir and Bottle-Neck Channel in sequence to learn about traditional water engineering. In the afternoon, explore the forested front section of Mount Qingcheng. In the evening, head to Nanqiao Bridge to see the “blue tears” nighttime scenery, then return to the city.

• Day 5: In the morning, visit Sanxingdui Museum in Guanghan, about 20 minutes away by high-speed train, focusing on the large standing bronze figure and bronze sacred tree. Alternatively, visit Jinsha Site Museum to see the gold Sun and Immortal Birds ornament. Finish your trip in the afternoon and head home.

Where to Stay

• Chunxi Road / Taikoo Li: With plenty of shopping malls and convenient metro connections, this area suits first-time visitors and those focused on shopping, though accommodation tends to be more expensive.

• Around Tianfu Square: Metro Lines 1 and 2 meet here, making it easy to get around. Chengdu Museum and the Science and Technology Museum are nearby, and accommodation offers relatively good value.

• Yulin Road / Fangcao Street: This area has a lived-in, local feel, with plenty of small home-style restaurants and independent cafés. It suits younger visitors who want to try local food and explore neighborhoods on foot.

• Around Kuanzhai Alley: Stay here for a taste of old Chengdu's streets and lanes, with some attractions within walking distance. It suits visitors who prefer a cultural atmosphere and quiet surroundings.

What to Eat in Chengdu

Chengdu has been named a UNESCO City of Gastronomy. Alongside hotpot and skewers, make room for local snacks.

• Beef-Tallow Hotpot: One of Chengdu's signature foods, best tried at a long-established neighborhood restaurant frequented by locals. Start with mild spice if it is your first time. Ingredients to try include beef tripe, duck intestines and tender beef.

• Chuanchuan Xiang: This skewered-food version of hotpot is more casual and usually charged by the skewer. A filling meal typically costs 60–90 yuan per person. Restaurants to consider include Malu Bianbian and Maojiao Huola.

• Mao Roast Duck: Common on Chengdu's streets, this dish consists of chopped roast duck briefly cooked in a spicy, numbing seasoned broth. It combines the roasted aroma of the duck skin with the flavor of the broth and can be served with wide glass noodles.

• Dan Hong Gao (Egg Pancakes): A common street snack made by cooking fermented batter in a copper pan, then adding fillings such as cream and pork floss or sesame and sugar. The outside is slightly crisp and the inside soft.

• Laoma Tihua (Pork Trotter Soup): A good late-night meal, with trotters simmered until tender and easy to pull off the bone. The broth is mild and relatively light, and the meat can be dipped in a spicy sauce.

• Sweet Water Noodles: These thick, chewy noodles are seasoned with sesame paste, chili oil and a specially seasoned soy sauce. They taste sweet and spicy, with a lingering sweetness, and work well as breakfast or an afternoon snack.

Booking, Dining and Transport Tips

• Book ahead: The panda base, Chengdu Museum and Sanxingdui are popular, so reserve in advance through their official mini programs. During holidays, slots may be fully booked several days ahead.
• When to see pandas: Get to the panda base as early as possible. Young pandas are generally more active between 9:00 and 10:30 a.m. and tend to sleep in the afternoon. If you arrive later, you may mainly see resting pandas.
• Choosing a spice level: Chengdu's beef-tallow hotpot has a strong numbing and spicy flavor. If you have a sensitive stomach or rarely eat spicy food, choose mild spice or a split pot with spicy and non-spicy broths on your first visit, and stay within your own tolerance.
• Where to try snacks: Snacks along the main streets of Kuanzhai Alley and Jinli tend to be expensive and fairly ordinary in flavor. For food more commonly eaten by local residents, consider Kuixinglou Street, Jianshe Road or Fuqin Night Market.
• Arriving and departing: If flying, consider Shuangliu Airport first, as it is closer to the city center. From Tianfu Airport, the metro journey into the city takes over an hour. If traveling by high-speed train, Chengdu East Railway Station is a convenient choice, with direct metro connections to the city center.