A young man who loves to explore and eat answers! He has visited Chengdu twice. Whether it’s the dazzling array of delicious food or the cute and fluffy tangyuan, everything makes him feel that life is worth living.
I have put together an extremely detailed lazy person’s guide, taking you to experience the most authentic and comfortable Chengdu. Come and take a look!
Regarding accommodation
Here, two main factors are considered：
- The scenic spots within Chengdu city area are quite densely distributed, mostly within the Second Ring Road；
- The subway system in Chengdu is extremely well-developed, connecting the airport, train stations, and most major attractions within the city.
If you want to live more comfortably, you can stay near Chunxi Road, which is the most bustling business district in Chengdu. It’s also near a subway transfer station, making it convenient to go anywhere.
If you want to stay at a more affordable place, just find a hotel near a subway entrance within the Second Ring Road; it’s also very convenient for getting around.
I recommend a hotel: Harajuku Cinema Hotel Apartment (Chunxi Road Branch). Located in the Chunxi Road business district, it takes only 8 minutes to walk to the subway entrance, making transportation very convenient. It is next to several shopping malls such as Wangfujing and Baisheng, and it takes about 10 minutes to walk to IFS and Taikoo Li, making dining and shopping very convenient. The hotel was renovated in 2020, featuring an INS style, equipped with a projector and a large bathtub, which is very stylish. During peak season, the average cost per person is about 260 yuan, and during off-peak season, it is about 100 yuan. Booking this hotel during the off-peak season is quite cost-effective, with prices comparable to other budget hotels in the same area.
Itinerary arrangement
Let’s start with a simple itinerary. The specific food recommendations and tourist attractions will be mentioned later.
Day One: Du Fu’s Thatched Cottage —— Wide and Narrow Alleys —— People’s Park
The next day: Wuhou Shrine —— Jinli —— Chunxi Road —— IFS —— Taikoo Li
Day three: Giant Panda Base – Eastern Suburbs Memory/Wenshu Monastery – Shuicheng Road Snack Street – Shufeng Yayun (Sichuan Opera Performance)
Day Four: Dujiangyan – Qingcheng Mountain (Front Mountain) / Jinsha Site Museum
Around Chengdu: Recommended attractions include Huanglongxi Ancient Town, Leshan Giant Buddha, Sanxingdui Museum, and Xiling Snow Mountain. Each of these sites requires at least one day to visit. You can book one-day tours on platforms like Mafengwo and Ctrip, or follow ‘Chengdu Scenic Spots Direct’ on WeChat to book same-day round-trip buses, which is very convenient.
Overview of tourist attractions
- Chunxi Road & Guojin Center IFS & Taikoo Li
Chunxi Road is the most representative and bustling commercial pedestrian street in Chengdu, akin to Wangfujing in Beijing and Nanjing Road in Shanghai, making it a must-visit spot when coming to Chengdu.
The nearby Guojin Center IFS and Taikoo Li are also very worth visiting commercial projects. The cute giant panda statue is right at IFS, while Taikoo Li is the trendsetter for the entire southwest region. Young people must go there to explore; it’s incredibly artistic.
tips：You can take pictures of a panda’s rear end from downstairs, and you can take pictures of its front on the terrace on the 6th floor.
- Kuanzhai Alley
introduction：It is the only Qing Dynasty ancient street left in Chengdu, consisting of three parallel old streets: Wide Alley, Narrow Alley, and Well Alley, along with the old quadrangle courtyards in between. There are many restaurants, cafes, bars, and tea houses with local characteristics, as well as attractions like fake bronze statues, ear cleaning services, and face-changing performances. You can savor local snacks, drink tea, get an ear cleaning from a ‘Shu Er Lang’, and experience the traditional customs and culture of old Chengdu.
Open hours: 24/7
Duration of visit: 2 to 3 hours
Ticket information: Free
tips：The prices in the scenic area are a bit high. You can go to nearby places to eat, such as Kuixinglou Snack Street, Liao Laoma’s Pig’s Trotters (Sandong Bridge Store), and Wumei Zhuji Large Intestine Noodles, which are all very good.
- Jinli
introduction：It is a commercial street composed of ancient-style buildings, located next to the Wuhou Shrine, with many local speical snacks and small items inside.
Open hours: 24/7
Duration of visit: 2 to 3 hours
Ticket information: Free
Suggestion: It’s a street that imitates ancient architecture. Personally, I find it less interesting than the Kuanzhai Alley. If you don’t enjoy shopping, you can skip it.
- Wuhou Shrine
Originally a shrine dedicated to Zhuge Liang, the chancellor of the Shu Kingdom during the Three Kingdoms period, it is adjacent to the shrine of Liu Bei, the emperor of the Shu Kingdom. In the early Ming dynasty, the two shrines were combined to become the only temple in China where a ruler and his minister are worshipped together. The temple consists of three parts: the Three Kingdoms Historical Relics Area (Cultural Relics Area), the West Area (Three Kingdoms Cultural Experience Area), and the Jinli Folklore Area (Jinli). It houses statues of many heroes of the Shu Han, including Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang, as well as numerous steles and plaques related to Zhuge Liang and Three Kingdoms culture.
Opening hours: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM for the cultural relics area, ticket sales stop at 5:00 PM; 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM for the west area.
Duration of visit: 2 to 3 hours
Ticket information: Full-price ticket is 50 yuan per person, half-price ticket is 25 yuan per person.
The path from San Yi Temple to Hui Ling has a scenic view called ‘Red Walls and Bamboo Shadows’. If you want to take photos, you must come early in the morning when there are fewer people.
- Dù Fǔ’s Thatched Cottage
A brief introduction: This is the former residence of the renowned Tang Dynasty poet Du Fu when he was residing in Chengdu. The current Caotang has been restored through multiple dynasties, and the thatched cottage where he lived was rebuilt based on the characteristics of traditional Sichuan Western dwellings. The garden is filled with pavilions and winding paths. He lived here for nearly four years and created over a hundred poems during this time, making it a sacred site in Chinese literary history.
Operating hours: 09:00-16:00, ticket sales stop at 15:00 (from January 1 to December 31, Monday to Sunday).
Duration of visit: 2 to 3 hours
Ticket information: Full price is 50 yuan, half price with a student ID.
Recommendation: It is still recommended to come early in the morning. As soon as the door opens, enter the garden. During quieter times, you can better appreciate the tranquility and elegance here. You can hire a guide to listen to stories about Du Fu’s life and anecdotes from his time at the Thatched Cottage, which is very interesting.
- People’s Park
This place was originally known as the ‘Eight Banners Manchu City’ during the Qing Dynasty. In 1911, a park was built here, and today it has become a popular spot for locals to entertain and relax. The most famous spot within the park is the Crane Singing Tea House, which has maintained its style for nearly a century. The standard setup includes bamboo chairs, low tables, and covered teacups, with their specialty tea being ‘Xiang Pian’.
Operating hours: 6:30 AM to 10:00 PM
Duration of visit: 2 to 3 hours
Ticket information: Free, but tickets are required during the flower exhibition period.
Suggestion: Compared to other places, the atmosphere of daily life here is more vibrant. Many locals come here to drink tea and play cards. If you want to experience the leisurely pace of old Chengdu, spending half a day here strolling around, drinking a cup of tea, and chatting is definitely the right way to do it.
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
Introduction: Located in the northern suburbs of Chengdu, numerous ‘panda villas’ feature open courtyards and indoor lounges where visitors can get up close to adorable giant pandas. Pandas of all ages are available to see!
Operating hours: 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM
Duration of visit: 3 to 5 hours
Ticket information: Full price is 55 yuan, half price with a student ID.
Suggestion：
1) Follow the “Chengdu Scenic Area Direct Train” on WeChat to book a bus ticket from the city to the Panda Base. Remember to book the earliest bus and then book your ticket online. Enter the park with your ID card, so you don’t have to queue up.
2) After entering the scenic area, it is recommended to take an electric scooter directly to the Moon Delivery Room on the mountaintop, so that you can travel downhill and save energy. After getting off the car, visit the Moon Delivery Room, Giant Panda No.2 Villa, Sun Delivery Room, Little Panda No.2 Activity Field, Juvenile Giant Panda Villa, Adult Giant Panda Villa, Sub Adult Giant Panda Villa A and B areas in sequence. The whole journey takes about three hours.
3) Because giant pandas are more lively in the morning, the feeding period is from 9 to 11 o’clock, and they start sleeping after finishing. Therefore, it is recommended to arrive at 8:30 and take advantage of the lack of people to go to the delivery room to see the panda cubs before continuing the tour, so that you can see their cute appearance.
- Wenshu Monastery
Founded during the Sui Dynasty, it was rebuilt during the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty and renamed Wenshu Monastery. The monastery houses over 300 Buddha statues, including a precious Burmese jade Buddha, which was brought back by the monks after walking to Myanmar to collect donations. Additionally, the monastery houses many precious paintings and calligraphy pieces, the most famous of which is the ‘Konglin’ plaque bestowed by Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty to Wenshu Monastery, and his imitation of a horizontal scroll painting by Song dynasty calligrapher Mi Fu titled ‘Moon over the Sea’.
Operating hours: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Duration of visit: 1 to 2 hours
Ticket information: Free
Suggestion: Although it may not be as famous as the Wuhou Shrine or Du Fu’s Thatched Cottage, I personally think it’s worth visiting. The old buildings are well-preserved, there are fewer tourists, and it is very tranquil.
- Dongjiao Memory
This is a creative cultural industry park built on the old site of the former Hongguang Electronics Factory. The office buildings, red brick factories, locomotive, and railway tracks, which were constructed with Soviet aid, have a strong industrial style, making it particularly suitable for young intellectuals to take photos here.
Open hours: 24/7
Duration of visit: 2 to 3 hours
Ticket information: Free
- Sichuan Opera with a refined and elegant style
Founded in 1998, it features very authentic Sichuan opera performances. Here you can see many amazing skills such as face-changing, spitting fire, and rolling lanterns, and you can also get ear cleaning, massage, and take photos in traditional opera costumes. Tickets can be booked on platforms like Ctrip or Mafengwo, with adult tickets priced at 80 yuan and children’s tickets at 70 yuan.
- Dujiangyan
Dujiangyan is a historic irrigation project located in Sichuan Province, China. It was constructed during the Warring States period and is still in use today, playing a crucial role in flood control and water management. The site is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a popular tourist destination.
Operating hours: 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM (December 1 – February 28, Monday to Sunday); 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM (March 1 – November 30, Monday to Sunday)
Duration of visit: 3 to 5 hours
Ticket information: Adult tickets cost 80 yuan, and students can get a 50% discount with a student ID.
Suggestion：
1) If you only go to Dujiangyan Irrigation Project, you can take the subway to Xipu, and then transfer to intercity to Dujiangyan Irrigation Project, which is also very convenient.
2) Recommended routes: Lidui Park (entrance) – Fulong Temple – Baopingkou – Feisha Weir – Yuzui Water Diversion Dike – Anlan Cable Bridge (one of the five ancient bridges in China) – Qinyan Tower (overlooking the whole Dujiangyan Irrigation Project) – Erwang Temple – Songmao Ancient Road – Yulei Pavilion (the highest point of viewing Dujiangyan Irrigation Project) – South Bridge (exit). It takes about three and a half hours to walk down, and there are sightseeing buses in the scenic spot.
- Qingcheng Mountain
Known for its reputation as one of the most secluded places in the world, it is one of the birthplaces of Taoism and is divided into two parts: the Front Mountain and the Back Mountain. The Front Mountain is mainly characterized by cultural landscapes, with many historical sites concentrated here. The Back Mountain, on the other hand, is known for its natural scenery and is an ideal place for vacations and relaxation.
Operating hours: 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM (March 2nd – November 30th, Monday to Sunday); 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM (December 1st – March 1st of the following year, Monday to Sunday)
Duration of visit: 3 to 5 hours
Ticket information: Qian Mountain ticket: adult ticket 80 RMB / half-price ticket 40 RMB (January 1 to December 31, Monday to Sunday); Hou Mountain ticket: adult ticket 20 RMB / half-price ticket 10 RMB (January 1 to December 31, Monday to Sunday)
Suggestion: Only climbed the front mountain, personally, I don’t find the scenery particularly stunning, and it’s quite tiring. If you don’t enjoy climbing or are not very interested in Daoist culture, you can skip it.
- Jinsha Site Museum
Introduction：
Jinsha Site was the capital of the ancient Shu Kingdom during the late Shang Dynasty to the Western Zhou period, and it is one of the most important sites from China’s Pre-Qin era. It is highly likely that it emerged as another political, economic, and cultural center on the Chengdu Plain after the decline of the Sanxingdui civilization. Numerous precious artifacts have been unearthed here, including gold, bronze, jade, stone, ivory, and lacquerware items, along with tens of thousands of pottery shards, several tons of ivory, and thousands of boar tusks and deer antlers, making it one of the richest sites globally in terms of gold and jade artifacts and the densest in ivory. Among these, the most famous exhibit is the ‘Sun God Bird’ gold ornament located in the fourth hall, which has been designated as the emblem of China’s cultural heritage and the main pattern of Chengdu’s city image logo.
Open hours: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM; Last entry time: 5:00 PM (January 1 – December 31, Tuesday to Sunday), closed on Mondays (except for public holidays and January, February, July, and August).
Duration of visit: 2 to 3 hours
Ticket information: Full price is 70 yuan, half price with a student ID.
specialty cuisine
It must be said that the cuisine in Chengdu is truly abundant. Here, I have only recommended some local specialties that also cater to more general tastes.
- Hot Pot
When you come to Chengdu, you definitely have to eat hotpot! Chengdu’s hotpot doesn’t seem as spicy as Chongqing’s, but it’s more fragrant. However, it’s still recommended that friends who can’t handle much spiciness order a mild spicy plus 鸳鸯锅 (yinyang pot).
There’s no need to specifically look for popular or trendy hotpot restaurants, as the food may not necessarily be good and they can be crowded. It’s better to find places where locals eat. I recommend Ba Shu Dazhaimen (must-order: freshly fried pork belly, fresh beef stomach, and beef) and Tan Duck Blood Old Hotpot (must-order: duck blood and beef stomach). Both of these are chain restaurants and can be found everywhere, with decent flavors.
- Sichuan cuisine
I recommend Chen Mapo Tofu, a long-established chain restaurant known for its classic Sichuan dishes that are delicious and affordable. You must try their Mapo Tofu, Mala Blood Vessel, and Spicy Beef Tripe.
- Chuànchuàn xiāng
The flavor is similar to hot pot, but there are more diverse and flexible choices of dishes. If there are fewer people, you can try a few skewers of each. I recommend the Mao Jiao Fire Spicy at Kui Xing Lou, along with their signature old brine quail eggs, farm-style small potatoes, and exploding rabbit kidneys, which are must-order items.
- Buddha Jumps Over the Wall Chicken
Originating from Leshan, similar to cold pot skewers. Recommended: Jiaozhou Ye Po Po Bo Bo Chicken, which offers two types of broth—spicy oil and Sichuan pepper. The flavors are richer, and their signature egg fried rice is also excellent.
- Dongzi Kou Zhang Er’s Cold Noodles
It’s also an old-established place, and their cold tofu skin, sweet noodles, and Zhong dumplings are all excellent. The cold tofu skin comes in two types: yellow cold tofu skin made from mung beans and white cold tofu skin made from corn, with the latter being more tender. The sweet noodles use hand-rolled noodles that are as thick as chopsticks, offering a chewy texture. Due to the addition of sweet soy sauce and brown sugar water in the seasoning, the dish has a unique flavor that combines spiciness with sweetness.
- Intestine noodles + pan-fried bread
When eating chifuchuan, you must pair it with guohui. Fry the guohui in rapeseed oil until golden brown, then put it in the oven to bake until it is crispy layer by layer. Chifuchuan has a spicy and fragrant flavor; the large intestine is stewed until very soft but still chewy. Cut the guohui into pieces and dip it into the soup; it’s also great when it soaks up the broth!
I ate at Wumei Zhuji Large Intestine Noodles (Industrial Street Branch) before. It’s an old shop with great taste, located near the Kuanzhai Alley.
- Liao Mama’s Pig’s Trotters (Sandong Bridge Branch)
Their pig trotter soup is really good. The trotters are stewed until tender, and the meat falls off with a gentle pull. It’s best eaten with the dipping sauce, which is absolutely delicious. The soup is quite light, without any fishy smell, but it has a hint of string bean flavor. It’s also located near the Kuanzhai Alley, so you can come by for a taste.
- Dàn hōng gāo
Dàn hōng gāo is a traditional Chinese pastry originating from Sichuan province. It is made by pouring a batter onto a hot griddle, which is then filled with various sweet or savory ingredients before being folded over and cooked until crispy. Common fillings include red bean paste, egg yolk, and scallions. The texture is similar to a pancake but with a unique, slightly chewy consistency.
Recommend Heji Egg Pancake, a non-franchise chain store that is also popular among locals. Their peanut butter, cheese durian, and meat floss salad flavors are quite good.
- snack street
I recommend two places: one is the Kuixinglou Pedestrian Street, near the Kuanzhai Alley, where Ma Jiao Hot Pot and Taolin are quite good; the other is the Construction Lane Snack Street, a local-recommended street food area near the University of Electronic Science and Technology, with Niangniang Red Bean Jelly and Tiaopi Dougan recommended.
