Explore Chengdu’s lesser-known neighborhoods for a unique city walk experience: Wangping Binhe Road, Kuixinglou Street, and Yulin West Road. Discover the creative districts along Binjiang West Road, such as Dongjiao Memory, U37, and Xicun… These are the new landmarks of Chengdu’s cultural innovation, perfect for the artistic youth to capture moments.
For an authentic local experience, visit the He Ming Teahouse in People’s Park, Wangjianglou Park, and Daci Temple on Chunxi Road. Enjoy a bowl of covered bowl tea and immerse yourself in the comfort of old Chengdu.
Visit the iconic historical sites: Wuhou Shrine, Jinli, Du Fu’s Thatched Cottage, Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, and Wide and Narrow Alleys for a deeper cultural immersion.
Dive into the depth of human culture with visits to Chengdu Museum, Sichuan Museum, Sanxingdui Museum, and Jinsha Site Museum.
For fashionable shopping, head to Taikoo Li, IFS, Cosmo, and Global Center.
Food recommendations include Shu Daxia Hot Pot (with many branches, choose one close to you), Shu Jiuxiang Hot Pot (with many branches, choose one near your hotel), chain hot pot Mao Jiao Huo La (No. 33 Kuixinglou Street, near Jixiang Street), Chuan Chuan Malubian Chuan Chuan (with many branches, choose one close to you), and Lin’s Chuan Cuisine (Kui Xing Lou Street). For traditional Sichuan dishes, consider Tao De Sand Pot (with many branches, choose one close to you, and expect a queue), and Ji Mao Dian (with many branches, choose one close to you).
For local old hot pot, try Xiao Er Lao Biao Lao Hot Pot (Jin Qin Road Store, phone: 028-87772887), and for barbecue, visit Lang Qi Ba Ba Shao (Xiang Xiang Alley, phone: 18008003018).
Recommended snacks include Strange Flavor Noodles, Fat Intestine Rice Noodles, Zhong Shui Dumplings, Dan Dan Noodles, Long Chao Shou, Rabbit Head, Bing Fen, Egg Baked Cake, Lai Tang Yuan, and San Da Pao, among others.
Classic attractions include Wide and Narrow Alleys (located in Qingyang District, Chengdu, east of Tongren Road, west of Changshun Street): Wide and Narrow Alleys is one of the three historical and cultural protection areas in Chengdu, consisting of three parallel old city streets and the courtyards between them, forming a pedestrian leisure area. Wuhou Shrine (No. 231 Wuhou Shrine Street, Wuhou District; admission 60 yuan, 8:00-18:00) and Jinli (east side of Wuhou Shrine): Wuhou Shrine, although associated with Zhuge Liang and Liu Bei, is truly the only place in China where a monarch and his minister are worshipped together.
Jinli is now an antique-style commercial street, known as ‘Delicious Street’. Tianfu Square: It echoes Tiananmen Square in Chengdu. It has also been the unchanging political center of Chengdu for over two dozen centuries. To the west of the square is the Imperial City Mosque, to the north is the Sichuan Science and Technology Museum, to the east is Jincheng Art Palace, and to the south is Chengdu Department Store.
Chunxi Road: The most bustling commercial street in Chengdu, similar to Nanjing East Road in Shanghai, and Wangfujing in Beijing. It is actually not just one street but four pedestrian streets that intersect in a cross pattern.
This area and the surrounding commercial streets are home to many of Chengdu’s famous time-honored snacks: Zhong’s Dumplings, Lai Tangyuan, Husband and Wife’s Lung Slices, Han’s Buns, and Long’s Wontons, as well as the spicy barbecue and skewered delicacies found on the street corners.
Qingyang Palace (No. 9, West Second Ring Road, Qingyang District, admission 10 yuan, 8:00-18:00) and Wenshu Monastery (No. 15, Wenshu Monastery Street, Qingyang District, admission 5 yuan, 8:00-18:00): the former is the oldest and largest Taoist temple in Chengdu, while the latter is one of the top ten Zen forests in China, both offering vegetarian meals.
Near Wenshu Monastery, there are some old buildings and streets worth exploring.
Wangjianglou Park (No. 30, Wangjiang Road, Wuhou District, cultural relics protection area admission 20 yuan, garden area free, 8:00-18:00): built during the Ming and Qing dynasties to commemorate the famous Tang Dynasty poet Xue Tao. It was converted into Wangjianglou Park during the Republic of China era, and its Chongli Pavilion is one of the most magnificent pavilions in the country.
Yulin Lane (Wuhou District, Chengdu): the prototype of Yulin Road mentioned in Zhao Lei’s song ‘Chengdu’ is actually Yulin Lane, where several old alleys house the first stores of many of Chengdu’s time-honored brands, highly recommended for exploration.
For a day trip around Chengdu, recommended destinations include the warm winter sun, the late arrival of autumn in Chengdu this year, and the ginkgo viewing spots such as Yihuachi in Chongzhou, Longxing Temple in Pengzhou, and Baiyan Temple in Dayi. If you tire of ginkgoes, the old streets of Xinjin, Laojun Mountain, Dayi’s Xiling Snow Mountain Hot Springs, Xinchang Ancient Town, and Anren Ancient Town are all excellent places to visit.
