Places to Visit on Your Trip to Chengdu
Chengdu is my home away from home, and the place where I lived and studied abroad for a year and a half. It was exhilarating to finally return and visit many of my favorite places. Reuniting with some old friends and eating many of my favorite food all made for a memorable trip. This time was made even more special since I was showing my sisters why I love Chengdu to the extent that I do.
Things to Do
Anshun Bridge 安顺廊桥
An iconic spot for nightlife - both the bars and clubs but also people enjoying the riverside paths - this is one of the places to see while you’re here. I really enjoy the music, people gathering to dance, and just the overall lively feeling of the area. If you are so inclined, there is also a restaurant that you can eat at on the bridge. There are plenty of eating, drinking, and clubs to visit close by.
Address: 成都市武侯区滨江东路66号
Chunxi Road 春熙路
The prime spot for shopping is Chunxi Road. Many of the bigger recognized name brands are located in the shopping malls. We ended up buying a good chunk of our gifts for family at the stores here. Prices are fairly similar to the same stores back home, but with China-exclusive items.
Address: 成都市锦江区
Taikoo Li 太古里
This shopping district is located directly across the road from Chunxi Road. Having both shopping areas in proximity makes it very convenient and allows one to have many stores to browse and choose from. There are also some good restaurants in this area that I have visited in the past.
Address: 成都市锦江区中纱帽街8号
IFS Shopping Mall 成都国际金融中心
The IFS shopping mall is located on Chunxi Road, and contains many of the high-end storefronts. The mall looks sleek and there are some eating and drink places located within. There is also a giant panda hanging off the top of the building. People can ride up to the top of the building and take photos with it.
Address: 成都市锦江区红星路三段1号(春熙路地铁站出入口旁)
Dufu Thatched Cottage 杜甫草堂
This is probably my favorite nature spot in the city. Dufu was a renowned poet, and now his house is open for the public. It is so calming to walk the grounds and view all the beautiful landscaping. There are many ponds filled with koi fish along the thatched roof buildings. There are quiet Chinese ballad songs playing throughout the gardens which lend an even more peaceful atmosphere to the place.
Address: 成都市青羊区青华路37号
Fuqin Night Market 抚琴夜市
My friends took me, for the first time, to this night market. The food carts lined the streets in one of the neighborhoods. My friend was intent on stuffing us with food, and we ended up tasting a wide variety of snacks, desserts, and dishes. The atmosphere was lively and there were many people wandering the streets. It’s a fun way to try different food, and experience a local night market.
Address: 成都市金牛区抚琴东巷4号(抚琴地铁站B1口步行160米)
Jinli Street 锦里古街
Yet another area that looks beautiful at night, Jinli Street is located right outside of Wuhou Shrine. There are lots of snack and meal foods to choose from. I ended up eating quite a variety of things and regretted that I didn’t buy more lamb skewers.
Address: 成都市武侯区武侯祠大街231号附1号
Kuanzhai Alleys 宽窄巷子
A popular tourist area that is lined with shops for both souvenirs or food and drink. It can be quite overwhelming as the streets become packed with people. The noise level is loud with workers trying to attract business to their establishments. The quality of drinks and food from some of the places was not very good, so that is something to keep in mind when buying desserts and beverages.
Address: 成都市青羊区金河路口宽窄巷子(宽窄巷子地铁站B口步行60米)
Panda Breeding and Research Base 成都大熊猫繁育研究基地
We took a taxi out to the panda breeding base, and tried to arrive in the morning - as the pandas are more active then. It was so much fun to wander the extensive grounds and see all the pandas and red pandas in varying stages of activity. Many were munching on bamboo, climbing trees, playing, or sleeping.
Address: 成都市成华区熊猫大道1375号
People’s Park 人民公园
This park is located in the center of Chengdu and is a common escape to nature from the bustling city life. People go to dance, search for potential marriage partners, boat on the lake, and stroll along the park paths. Heming Teahouse is also established within the grounds. The teahouse is quite large, and it can be crowded and noisy. Sitting down for some tea and snacks is a nice way to enjoy the afternoon. If you’re brave enough, there are also ear cleaning services that are a unique experience.
Address: 成都市青羊区小南街8号(人民公园地铁站B口步行250米)
Wuhou Shrine 武侯祠
This is another peaceful spot in the city. Wuhou Shrine is known for its iconic red walls that draw in photographers and models. I was excited to see cats napping and walking along the walls. The architecture was well situated within the garden landscapes. It does draw in more tourists than Dufu’s Cottage, so it wasn’t as quiet and the grounds are smaller. I highly recommend going to both places if you have the time. I think the two places are worth the time to soak in the peace and quiet.
Address: 成都市武侯区武侯祠大街231号
Buy some panda souvenirs
Chengdu loves pandas, and it really shows from the desserts, drinks, food, and items that all feature them. There are panda items everywhere, and you should definitely take some home to friends and family. It was a little overwhelming to have to only choose a few to purchase.
Eats & Drinks
Lishanshan 李山山茶事
One of my favorite tea franchises, Lishanshan has storefronts in several places. The one that I went to was located in Tianfu Square, and it was a great drink to have at the end of the day. I tried so many different flavors, and loved every single one. They are well-known for their claypot milk teas and frothy foam and toppings.
Tianfu Square 天府广场
Since we were staying next to Tianfu Square this time, it was extremely convenient to cross the street and eat meals at the mall. Restaurants, stores, and a food court are all sitting below ground. The food court was especially fun since we could order a little food from several different places.
Address: 成都市青羊区人民南路一段86号(天府广场地铁站出入口步行50米)
Food to try
There are so many Sichuan specialties to try, and the mala spice is a common flavor in many dishes. Pictured above are just a few food items that I ate - except for the roast pigeon and hairy tofu.
Outside the City
Leshan Buddha 乐山大佛
There are many popular spots to visit outside of the city center, but we sadly only had time to visit Leshan and see the Big Buddha. The area is quite extensive, and we paid to see the buddhas located in the mountain (one is pictured on the left) and then walked to the huge one alongside the river (pictured above).
Address: 乐山市市中区凌云路2435号
How to get around
Taxis, buses, the subway system, and rentable bikes are all options to get around the city. The majority of the time, we used a combination of the taxis, bikes, and subway. If you are feeling brave, you can tackle renting the bikes that are strewn along the roads. It can feel a little dangerous riding on the road, since there are motorbikes whizzing along and seeming to disregard the rules of the road. Just be cautious and look out for cars, pedestrians, and motorcyclists.
How long to stay
Chengdu is most likely my favorite place in China, so I would encourage anyone to stay as long as possible. The slow pace of life and welcoming people make for a wonderful experience. To see popular sights within the city and maybe fit in a day trip, I would recommend five days as the ideal amount of time.
When to go
Try to avoid major holidays like New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival and the monsoon season in the late summer/early fall. Summer can be extremely hot, while spring, fall, and even winter are less touristy and weather conditions are less hot and humid.
Where to stay
To have easier access I recommend staying near Chunxi Road or Tianfu Square. There are many connecting subway lines from these areas, and many restaurants and shopping areas are located there. Booking through Trip.com made the whole process seamless, and we were able to find a foreigner-friendly hotel through the site.