Chongqing Travel Guide: What to See, In What Order

Chongqing is a municipality in southwest China, built where the Yangtze and Jialing rivers meet. The first thing to understand in any Chongqing travel guide is that the whole city runs up and down hills and stairs.

That means the same street has upper and lower levels, a monorail passes through a residential building, and night views become the headline attraction. Below we cover climate, sights, transport, and food in order.

Chongqing in short: start with the layout

Chongqing is a city you move through vertically, so a poorly planned route means climbing stairs all day.

Put low-elevation-change areas in the morning and riverside viewpoints in the evening. Judge elevation change before you judge walking distance.

What kind of city it is: hills and two rivers

Chongqing grew around the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers. The meeting point is called Chaotianmen, the city's anchor.

• Downtown sits roughly 200 to 400 meters above sea level, lowest at the confluence.
• Ridges mean roads curve and tunnel through the terrain.
• Frequent fog gives it the nickname City of Mist.

Climate by season

Summer heat is strong, so even the same plan is better rebuilt around indoor stops during daylight in June through August.

Key sights: start with these five

• Hongya Cave: terraced riverside buildings that light up at dusk.
• Jiefangbei: the central square and shopping district.
• Ciqikou: old alleys and traditional houses.
• Liziba: a monorail passing through a residential building, with a viewing platform.
• Yangtze River Cableway: a crossing that doubles as a viewpoint.

From Eling Park or the Nanshan overlooks you can see the two rivers meet at once.

Arrival and getting around

Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport sits north of downtown, reachable by airport rail or taxi.

• Subway and monorail link the main districts. Transfers involve big height differences, so favor escalators over stairs.
• Taxi waits can get long in peak season.
• Chengdu is about an hour away by high-speed rail, so pairing the two cities is common.

Hotpot and local food

Chongqing's signature dish is hotpot, built on oil and chili for a deep, heavy broth.

• Spice level can be adjusted, so say so when you order.
• Some places let you pick ingredients, others serve a set.
• Alley restaurants get long lines in the evening.

Night markets are good for skewers and noodles.