Chengdu | Complete Guide to Popular Attractions

| Complete Guide to Popular Attractions. Chengdu is a city full of vibrant street life and slow-paced living, with both thousand-year cultural heritage and modern trendy atmosphere. Food, pandas, teahouses, and Sichuan Opera are its soul. Here's a practical guide to traveling in Chengdu: 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰 --- ### **I. Must-Visit Attractions** **1. City Classics** - **Kuanzhai Alley** - Composed of Wide Alley, Narrow Alley, and Well Alley, featuring Qing Dynasty streets with gray tiles and blue bricks, perfect for photos and tea drinking (try "bowl-covered tea"). Quite commercialized; for better street food, visit nearby Kuixinglou Street. - **Jinli Street** - An ancient-style commercial street next to Wuhou Shrine, very atmospheric when lanterns light up at night. Try sugar-coated fried dough and "Three Cannon Shots," though prices are a bit high. - **Wuhou Shrine** - A sacred place of Three Kingdoms culture, with red walls and bamboo shadows (popular photo spot), entrance fee ¥50. - **People's Park** - Experience Chengdu's slow life: drink tea at Heming Teahouse, get ear cleaning (¥30-50), go boating, and feel the leisure of locals. **2. Panda Attractions** - **Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding** - A must-visit for panda lovers! Arrive at 7:30 AM opening time and head straight to "Moon Delivery Room" (when pandas are most active). Entrance fee ¥55, sightseeing car ¥10. - **Panda Valley** (Dujiangyan) - Less crowded with better environment, offers close-up views of red pandas (not giant pandas), suitable for visitors with extra time. **3. Day Trips** - **Dujiangyan + Mount Qingcheng** - Dujiangyan (water conservancy project, entrance fee ¥80) and Mount Qingcheng Front Mountain (Taoist culture, entrance fee ¥80) can be visited in one day. Take high-speed train from Xipu Station to Lidui Park Station (about 30 minutes). - **Sanxingdui Museum** - Mysterious ancient Shu civilization (new hall open). Take high-speed train from Chengdu East to Guanghan North (18 minutes), entrance fee ¥72, guided tour recommended. --- ### **II. Food Map** **1. Hot Pot/Skewer Hot Pot** - **Hot Pot**: - Local favorites: **Wuliguan Hot Pot** (famous for soft beef), **Shu Daxia** (distinctive dragon-head pot), **Diantaixiang Hot Pot** (retro style). - If you can't handle spicy food, order "yuan-yang pot" (half spicy, half non-spicy). Dipping sauce must include minced garlic + sesame oil! - **Skewer Hot Pot**: - **Maojiao Huola** (Kuixinglou Street), **Malubianbian** (nostalgic style), average cost ¥50-80 per person. **2. Snacks & Sichuan Cuisine** - **Jianshe Road Food Street**: - Grilled sweet potato noodles, Fu Qiang ribs, iced jelly, gets crowded in the evening. - **Other Must-Try Foods**: - Zhong dumplings (sweet and spicy), sweet water noodles (chewy thick noodles), guokui (stuffed with jelly or beef), rabbit head (Shuangliu Laoma Rabbit Head). - **Sichuan Restaurants**: - **Chen Mapo Tofu** (birthplace of Mapo Tofu), **Mingting Restaurant** (specializing in brain and tofu dish). **3. Teahouse Culture** - **Heming Teahouse** (People's Park): Experience local atmosphere. - **Pengzhen Old Teahouse** (Shuangliu): Century-old shop, great for photography. --- ### **III. Accommodation Recommendations** - **Chunxi Road/Taikoo Li**: City center, convenient for shopping and dining, vibrant nightlife (check out the **IFS climbing panda** landmark). - **Near Kuanzhai Alley**: Strong cultural atmosphere with many guesthouses. - **Around Wenshu Monastery**: Quiet with good value, convenient subway access. --- ### **IV. Transportation Tips** - **Subway**: Covers major attractions; download "Tianfu Tong" APP for QR code payments. - **Scenic Area Direct Bus**: Search "Scenic Area Direct Bus" mini-program on WeChat to book round-trip buses (e.g., Panda Base → Sanxingdui). - **Airports**: Shuangliu Airport (closer to downtown), Tianfu Airport (farther, accessible via subway Line 18, about 1 hour). --- ### **V. Pitfall Guide** 1. Be cautious about "ear cleaning" services in Jinli/Kuanzhai Alley as hygiene standards vary. 2. Don't wear expensive clothes when eating hot pot as the smell is hard to remove! 3. Sanxingdui New Hall requires advance reservation (via official WeChat account) and is closed on Mondays. 4. Chengdu is humid with stuffy summers; bring rain gear and sun protection. --- ### **VI. 3-Day Itinerary Reference** - **Day 1**: Kuanzhai Alley → Lunch at Kuixinglou Street → Wuhou Shrine → Jinli night view - **Day 2**: Panda Base → Chunxi Road/Taikoo Li → Jianshe Road snacks - **Day 3**: Day trip to Dujiangyan or Sanxingdui If you prefer cultural experiences, you can substitute Jinsha Site Museum or Du Fu Thatched Cottage. Need more detailed route planning or unique experiences (like Sichuan Opera face-changing)? Let me know your interests!