Chengdu Travel Guide
Weather, best time to visit, and the best food, culture, nature and activities.
Typical prices
- Budget mealCN¥25.00≈ $3.68
- Mid-range mealCN¥80.00≈ $11.77
- CappuccinoCN¥25.00≈ $3.68
- Domestic beerCN¥15.00≈ $2.21
- Taxi (per km)CN¥2.00≈ $0.29
- Public transport ticketCN¥3.00≈ $0.44
- Museum entryCN¥0.00≈ $0.00
- Mid-range hotel (night)CN¥350.00≈ $51.50
Food & Drink
- Chen Mapo DoufuSichuan · $$
The original restaurant credited with inventing mapo tofu in the 19th century, still serving the fiery Sichuan classic.
- Long Chao ShouSichuan · $
A historic Chengdu institution specializing in wontons ('long chaoshou') and traditional Sichuan snacks.
- Yu's Family KitchenSichuan · $$$$
An upscale restaurant in a restored courtyard house known for refined, artfully presented Sichuan cuisine.
- Shu Jiu Xiang HotpotSichuan/Hotpot · $$
A well-regarded hotpot restaurant known for its numbing-spicy mala broth, a Chengdu essential.
- Wide and Narrow Alleys food stallsSichuan street food · $
Two restored Qing-dynasty alleyways (Kuan Zhai Xiangzi) lined with teahouses and stalls selling local snacks.
- Bandeng FandianSichuan · $$$
A famous Sichuan restaurant with a long-standing reputation for banquet-style traditional dishes.
- Jiuyan Bridge Bar Street
A riverside strip of bars and lounges along the Jin River, one of Chengdu's main nightlife hubs.
- Little Bar
A long-running live music venue that has helped shape Chengdu's independent rock scene since the 1990s.
- Lan Kwai Fong Chengdu
A branch of the Hong Kong nightlife brand, with clubs and bars near Tianfu Square.
Culture & History
- Sichuan Museum
The province's largest museum, with collections spanning Sichuan bronzes, ceramics, and Tibetan cultural artifacts.
- Jinsha Site Museum
Built over an active Bronze Age archaeological dig, displaying the ancient Shu civilization's gold sun-and-bird artifact.
- Chengdu Museum
A modern museum near Tianfu Square covering the city's history from ancient times through the Republic era.
- Du Fu Thatched Cottage
A memorial park and museum on the site where the Tang-dynasty poet Du Fu once lived in exile.
- Wanda Cinema Chunxi Road
A major multiplex chain location in Chengdu's central Chunxi Road shopping district.
- Chengdu International Nonhuman Panda Culture Festival
A springtime celebration centered on the city's panda symbolism, with events at the Giant Panda Base.
- Qingyang Palace Flower Fair
A traditional flower and temple fair held at the Taoist Qingyang Palace, dating back centuries.
Nature & Outdoors
- Mount Qingcheng
A UNESCO-listed sacred Taoist mountain outside Chengdu, with forested trails leading to ancient temples.
Active & Fun
- Will's Fitness Chengdu
A well-established Chinese gym chain with multiple branches across central Chengdu.
- Chengdu Sunac Land
A large indoor-outdoor theme park complex in Chengdu with rides, an ice rink, and a water park.