Chongqing in 3 days

China's vertical mega-city: hotpot, stilted river architecture, neon bridges and the gateway to the Yangtze. Best time to visit: March-May, September-November. Average daily budget: $40 to $90 USD.

Day 1, Get oriented

Base: Jiefangbei (Yuzhong Peninsula), The downtown core between two rivers: shopping, hotels and the Liberation Monument.

Morning: Eat real Chongqing hotpot. A volcanic mala broth of chilli and Sichuan pepper, the city's proudest ritual.

Afternoon: Explore Jiefangbei (Yuzhong Peninsula), The downtown core between two rivers: shopping, hotels and the Liberation Monument.

Evening: Hongya Cave at night. The stacked, lantern-lit stilted complex that became Chongqing's defining image.

Eat: Chongqing hotpot with beef tallow broth, tripe and duck blood for the brave

Day 2, Go deeper

Base: Hongya Cave & Jialing riverfront, The famous 11-storey stilted complex, best photographed at night.

Morning: Yangtze River Cableway. The vintage cable car gliding over the Yangtze between the two banks.

Afternoon: Explore Hongya Cave & Jialing riverfront, The famous 11-storey stilted complex, best photographed at night.

Evening: Liziba monorail station. Watch Line 2's train pass directly through a residential tower.

Eat: Xiaomian, the city's beloved spicy breakfast noodles

Day 3, Hidden side

Base: Ciqikou, A restored porcelain-era old town of tea houses and snack streets on the river.

Morning: Shancheng (Mountain City) Alley, old stone steps and tea houses on the hillside above the river.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Afternoon: Explore Ciqikou, A restored porcelain-era old town of tea houses and snack streets on the river.

Evening: The Dazu Rock Carvings day trip: UNESCO-listed Buddhist cliff sculptures two hours away.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: Suanla fen: hot-and-sour sweet potato noodles

Hidden gems

Shancheng (Mountain City) Alley, old stone steps and tea houses on the hillside above the river.
The Dazu Rock Carvings day trip: UNESCO-listed Buddhist cliff sculptures two hours away.
Eling Park's hilltop pavilion for the best free skyline view.
A bowl of xiaomian (spicy Chongqing noodles) at a hole-in-the-wall breakfast stall.

Getting around

Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport connects to downtown by metro Line 10 and Line 3 (about an hour). The CRT metro system is excellent and the best way to beat the stacked-street confusion. Taxis and Didi are cheap but can be slow on bridges at rush hour. Most foreign visitors need a Chinese visa; many nationalities can use the 144-hour transit exemption when arriving from and departing to different third countries.

Safety

Chongqing is very safe for travellers, with low violent crime and well-lit, busy night districts. The main issues are slippery hillside steps in rain, spicy-food overconfidence, and traffic when crossing multi-lane roads. Carry your hotel's address in Chinese characters, and note Google services don't work in mainland China without workarounds.

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