Chongqing city is known as both the Mountain City and the Fog City — not as an exaggeration, but as a fact. Therefore, when traveling in Chongqing, it is best to dress casually and wear sneakers or flat comfortable shoes. Due to high summer temperatures, visiting Chongqing in summer is not recommended.
Chongqing is full of tourist attractions and photo-worthy spots, but some are far from the main urban area. For this reason, I have selected scenic spots that are relatively close to each other, minimizing walking and transfers. The total itinerary covers 5 days and includes about 20 well-known Chongqing attractions.
Day 1
Route: Jiefangbei → Bayi Road Food Street → Baixiangju → Sky Eye Observation Deck → Hongyadong
Highlights
- Jiefangbei (Monument to the People’s Liberation)Also known as the Monument to the Victory of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, it is located in the center of the commercial pedestrian street in Yuzhong District. Construction began on October 31, 1946, and was completed in August 1947. As a spiritual symbol of victory in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, it is China’s only monument commemorating the victory of the Chinese nation’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression.Jiefangbei represents the prosperity of Chongqing. Walking along the pedestrian street, you can feel the city’s modern energy and urban vibe. It is a must-visit for travelers and a popular spot for fashion lovers, and serves as the starting point for many visitors, as it connects multiple internet-famous sites.
- Bayi Road Food StreetOne of the most popular specialty food streets in downtown Chongqing, known by locals as a “foodie paradise”. Feel free to try whatever catches your eye — eating while wandering is part of the fun. You will experience local food culture and enrich your trip with delicious flavors.
- BaixiangjuBuilt based on Chongqing’s unique mountainous terrain and completed in 1993, this 24-story building has no elevators and consists of six connected units stretching over 140 meters horizontally. A sky corridor on the middle floor links the entire structure. Floors 1, 10, and 15 all have exits leading to different streets, cleverly turning high-rise living into multi-level access.Listed among the “New Top Ten Scenes of Chongqing’s Old Town” in 2018, it has become a popular tourist spot due to its distinctive spatial design.
- Sky Eye Observation DeckPart of the Raffles City Exploration Deck · Sky Park, located in the 250‑meter‑high crystal corridor of Chongqing Raffles City. It is an ideal spot to overlook the confluence of the two rivers and the urban landscape of the Yuzhong Peninsula. Some describe the view as 270 degrees, others as nearly 360 degrees. Either way, visitors come in large numbers for the stunning scenery.
- HongyadongAn 11‑level complex standing 79 meters high, and one of the “Twelve Scenes of Bayu”. It is also one of Chongqing’s first tens‑of‑billions‑level business districts and became a national internet celebrity landmark in 2018. Its history dates back to the Warring States Period.The scenic area features stilted buildings, an antique commercial street, and the “Hongya Cui” waterfall. Inside are restaurants, entertainment venues, and shops selling Bayu folk handicrafts. Hongyadong looks winding from afar but is beautifully layered. After your day trip, you can enjoy the night view and authentic hot pot here.
Day 2
Route: Eighteen Stairs → Crown Escalator → Liziba → Eling Erchang Creative Park → Yangtze River Cableway → Nanshan Night View
Highlights
- Eighteen StairsThere are two theories about its name: one refers to “18 stone steps in front of an ancient well”, the other to eighteen natural sections of stone stairs. This historic cultural area connects the upper and lower parts of old Chongqing. Open free of charge all day, it preserves the urban texture of “seven streets and six alleys” and offers a window into old Mountain City life.
- Crown EscalatorLocated at Lianglukou, Yuzhong District, it is the second‑longest continuous climbing escalator in Asia. It is 112 meters long, lifts passengers 52.7 meters high, with a 30‑degree incline and a speed of 0.75 meters per second. The whole ride takes about 2 minutes and 30 seconds, making it a unique Chongqing transportation feature and popular photo spot.
- LizibaFrom Eighteen Stairs, cross the Bayi Tunnel to reach Liziba, where light rail trains roar directly through a residential building — a spectacular engineering wonder. Visitors usually take photos from below. You can also visit the Chongqing Air Raid Shelter, once used to avoid air raids and now displaying historical paintings.
- Eling Erchang Cultural and Creative ParkLocated at No. 1 Eling Zheng Street, Yuzhong District, it was converted from a traditional factory compound with more than 20 workshops and office buildings, forming a plaza and three streets. Opened in June 2017, its key spots include the Love Rooftop, T² International Contemporary Art Center, graffiti walls, and industrial‑style architecture.
- Yangtze River CablewayConnects Yuzhong District and Nan’an District, consisting of a cultural zone, aerial sightseeing area, and film and television cultural zone. It is 1,166 meters long, runs at 6 meters per second, with a one‑way trip of 4 minutes and 30 seconds and a daily capacity of 10,500 passengers. It is known as the “First Corridor Over the Yangtze River”.
- Nanshan Night ViewOne of Chongqing’s signature scenes. The main viewing spot is the Yikeshu (One Tree) Observation Deck, offering a panoramic view of the bright lights of the Yuzhong Peninsula and the confluence of the two rivers. Laojun Cave and Nanshan Botanical Garden are also excellent places to enjoy the mountain city’s night scenery.
Day 3
Route: Ciqikou Ancient Town → Republic of China Street → Bai Mansion → Zhazidong → Chaotianmen → Riverside Waterfront Walkway
Highlights
- Ciqikou Ancient TownA 4A‑level scenic spot and one of China’s first historical and cultural blocks, famous for traditional Bayu dwellings and dock culture. Known as “Little Chongqing”, it was a major water and land port on the Jialing River. Its name comes from the porcelain produced and transported here in the early Qing Dynasty. It retains complete Ming and Qing architecture and strong local life atmosphere.
- Chongqing Republic of China StreetLocated in the Liangjiang International Movie City, Yubei District, this open‑air block recreates 66 landmark buildings from the Republic of China era, including the Cathay Theater, the former site of Xinhua Daily, and the Palace Photo Studio. It also houses museums, a hot pot museum, a camera museum, and dining and entertainment venues, fully restoring the look of old Chongqing during the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression.
- Bai MansionLocated at the foot of Gele Mountain, Shapingba District, it was originally a villa built by warlord Bai Ju, who named it “Xiangshan Villa” after the poet Bai Juyi. Later it became a detention center under the Kuomintang Military Statistics Bureau and a relic of the Sino‑American Cooperative Organization.Now a national key cultural relic protection unit and patriotism education base, it displays exhibits on the revolutionary martyrs of the “Hongyan Spirit”.
- ZhazidongAlso known as Zhazidong Prison, 2.5 kilometers from Bai Mansion. Originally a small coal mine named for its high slag and low coal content, it became part of the Sino‑American Cooperative Organization concentration camp site. More than 200 revolutionary martyrs including Jiang Zhuyun were imprisoned and killed here.The tragic massacre on November 27, 1949, inspired the novel Hongyan. The Hongyan Spirit is an important part of the spiritual legacy of the Chinese Communists.
- ChaotianmenLocated at the confluence of the Jialing River and the Yangtze River in Yuzhong District, it is the largest of Chongqing’s 17 ancient city gates and the city’s “Zero Kilometer” landmark. Once a major transportation hub, it now integrates history, culture, modern commerce, and tourism, including Chaotianmen Square, Raffles City, and Chaotianmen Wharf.
- Riverside Waterfront WalkwayAbout 2.4 kilometers long and officially opened in December 2025, it connects three major landmarks with flat paths and wide views. Part of the “Two Rivers, Four Banks” improvement project, it features river viewing platforms, seating, and guardrails. After visiting Chaotianmen, you can relax, chat, and enjoy the river view here, especially beautiful at night.
Day 4
Route: Wulong Karst Tiankeng → Fairy Mountain Grassland → Three Natural Bridges
Highlights
- Wulong TiankengLocated in Houping Township, Wulong District, it consists of five large karst sinkholes: Qingkou, Shiwangdong, Daluodang, Tianpingmiao, and Niubidong. The only karst tiankeng group formed by surface water erosion, each pit is about 300 meters in diameter and depth, connected to underground caves, waterfalls, and rivers. Primitive forests, bamboo seas, and karst features surround the area.
- Fairy Mountain GrasslandOn the north bank of the Wujiang River in Wulong, part of the Wulong Karst World Natural Heritage and a 5A‑level scenic spot. Famous for its 100,000 mu of natural grassland and 330,000 mu of forest, it is known as the “Oriental Switzerland” and “Southern Pasture”.It offers skiing in winter and grass skiing, horse riding, and other summer activities.
- Three Natural BridgesA scenic area featuring Tianlong, Qinglong, and Heilong Bridges — the largest natural stone bridge group in Asia. Formed over tens of millions of years, they are majestic, strange, steep, elegant, secluded, and unique.
Day 5
Route: Tiankeng Village → Wujiang Gallery
Highlights
- Tiankeng VillageLocated in Mingxing Village, Fairy Mountain Town, Wulong District, within the core of the Wulong Karst World Natural Heritage. It is famous for nearly 50 Tujia and Miao families living inside the Zhongshiyuan and Xiashiyuan Tiankengs. It was the first filming location for the second season of the TV show Where Are We Going, Dad?.The 645‑meter‑diameter Zhongshiyuan Tiankeng displays terraced fields in four seasons, with well‑preserved stilted buildings and ethnic traditions.
- Wujiang GalleryA high‑quality scenic area combining natural landscapes, ancient towns, and folk customs, straddling Chongqing and Guizhou. The core section stretches about 60 kilometers through Youyang, Fuling in Chongqing and Yanhe in Guizhou before joining the Yangtze River.Visitors can take boat tours to enjoy the breathtaking mountain and river scenery.