Chengdu 3-Day City Walk Guide

Lonely Planet calls Chengdu "China's most livable city." UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. Giant pandas, 2000-year-old Dujiangyan, teahouses where time stands still, and the hottest hotpot on earth.

📅 Itinerary

Day	Theme	Key Attractions
Day 1	Pandas & Alleys	Giant Panda Base → Kuanzhai Alley → People's Park
Day 2	History & Poetry	Wuhou Shrine → Jinli → Du Fu Thatched Cottage → Jiuyanqiao
Day 3	Ancient Engineering	Dujiangyan + Qingcheng Mountain (or Jinsha + Chunxi Road)

🐼 Day 1

Giant Panda Breeding Research Base

LP: "World's cutest panda conservation center." ~200 pandas. ¥55. Go at 7:30am — pandas sleep after 9am!

Kuanzhai Alley

LP: "Chengdu's most representative historic district." Free. Ear cleaning (¥30-50), gaiwan tea (¥15-30).

People's Park

LP: "The most Chengdu life experience." Heming Teahouse — century-old teahouse. Tea ¥10-20.

🏛️ Day 2

Wuhou Shrine

LP: "China's only joint shrine for ruler and minister." ¥50. Red wall bamboo — Chengdu's most photogenic spot.

Jinli Ancient Street

LP-level food experience. Free. Sandapao, bobo chicken, rabbit head. ¥30-50/person.

Du Fu Thatched Cottage

LP: "Where the Poetry Sage wrote 240+ poems." ¥50.

🏔️ Day 3: Dujiangyan (UNESCO)

LP: "A 2000-year-old hydraulic engineering marvel still in use." Built by Li Bing (256 BC). ¥80. 30min by train.

Qingcheng Mountain: "Daoism birthplace." "Qingcheng — the most serene place under heaven." ¥80.

🌶️ Food (UNESCO City of Gastronomy)

Hotpot: ¥80-120/person
Chuanchuan (skewers): ¥40-60
Bobo Chicken: ¥20-30
Rabbit Head: ¥8-12
Dandan Noodles: ¥8-12
Mapo Tofu: ¥15-20

🚇 Getting Around

Metro: 13 lines, ¥2-7
HSR: Chongqing 1.5h, Xi'an 4h
Dujiangyan: 30min by intercity train

💡 Tips

Best season: Mar-Jun, Sep-Nov
Panda Base at 7:30am!
Budget: ¥80-150/day
If you can't handle spice, order yuanyang (split pot)

Based on Lonely Planet and multiple travel sources.