Chongqing

Chongqing does not behave like other cities. Streets cross above ten-storey rooftops, metro Line 2 runs straight through an apartment block, and the "ground floor" your map promises can sit eight levels above the door you walked in through. The whole improbable pile is stacked onto steep hills where the Jialing river meets the Yangtze, in a municipality of more than 30 million people that also happens to be the birthplace of China's most ferocious hotpot.

Why visit Chongqing

This is the city for travelers who want spectacle: neon skylines doubled in the river, bridges and escalators at impossible angles, street food that keeps going past midnight. International tourists are still a minority here compared with Beijing or Shanghai, which keeps the experience local. It is also a practical starting point: Chongqing Jiangbei airport is one of the entry ports covered by China's 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit scheme, expanded in December 2024 to citizens of 50-plus eligible countries (as of mid-2026; it requires an onward ticket to a third country, so confirm the current conditions before you book). Give the city at least two full days; it unfolds one staircase and river viewpoint at a time.

Top things to do

• Hongyadong: a multi-level complex of traditional stilt-house (diaojiaolou) architecture built into the cliff above the Jialing. After dark it glows gold and becomes the most photographed sight in the city; going later in the evening usually means thinner crowds on the walkways.
• Liziba Monorail Station: watch Line 2 pass through the 6th to 8th floors of a residential building. Trains come every few minutes, so you rarely wait long for the shot.
• Yangtze River Cableway: a five-minute glide across the river. It boards on the Yuzhong side at Xinhua Road, a short walk from Xiaoshizi metro station, and runs into the late evening year-round, so a night crossing over the lit-up skyline is easy to fit in.
• Ciqikou Ancient Town: cobbled lanes of teahouses, snack stalls and craft shops in a restored old port quarter on the Jialing.
• Dazu Rock Carvings: a UNESCO World Heritage site of thousands of Buddhist cliff sculptures. High-speed trains from Chongqing West, Chongqing North and Shapingba reach Dazu South station in around half an hour, but that station sits well outside town, so budget a taxi or the local tourist bus for the final stretch to the main Baodingshan site.

Eat: Chongqing hotpot

You cannot leave without eating hotpot (huoguo). The local style is unapologetically málà: numbing Sichuan peppercorns and dried chilies in a cauldron of red beef-tallow broth, spicier and oilier than Chengdu's version. Order a yuanyang (split) pot with a mild side if you are easing in, then cook thin beef, tripe, lotus root, potato and greens at the table.

Cruising the Three Gorges

Chongqing is the upstream start of the classic Yangtze River cruises that sail downstream to Yichang through the Three Gorges, passing the colossal Three Gorges Dam. Most itineraries run three to four nights, with the Lesser Three Gorges side trip along the way. Pairing two or three city days with a cruise is the natural combination, since boats board right in Chongqing.

Where to stay

For a first visit, base yourself around Jiefangbei, the central business and shopping district, or across the river near Nanbin Road, which faces the postcard view back toward the glowing Hongyadong skyline. Both areas are well connected by metro, walkable to food and nightlife, and close to the river sights and cruise docks.

Best time to visit

Aim for spring (March to May) or autumn (September to November), when the weather is mild and skies are clearer. Avoid July and August: Chongqing is one of China's legendary "furnace cities", and summer temperatures regularly top 40°C (104°F) with heavy humidity. Winters are cool, damp and often grey, but rarely freezing, and the lights look striking through the river mist.

Getting there and around

By air: Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport (CKG) sits about 23 km northeast of the center, linked to the city by metro Lines 3 and 10. By rail: Chongqing is a major high-speed hub with three big stations: Chongqing North, Chongqing West, and Chongqing East, which opened in June 2025 as one of the largest railway stations in China. Bullet trains reach Chengdu or Guiyang in about an hour and Xi'an or Wuhan in around three. Tickets are electronic and tied to your passport; the official 12306 site sells the same seats without a markup if you prefer to book direct.

Around town: the Rail Transit network of metro and monorail lines is the smartest way to beat the hills and traffic; buy single-journey QR tickets through Alipay or WeChat. And trust metro exits over your sense of direction: your map's "ground floor" may be someone else's eighth.