12 Things to Do in Chengdu (Top Attractions + Itinerary Tips)

Chengdu surprised me. Even after doing research, I didn’t know what to expect when visiting.

It’s a major city in its own right, with wider streets than places like Chongqing, but everything about it felt calmer and more laid-back.

There’s still that big city energy, just balanced with old-town streets and a slower pace throughout.

This guide covers the main things to do in Chengdu, including some you won’t always see on the typical tourist list, plus where to stay and how many days makes sense for a Chengdu itinerary.

If it’s your first time visiting China, read my China Travel Guide for essential tips you need to know.

Chengdu Travel Quick Links:

▢ Book your train ticket to Chengdu ahead of time

▢ Leshan Giant Buddha tickets (day trip from Chengdu)

▢ Tickets to Du Fu Thatched Cottage (Tang Dynasty poet’s former home)

▢ Top-rated hotels in Chongqing: Booking.com | Trip.com (what I use for China)

▢ Most popular Chengdu day tours and attractions

How Many Days in Chengdu?

I stayed 4 nights and spent 3 full days in Chengdu.

Two full days would suffice to cover the main attractions in Chengdu, but add a night if you plan to do a day trip.

However, I could have easily stayed longer to explore more attractions farther from the city center.

Sample 2-day itinerary:

Day 1: Tianfu Square, Chunxi Road, IFS, Taikoo Li, and Anshun Bridge in the evening
Day 2: Kuanzhai Alley, People’s Park, shopping malls, SKP Mall in the evening
Optional Day 3: Day trip to Leshan Giant Buddha (most popular day trip from Chengdu)

How to Get to Chengdu

Modern high-speed train station platform in China, with two trains on either side and travelers walking beneath a curved metal roof

Chengdu is in Sichuan Province in southwest China and is well-connected by both flight and high-speed rail.

By Flight Chengdu has two international airports: Shuangliu International Airport (CTU), the older and more central one, and the newer Tianfu International Airport (TFU).

✈️ I flew out of the farther TFU airport, and a Didi taxi cost $35 USD which included highway tolls. If I allocated more time, I could have also taken the $6 TFU airport shuttle from Chunxi Road.

By High-Speed Train The main station for high-speed trains is Chengdu East Railway Station. From Chongqing it’s about 1–1.5 hours, and from Shanghai it’s 9+ hours. The metro is connected to the railway station.

🚂 Book your train tickets to Chengdu on Trip.com

Where to Stay in Chengdu

A vibrant flower bed of bright pink and deep purple blooms fills the foreground of Tianfu Square in Chengdu, China, with a manicured green lawn stretching behind. In the background, the yellow facade of the Sichuan Provincial Exhibition Hall and the golden double-helix spiral sculpture are visible under a clear sky. — Tianfu Square

Most of the things to do in Chengdu are within walking distance from each other, such as Chunxi Road and Tianfu Square.

For attractions outside of the main area, it’s better to find a hotel within walking distance of a metro station.

1. Chunxi Road — Best for first-timers This is the most central and convenient base to reach Chengdu’s main attractions. It’s the busiest area but also the easiest to navigate.

🏨 Top-rated hotels near Chunxi Road

2. Kuanzhai Alley — Best for old Chengdu atmosphere Kuanzhai Alley is still within walking distance of Chunxi Road, but it sits farther north of the main central area. Stay here if you want to be closer to more traditional sites.

🏨 Top-rated hotels near Kuanzhai Alley

3. Tianfu Square — Best for metro convenience Tianfu Square is the center of the metro network, with Lines 1 and 2 crossing here. It’s more of a central business district, but the most practical base if you’re spending most of your time moving around.

🏨 Top-rated hotels near Tianfu Square

I stayed at ANANDA Annada Hotel which was a 15-minute walk to Tianfu Square:

A modern hotel room in Chengdu, China features a large king-sized bed with crisp white linens, a dramatic dark marble headboard with built-in warm lighting, and wood-paneled walls. The room has a sleek, contemporary design with light hardwood floors and a glass door opening to an adjoining space.

Things to Know Before You Visit Chengdu

A souvenir shop display in Chengdu overflows with cute plush toys featuring giant pandas in various sizes and poses, alongside red fox and animal plush characters popular as gifts. Panda merchandise is ubiquitous throughout Chengdu and Chongqing due to the cities' associations with China's beloved giant pandas.

Most crosswalks I came across in Chengdu didn’t have countdown timers — so you have to guesstimate if you should hurry and go for it. 🏃🏻‍♀️
Delivery drivers on e-bikes frequently use sidewalks and can turn onto crosswalks even on a red light — stay aware when walking.
The metro is clean, well-signed, and easy to navigate (similar to other Chinese cities).
Unsurprisingly, all of the non-food souvenirs in Chengdu are panda-themed. I wish I had done more of my general souvenir shopping in Chongqing prior.
If you’re okay with shopping at Walmart, there are two Walmarts in Chengdu. This is where I bought Chinese snacks and sweets I couldn’t find at the souvenir shops in Chengdu.

1. Kuanzhai Alley

A traditional multi-story Chinese tea house building at the corner of Kuan Alley in Chengdu, China, with dark timber framing, grey tiled curved roofs, and large windows, surrounded by tall green trees. A hotpot restaurant sign is visible at street level below.

Kuanzhai Alley is Chengdu’s most famous historic street complex, a maze of Qing Dynasty gray-brick courtyards divided into alleyways with high-end tea, boutique shops, and food vendors.

It was the most crowded attraction I visited in Chengdu. I suggest going on a weekday or arriving early in the morning for a quieter experience.

Kuan Alley (宽巷) in Chengdu features crowds of tourists walking along a narrow traditional street lined with restored Qing Dynasty-era dark brick buildings, traditional wooden shopfronts, and tall trees providing shade. Colorful vertical banners hang above the alleyway while visitors browse the tea houses, restaurants, and craft shops on both sides.

Pair it with People’s Park as it’s within walking distance.

Cost: Free | Nearest metro: Kuanzhai Alley Station | Amap

🎫 Book a Kuanzhai Alley guided tour on Trip.com

2. Chunxi Road

Chunxi Road is Chengdu’s main commercial pedestrian street and one of the busiest shopping streets in China.

There are department stores, century-old shops, street food stalls, and international brands all packed into a few dense pedestrian blocks.

I went back after 9pm and it was just as lively as peak hours. Many people visit to see the LED display screens:

A strikingly realistic 3D LED billboard on Chunxi Road in Chengdu displays a massive photorealistic orange tabby cat seemingly lounging on the corner ledge of a building rooftop, which appears to look down at passersby below. The viral billboard is positioned above a Volvo showroom and draws crowds to photograph the impressive 3D illusion effect.

Cost: Free | Nearest metro: Chunxi Road Station | Amap

3. IFS — Climbing Panda

A massive black and white geometric low-poly giant panda sculpture clings dramatically to the glass curtain wall exterior of the IFS luxury shopping mall building in Chengdu. The large-scale art installation is a famous landmark and photo spot in Chunxi Road, Chengdu's main shopping district.

The IFS building on Chunxi Road has a giant panda sculpture climbing up its glass facade.

It’s one of the most photographed spots in Chengdu. There’s also a grass rooftop deck on the 7th floor where you can see the face of the panda and take photos.

The mall itself is high-end with international luxury brands across multiple floors.

Cost: Free to view from outside | Nearest metro: Chunxi Road Station | Amap

4. Taikoo Li

The Taikoo Li shopping complex at night in Chengdu, China, with a crowd of shoppers gathered outside. A large glowing circular white moon screen is mounted against a vivid blue-lit building wall, flanked by traditional-style sloped roofed structures and a tall Christmas tree strung with white lights. A Gucci store sign glows in the foreground.

Taikoo Li is just across the street from Chunxi Road and alongside the 1,600-year-old Daci Temple.

It’s more of an open-air layout than a typical mall, with cobblestone lanes, luxury boutiques like Gucci and Chanel, and independent cafes.

It’s best in the evening when the lighting softens. The temple next door is free to enter, though closes at 5pm.

Cost: Free to walk | Nearest metro: Chunxi Road Station | Amap

5. People’s Park

The famous Heming Tea House at People's Park in Chengdu is packed with locals sitting on rattan chairs at outdoor tables, enjoying tea under the canopy of large trees beside a traditional dark-tiled pavilion. This beloved tea house is a social institution where Chengdu residents relax, chat, and enjoy the city's famous tea culture.

People’s Park is a large public park in the center of Chengdu and one of the best places in the city to observe local daily life.

I was amazed at how vast it was and at the variety of attractions at the park.

There’s a large lake where you can ride boats, a scenic area with teahouses and restaurants, street food vendors, and rest areas where locals play Chinese chess.

Rows of bright orange rental rowboats are moored together on the calm green lake at People's Park in Chengdu, China. Lush trees line the far shore and a traditional arched stone bridge is visible in the background, reflecting Chengdu's relaxed park culture.

There’s also a matchmaking market where parents post advertisements seeking partners for their adult children:

A wall at the famous Matchmaking Corner in People's Park in Chengdu, China, densely covered with printed personal advertisement notices in Chinese, each listing details for eligible singles seeking a partner. A brown sign reading 男生 281-336 (Males 281-336) is visible at the top right, and visitors browse the notices in the background.

Cost: Free | Nearest metro: People’s Park Station | Amap

🎫 Join a guided tour of People’s Park

6. Tianfu Square

Tianfu Square in Chengdu features a large golden double-helix spiral sculpture on an ornate pedestal in the center of a spacious public plaza. In the background, the yellow neoclassical Sichuan Provincial Exhibition Hall stands prominently under a bright blue sky with puffy clouds.

Tianfu Square is the civic center of Chengdu and the largest public square in the city, with a statue of Mao Zedong at its center and the Chengdu Museum on one side.

It’s the central hub of the metro network where Lines 1 and 2 cross. Above the metro area are also shops and restaurants.

It’s more of a pass-through point than a destination on its own, but worth including in your Chengdu itinerary to experience a local plaza.

Cost: Free | Nearest metro: Tianfu Square Station | Amap

7. Kowloon Plaza

The interior of Kowloon Plaza (九龙广场), a bustling multi-level wholesale shopping mall in Chengdu, shows numerous small retail stalls selling clothing across many floors connected by diagonal escalators. Colorful hanging banners advertise sales in Chinese, with shoppers browsing the densely packed vendor stalls on every level.

Kowloon Plaza is an 11-story shopping complex that opened in 1997.

There’s a mix of clothing, electronics, food vendors, and wholesale retailers across its floors, with shoes at the basement area.

I visited multiple floors, and found the clothing to be more old-school.

Prices are generally lower here than in the surrounding malls.

Cost: Free to enter | Nearest metro: Chunxi Road Station | Amap

8. SKP Mall

A nighttime aerial view of the SKP Mall's outdoor open-air shopping complex in Chengdu, featuring multiple levels of luxury retail stores, greenery-covered walkways, red umbrella seating areas, and a modern fountain. Towering lit skyscrapers rise in the background against the dark night sky.

SKP Chengdu is a uniquely-designed luxury mall complex. It’s mostly an underground structure about 324,000 square meters (3.5 million sq ft) spread across five levels below ground.

A main attraction in the evening is the large LED bamboo display that’s worth visiting:

Giant sculptural orange poppy-like flowers on bright yellow stems rise dramatically in front of tall cylindrical light towers glowing with colorful LED bands at the SKP Mall in Chengdu at night. A reflective water feature surrounds the base of the towering light columns, creating a striking nighttime art installation.

It’s farther down from the city center and you’ll need to take the metro which is right across the mall.

Cost: Free to enter | Nearest metro: Connected by Metro Line 18 via Jincheng Square Station | Amap

9. Global Center Mall

The New Century Global Center (环球中心) in Chengdu is illuminated at night with sweeping blue LED light stripes running across its massive curved roofline, with the words 'Global Center' glowing prominently. Cars and wet reflective pavement fill the spacious plaza in front of the building, which houses one of the world's largest single-structure malls.

Right next door to SKP Mall is the New Century Global Center, the 3rd largest building in the world by floor area at 1.7 million square meters (18.3 million sq ft).

It has its own indoor beach with a pool, an IMAX theater, a skating rink, shopping across multiple zones, five-star hotels, and an LED sky ceiling that simulates daylight 24 hours a day.

I went at night when most attractions were closed, but still got lost a few times — it’s huge!

Cost: Free to enter | Nearest metro: Jincheng Plaza Station | Amap

10. Anshun Bridge

Anshun Bridge is a covered corridor bridge. It traces its history back to the Yuan Dynasty (Marco Polo mentioned it in his travels through Chengdu).

The bridge itself is worth seeing when it’s lit up after dark, and the surrounding Jiuyan Bridge and street along the riverbank is lively.

Cost: Free | Nearest metro: Dongmen Bridge Station or Niuwangmiao Station | Amap

11. Cosmos Mall

The entrance of Old Order, a trendy lifestyle and coffee store in Chengdu, China, features a striking metallic facade with bold gold lettering reading 'OLD ORDER' and an elaborate sculptural ceiling installation above its glass storefront doors. Diagonal branded ribbons cascade across the entrance, with a customer walking past the modern, artfully designed shopfront.

Cosmos Mall (COSMO Fortune Center) is a modern multi-level mall in the city center that’s more popular with Chengdu’s younger crowd for its trendy and independent clothing stores and pop-up installations.

It’s worth adding to your Chengdu itinerary if you’re in the area, even just to window-shop.

Each store I saw had a unique storefront theme and displays, like this huge sneaker:

Cost: Free to enter | Nearest metro: Second Chengdu People’s Hospital Station | Amap

12. GoGoEGO Mall

The interior atrium of GoGo Ego Mall in Chengdu, China, featuring large colorful inflatable cloud-shaped art installations covered in English words and phrases hanging from the ceiling, with multi-level shopping floors housing K-pop and C-drama merchandise stores visible in the background below.

GoGoEGO is my favorite mall that I visited in Chengdu, especially as a fangirl.

It’s a bright yellow shopping mall near Chunxi Road that’s hard to miss. The mall is more focused on local fashion brands and young women’s clothing at reasonable prices.

If you’re looking for cdrama merch, kpop albums, or local Chinese fashion brands rather than international luxury, this is one of the better malls in Chengdu for that.

Cost: Free to enter | Nearest metro: Chunxi Road Station | Amap

➡️ Read my full guide on finding cdrama merch in China.

More Things to Do In Chengdu

A view down Chunxi Road, Chengdu's famous pedestrian shopping street, at night, showing throngs of shoppers walking between brightly lit storefronts with large Chinese neon signs and illuminated billboards. The bustling street stretches into the distance with colorful lights from shops, restaurants, and malls lining both sides. — Chunxi Road at night

I had a long list of places that I could not fit in my Chengdu itinerary — I think I spent too much time looking for non-panda souvenirs! 😜

Here are more things to do in Chengdu that seemed interesting:

Bookworm Books: Internet-viral and uniquely structured bookstore, though farther from city center.
Dujiangyan Scenic Area: 2,000+ year-old engineering marvel still irrigating the plains; requires a day trip.
Du Fu Thatched Cottage: Tang Dynasty poet’s former home turned tranquil garden.
Chengdu Wu Hou Shrine: Three Kingdoms history shrine honoring Zhuge Liang.
Yulin Subdistrict: Laid-back, artsy neighborhood known for its nightlife scene.
Eastern Suburbs Memory Music Park: Former factory turned industrial-cultural and art district.
Chengdu Museum: City’s largest comprehensive museum near Tianfu Square, free entry.

Day Trips from Chengdu

The Leshan Giant Buddha carved into a cliff face, with a large head and shoulders visible, surrounded by trees and a viewing platform with visitors.

Giant Panda Base (Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda)

The Giant Panda Base is one of the most popular things to do in Chengdu, however, after much research, I couldn’t gauge whether or not it was ethical to visit, so I skipped it. If you have any insight, do let me know!

It’s about 10 km (6 miles) from the city center — a 30–50 minute trip by metro and bus, or about 30 minutes by taxi.

Leshan Giant Buddha

The Leshan Giant Buddha is about 148 km (92 miles) from Chengdu, roughly 1–1.5 hours by high-speed train, then a short taxi or bus ride to the site.

It’s a 71-meter (233 ft) stone Buddha carved into a cliff face at the confluence of three rivers during the Tang Dynasty.

Since I was limited for time, I did the boat ride that stops right out front for about 10 minutes. I’ll have a blog post with my tips on visiting soon.

🎫 Book your Leshan Giant Buddha ticket online (which is what I should have done)

Chongqing

Chongqing is only 1–1.5 hours from Chengdu by high-speed train, close enough to visit as a day trip if you’re limited on time.

The city is worth the trip, especially in the evening.

➡️ Read my full post on things to do in Chongqing.

🚂 Book your Chengdu to Chongqing train ticket on Trip.com

Is Chengdu Worth Visiting?

A tree-lined traditional street in Chengdu features a mix of old dark-tiled wooden buildings and modern cafes, with outdoor umbrella seating, a Summer Juice shop facade, and a three-wheeled cargo bicycle parked along the sidewalk. The street captures Chengdu's blend of traditional architecture and contemporary neighborhood life.

Chengdu was a refreshing visit after Chongqing — the city is modern with wider streets, yet even more laid-back than the other major cities I visited in China.

I loved walking through the parks and seeing more of the quiet local life.

While the night views don’t rival that of Chongqing, there were still beautiful evening attractions to visit.

Two to three days is the right amount of time for a Chengdu itinerary, though I would definitely go back to do more day trips and visit attractions farther from the city center.

Enjoy and save this post for your trip to Chengdu! 🌏