Chongqing City

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Overview

The most important city in western China and the economic engine of the upper Yangzi, Chongqing City (重庆; Chóngqìng) is a massive and enthralling urban sprawl. Chongqing makes up for a lack of top-notch sights with fantastic food and charismatic geography: its combination of steep hills at the confluence of the Yangzi and Jialing Rivers is a prelude to the even more dramatic scenery of the Three Gorges downstream.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Ciqikou Ancient Town

Chongqing City

The opportunity to snatch a glimpse of old Chongqing makes it worth riding some 45 minutes out to Shapingba district, on the Jialing River west of the…

Huguang Guild Hall

Chongqing City

You could spend several hours poking around the beautifully restored buildings in this gorgeous museum complex, which once served as a community…

Chongqing Ancient City Gates

Chongqing City

Sadly, only fragments remain of Chongqing’s once-magnificent Ming dynasty city wall, which stretched 8km around the Jiefangbei peninsula and was more than…

Luohan Temple

Chongqing City

Built around 1000 years ago, this still-active temple is now sandwiched between skyscrapers. A notable feature is the corridor flanked by intricate rock…

Hongya Cave

Chongqing City

Not a cave, but a Disney-esque recreation of the old stilt houses that once lined Chongqing's riverfronts, this 11-storey shopping, dining and…

Liberation Monument

Chongqing City

This clock tower monument at the heart of Chongqing commemorates China's victory over Japan in WWII. The surrounding pedestrian streets are now home to…

Three Gorges Museum

Chongqing City

This sleek museum showcases the history of settlement in the Chongqing region. There's the inevitable exhibition on the Three Gorges, including a model of…