Chengdu, the vibrant capital of Sichuan Province in Southwest China, blends ancient heritage with modern life like almost nowhere else: monasteries sit a short stroll from latte bars, and old neighborhoods hide tea houses where locals still play mahjong while the aroma of Sichuan cuisine / Szechuan cuisine rolls out of tiny kitchens. It’s a paradise for fans of bold Chinese dishes—peppercorn heat, chili oil, garlic sauce, and the satisfying crackle of something crispy coming fresh from a wok. In 2025 the city welcomes the World Games, so the streets will buzz with visitors chasing pandas, temples, and legendary food from dan dan noodles to wonton and fried rice. Whether you’re here as a traveler, a foodie, or exploring an au pair program in China, this guide gathers the essential experiences and the flavours that make Chengdu unforgettable.
1. Visit the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
Mornings at the panda base are magical: dew on bamboo leaves, soft light over ponds, and the rustle of cubs tumbling after breakfast. Set in the lush Yangtze River basin, the center explains everything from breeding science and veterinary care to how keepers to cook balanced panda meals and protect habitats in line with Buddhist ecology. Linger by the red panda enclosures, then follow the shaded paths past information boards and small museums before grabbing a tea; it’s calm, educational, and photogenic without feeling like a zoo.
2. Explore Jinli Ancient Street
With Qing-style facades, carved beams, and lanterns glowing at dusk, Jinli feels theatrical yet authentic, especially when you weave between stalls selling steamed dumplings, delicate wontons bathed in garlic sauce, skewers brushed with bean sauce, and sesame candy that snaps crispy under your teeth. The street traces to the Ming dynasty and still hosts craftspeople engraving seals, roasting peanuts, and frying noodles in woks; a gently fragrant mist of chilies and scallion hangs in the air while performers stage short folk shows near the tea houses.
3. Indulge in Authentic Sichuan Hot-pot
Order a split pot and watch it roar: one side a clear broth, the other a crimson lake of chili oil, peppercorn, ginger, and spices. You dunk sliced lamb, shredded beef, shrimp, tofu, mushrooms, bok-choy, and snow peas, then fish them out to dress with your custom sauce—sesame-oil, soy-sauce, minced garlic, chopped scallion and peanuts, maybe a spoon of black-bean paste for depth. It’s social, noisy, and addictive; add rice noodles or a small noodle soup on the side, and don’t be shy to ask the server how locals balance heat and flavour for the perfect mouth-numbing zing.
4. Experience the Sichuan Opera Face-Changing Show
In dim theaters perfumed with tea steam, the bian lian artists switch masks faster than a blink while cymbals crash and a comic skit breaks into kung-fu choreography. Many venues pair the performance with a tasting of Chinese cooking classics—light wonton soup, stir-fried greens, and small deep fried snacks—so you can eat slowly and watch the stage magic unfold without leaving your seat.
5. Relax in People’s Park
People’s Park is the city’s living room: elders sip jasmine tea while calligraphers paint water poems on stone, singers rehearse folk melodies, and kids chase bubbles around lakeside pavilions. Order a tray with salted peanuts, pickled cucumber, and a warm bun, then listen to the chatter from the famous matchmaking corner; nearby vendors toss sauteed vegetables with garlic sauce and sell simple noodle bowls when afternoon cravings strike.
6. Discover Wuhou Shrine
Dedicated to strategist Zhuge Liang, the shrine’s courtyards unfold in layers—stone steles under cypress shade, halls lined with statues, and quiet ponds where the city’s noise fades away. After exploring, slip into a nearby canteen for homestyle soups loaded with mushroom and greens; it’s a gentle, restorative counterpoint to the spice-charged meals you’ll eat elsewhere.
7. Take a Day Trip to Leshan Giant Buddha
Nothing prepares you for the scale of the 71-meter Tang-era Buddha carved into the cliff, toes larger than dining tables and a view sweeping across the rivers. Combine a boat ride with the cliff path for two perspectives, then settle into a family kitchen for fried rice, wontons in chili broth, and seasonal plates that showcase countryside produce and the region’s love of balance—salty, spicy, and a touch sweet.
8. Visit Kuanzhai Alley
The “Wide & Narrow Alleys” weave together polished boutiques and Ming-era courtyards, plus cafés turning out chow-mein, lo-mein, and small wok-tossed dishes—broccoli with garlic, mushroom and scallion, or gently sauteed cabbage. It’s ideal for a mid-day pause: browse crafts, snack, and people-watch beneath elegant eaves while street musicians add a soft soundtrack.
9. Explore Dujiangyan Irrigation System
Over two millennia old, this UNESCO site still waters the Chengdu Plain thanks to a dam-free design that splits and slows the Min River. Trails and suspension bridges reveal ingenious engineering and temple views, and farmhouse kitchens nearby serve bean sauce tofu, rustic noodle soups, and stir-fried greens pulled straight from the fields—proof that infrastructure can shape flavour as much as history.
10. Feast at Night Markets
After dark, lanes blaze with neon and the hiss of oil as chefs slam ingredients into red-hot woks: deep fried chicken that stays unbelievably crispy, stir-fried chilies, fried rice with egg and spring onion, bowls of dan dan noodles, rice noodles in sour-spicy broth, and steaming wonton soup. For visitors craving familiar Chinese restaurant takeout flavours, some stalls also serve sesame chicken, orange chicken, or even playful General Tso interpretations—local chefs having fun with global tastes while keeping the Chengdu soul intact.
11. Visit the Chengdu Museum
Galleries glide from Shu bronzes and shadow-puppet sets to Ming calligraphy and everyday artifacts: bamboo steamers, iron woks, spice jars, and handwritten cookbooks that chart the rise of Chinese cuisine. The rooftop garden frames a skyline that neatly summarizes Chengdu—historic, green, and forward-looking.
12. Hike Qingcheng Mountain
A cradle of Taoism, Qingcheng offers mossy steps, temple bells, and cedar shade; trails loop between monasteries serving vegetarian plates like mushroom soup, sauteed snow peas, and shredded potato with chilies. Take a cable car up and stroll down slowly, letting the mountain air reset your senses after the city’s spice and music.
13. Experience the World Games 2025
From martial arts to bowling and squash, the World Games will flood Chengdu with athletes and fans, and the side benefit is culinary: pop-up fairs showcase dumplings, noodle stalls, sweet-and-sour specials, tasting counters for black-bean and garlic sauce, and demonstrations where chefs explain wok control, searing, and the balance of sour-salty-spicy so you can recreate the flavours at home.
14. Shop Taikoo Li
This open-air complex pairs sleek architecture with bamboo courtyards and art installations, then tempts you with artisan kitchens frying chow noodles with bok-choy, tossing cashew chicken with sesame-oil, or glazing ribs in black-bean sauce. It’s window-shopping, gallery-hopping, and grazing in one polished stroll.
15. Join a Calligraphy or Cooking Class
Spend a morning mastering brush strokes, then tie on an apron for hands-on Chinese cooking: instructors teach knife work—chopped, sliced, minced—and fiery wok technique for perfect stir-fry timing. Typical menus cover dim-sum folding, lo-mein and chow-mein, sesame chicken, Mongolian beef, bright sweet-and-sour sauce, cool sides of cucumber and snow peas, and a primer on pantry heroes like bean sauce and chili paste. Most classes send you home with a mini cookbook so you can keep the Chengdu spirit simmering in your kitchen.
Conclusion
From pandas and temples to hot-pots, black-bean stir-fries, and noodles slurped at midnight, Chengdu distills everything we love about Chinese cooking: hospitality, rhythm, and fearless flavour. Come for the sights, stay for the food, and leave with the sizzle of a wok and the tingle of peppercorn lingering like the best kind of souvenir.