2 Days in Chengdu (成都) — Panda Base, Sichuan Food & Ancient Streets

TL;DR

• Best season: March–May and September–November (mild, ~15–25 °C). Winters are damp and grey; July–August is hot and humid.
• Pace: Moderate — one major attraction per half-day, food and tea woven in between.
• Budget: ¥500–800 per person per day (mid-range), covering a ¥400–700 hotel, ¥100–150/day meals, and attraction tickets. International chains run ¥800–1,500/night.
• Currency: Chinese Yuan (¥ / CNY). Mobile payment (Alipay / WeChat Pay) is universal; carry ¥200 cash as backup.
• Visa-free transit (2026): 51 countries qualify for 240-hour visa-free transit in Chengdu; many European and Asian passport holders also enjoy 30-day visa-free entry. Check the official 144/240-hour transit policy on china-briefing.com or the National Immigration Administration (NIA) before booking.

Day 1 — Pandas, Jinli & Wuhou Shrine

Morning: Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding

Open daily 07:30–18:00 (last entry 16:30, verify on panda.org.cn). Take Metro Line 3 to Panda Avenue (熊猫大道) then bus DX05 or a 10-minute DiDi (滴滴) ride — about 40 minutes from Tianfu Square (天府广场) total. Tickets ¥55 (advance booking via the WeChat mini-program "成都大熊猫繁育研究基地" is essential; foreign passports accepted). Arrive by 07:45 to see pandas eating bamboo before they nap. Allow 3 hours including the walk up to Moonlight Nursery (月亮产房) and the Sunshine Nursery (太阳产房).

Lunch: Bashi (巴适) or Chuan Chuan Xiang (串串香)

Head back toward the city on Metro Line 3. Near Chunxi Road (春熙路), try Long Sen Yuan (龙森园) for a classic Sichuan (川菜) lunch — ¥80–120 per person. Order mapo tofu (麻婆豆腐), twice-cooked pork (回锅肉), and suan cai yu (酸菜鱼). Spice level: ask for wei la (微辣, "mildly spicy") if unsure.

Afternoon: Wuhou Shrine (武侯祠) & Jinli Ancient Street (锦里古街)

Metro Line 3 to Gaoshengqiao (高升桥), then a 10-minute walk. Combo ticket for Wuhou Shrine and Du Fu Thatched Cottage (杜甫草堂)-linked route is sold separately; Wuhou Shrine is ¥50, with the adjacent Jinli (锦里) street free. Explore the shrine's three kingdoms (三国) temple complex (2 hours), then wander Jinli's lantern-lit lanes for snacks: three-gun gun (三炮枪), sweet water noodles (甜水面), and bingfen (冰粉, ¥8–15 each).

Evening: Hotpot Dinner in Yulin (玉林)

Take Metro Line 3 to Yulin (玉林), the local hotpot heartland. Xiao Long Yan (小龙坎) is reliable (¥120–180/person); Shu Jiu Xiang (蜀九香) near Kehua Road (科华路) is a classic. Choose a yuan yang guo (鸳鸯锅) half-spicy, half-clear broth if you want a gentler option. Reserve on WeChat; Friday–Sunday queues exceed 60 minutes.

Day 2 — Tea Houses, People's Park & Local Life

Morning: People's Park (人民公园) & Heming Teahouse (鹤鸣茶社)

Metro Line 2 to People's Park (人民站), 5-minute walk. The park opens 06:00–22:00 and is free. Heming Tea House (鹤鸣茶社), established 1923, charges ¥15–30 for a bamboo-chair seat with a pot of zhuye qing (竹叶青) or jasmine tea. Stay 2 hours — watch locals practice tai chi, ear cleaning (采耳, ¥30–50), and matchmaking corners (相亲角). This is the most authentic Chengdu morning you will find.

Midday: Sichuan Provincial Museum (四川博物院) or Wide & Narrow Alleys (宽窄巷子)

• Museum option: Free (reserve via WeChat "四川博物院"). Permanent bronzes, Sanxingdui-style (三星堆) artifacts, and Tibetan collections. 90 minutes.
• Alley option: Metro from People's Park to Wide & Narrow Alleys (宽窄巷子) — 15 minutes. Free to walk; ¥20–60 for snacks and crafts. Often crowded before noon.

Lunch: Chen Mapo Tofu (陈麻婆豆腐)

The flagship Qingyang branch (青羊店) near Wide & Narrow Alleys serves the original 1862 recipe. Set lunch around ¥60–80 per person. Pair with a cold kou xi cai (口希菜) and steamed rice.

Afternoon: IFS & Chunxi Road Shopping, or Jinsha Site Museum (金沙遗址博物馆)

• Shopping: Metro to Chunxi Road (春熙路) — climb to the rooftop of IFS (成都IFS) to see the famous giant panda sculpture. Free.
• Cultural: Metro Line 7 to Jinsha Site (金沙遗址). ¥70 ticket. UNESCO-listed 3,000-year-old Shu kingdom relics, including the famous Sun and Immortal Bird gold foil (太阳神鸟金饰). Allow 2 hours.

Evening: Sichuan Opera & Dinner in Shujing

Take Metro Line 2/6 to Shuangliu Road (双流) area or stay central at Shu Jiu Xiang (蜀九香) Shujing branch. Then catch the famous face-changing show at Shu Feng Ya Yun (蜀风雅韵) — ¥180–280 per person, nightly shows at 20:00. Book via the official WeChat account.

Practical Tips

Transport

• Metro: 10 lines; single fare ¥2–10, payable by WeChat/Alipay QR scan or single-journey token. Operating hours roughly 06:00–23:00.
• DiDi (滴滴): China's Uber; bind a foreign Visa/Mastercard via Alipay app. Average 20-minute ride in central Chengdu is ¥20–35.
• Airport: Chengdu Tianfu International Airport (天府国际机场, TFU) is the main hub (T1/T2). Airport Metro Line 18 reaches South Railway Station (火车南站) in 40–45 minutes (¥9). The older Chuangbei Airport (双流机场, CTU) is closer to the city centre (Metro Line 10, 20 minutes). Verify airlines at chengduairport.com.

Where to Stay

• Tianfu Square / Chunxi Road (天府广场/春熙路): Central, walkable, best metro access. Mid-range Atour Hotel (亚朵酒店) ¥450–650; budget Hanting (汉庭) ¥200–350.
• Wide & Narrow Alleys (宽窄巷子): Boutique guesthouses like Jingli (精品民宿) ¥600–1,000.
• Jinjiang District (锦江区): Near nightlife; The Temple House (博舍) is the luxury benchmark (¥1,500–2,500).

Food & Etiquette

• Tap water is not drinkable; buy bottled water (¥2–3) or refill via Alipay at metro stations.
• Ctip (餐纸巾): small per-cover fee (¥2–5) is normal.
• Tipping is not customary.
• Carry your passport at all times — hotels and major attractions scan it.
• VPN: download and test before arrival; many Google, Gmail and Western social apps are blocked.

Useful Apps

• WeChat (微信): payments, mini-program ticket booking, Didi hailing.
• Alipay (支付宝): backup payment, "International" version accepts foreign cards.
• Metro Daddy (Metro大都会) or Chengdu Metro (成都地铁) app: English-friendly QR entry.
• Baidu Maps (百度地图) or Amap (高德地图): more accurate than Google Maps inside China.