Chongqing重庆·渝 / 巴
A vertical mountain megacity where hotpot, neon and the Yangtze collide.
Chongqing is one of in China — 32 million people stacked on a peninsula where the Jialing meets the , beneath a permanent canopy of fog and humid heat.
It is the only Chinese megacity built entirely on hills. Metro tracks tunnel through the middle of , elevators link different street levels, and the traces back to Yangtze-dock dockworkers in the 1920s.
Chongqing was the wartime capital of the Republic of China from 1937 to 1946 (see ), giving the city a unique layer of 20th-century history beneath its neon-modern skin.
Top Attractions
Culture & Traditions
Chongqing Hotpot
Numbing peppercorn, beef-tallow broth and goose intestine — Chongqing claims to invent hotpot at the riverside docks. Locals eat it year-round, including in 40 °C summer heat.
Sichuan Opera Heritage
Even after the 1997 Sichuan-Chongqing split, Chongqing retains the Sichuan opera tradition — face-changing performers can flip through ten masks in seconds while dancing across stage.
"Mountain City" Identity
Locals call Chongqing the Shancheng — Mountain City. Pedestrian streets stack vertically, the 22nd floor of one building lines up with the ground floor of another, and there are almost no bicycles in the entire downtown.
Bang Bang Porters
Until recently, "Bang Bang" porters carried goods up the city's steep stair-streets with bamboo poles. The trade is fading but still visible at riverside docks — a Chongqing icon.
River Confluence Lifestyle
The clear Jialing and muddy Yangtze meet at Chaotianmen — locals tube, swim and sunbathe along both rivers in summer, ferries cross every few minutes, and entire neighborhoods orient toward the water.
Cities
10 prefecture-level · sorted by tourist popularity- 1
Yuzhong District
渝中区CapitalThe Yuzhong peninsula at the Jialing-Yangtze confluence — Jiefangbei plaza, Hongya Cave, Eling Park, the cable-car embarkation and most heritage stilt streets sit inside this 23 km² downtown.
- 2
Jiangbei District
江北区North-bank business district with the Jiangbei airport, the Guanyinqiao shopping streets, Sino-International Centre / G&G tallest towers, and a parallel restaurant cluster.
- 3
Yubei District
渝北区Northern district covering Jiangbei International Airport, the Liangjiang New Area free-trade zone and the Banan Wonderland theme park.
- 4
Nan'an District
南岸区South Yangtze bank — Nanshan mountain park with the One Tree Viewpoint of the city, Yangren Jie ("Foreigner Street"), and the south cable-car landing.
- 5
Shapingba District
沙坪坝区University and education district — home to Chongqing University, Ciqikou Old Town, and the Three Gorges Museum is reachable on foot.
- 6
Wulong District
武隆区2-hour drive south-east — UNESCO Wulong Karst with the Three Natural Bridges, Furong Cave and the upstream Tianlong Tianken sinkhole.
- 7
Dazu District
大足区1.5-hour high-speed-rail north-west — the UNESCO Dazu Rock Carvings with the 31 m Reclining Buddha.
- 8
Wansheng District
万盛区South-eastern district with the Heishan Valley adventure park, the Wansheng Ordovician geological park and the dramatic Long Long Bone canyon glass walkways.
Famous Locals
Plan your trip to Chongqing
Dig into expert travel guides and ask the community for tips tailored to your dates and interests.