Chongqing Photo: ESB Professional/Shutterstock.com Chongqing is one of China's major municipalities; a cultural and historical city with many unique traits. Besides its unique geographical conditions – is is surrounded by rivers and mountains – it has been filled with skyscrapers, making for a mesmerising landscape, both during the day and at nighttime. HelloRF Zcool / Shutterstock.com Top 5 Mountain City by Night The city's unique geographic features make for a unique and picturesque skyl... Chongqing Guotai Artistic ... Chongqing Art Museum is an artwork in itself. Its unique architectural style... Wulong Karst BigGabig / Shutterstock.com The Wulong Karst is the real life equivalent of a Chinese painting. The intr... The Three Gorges Beginning at Baidi City, the Three Gorges – comprising the Qutang, Wu, and X... Chaotian Gate Square Chaotian Gate is a great place to have a glimpse of the confluence of the Ya... Jonipoon/Wikipedia Commons Updated 14 May 2019 Destination: Chongqing Publishing date: 2019-05-14 THE CITY Mountain City by Night The city's unique geographic features make for a unique and picturesque skyline at night. When night comes, the lights from tens of thousands of households take over the whole city. There are three prime spots to get immersed in the night landscape of the city: the Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com One-tree Outlook Platform, the Golden Eagle Chongqing is situated in the upper reaches of Statue in South Mountain Park and the China's longest river, the Yangtze, at its Kansheng Tower in Erling Park. A boat tour can conuence with the Jialing River. Most of its be arranged at Chaotian Gate. roads meander around the rivers or through the Photo: Songquan Deng / Shutterstock.com mountains, and old houses still remain among Address: Jialing River, Chongqing the skyscraper jungle. The major tourist attractions gather in Yuzhong, Shapinba and Chongqing Guotai Artistic Center Nan'an Districts. At night, the city lights take Chongqing Art Museum is over the sky. The climate is mild with warm an artwork in itself. Its winters, hot summer days and rainy nights. unique architectural style was developed to DO & SEE recreate the appearance of a lit bonre. Exhibitions feature artwork by both local artists and famous classic Chinese painters, making it an essential stop on any art-lover's tour of the city. Photo: 广州阿沾 / Wikimedia Commons (image cropped) Address: No.1 Linjiang Road, Chongqing Opening hours: Sun–Sat 10am–6pm cq19690527/pixabay Phone: +86 23 6386 0599 Email: [email protected] A few of the city's major scenic spots include the Jiefangbei and Chaotian Gate Plaza, the Three Gorges Museum and the Ciqikou ancient town. The highlight of the touring section of the Three Gorges is also located in Chongqing. Destination: Chongqing Publishing date: 2019-05-14 Wulong Karst Three Gorges Museum The Wulong Karst is the All the cultural relics real life equivalent of a excavated from the Three Chinese painting. The Gorges area and other intricate blend between historical collections of natural elements and the original city museum carefully man-made are housed here. With architecture is perfect for a day-long hike away high-tech facilities, the museum vividly displays from the city's fast pace. the geologic features, species, changes in local culture and customs, as well as models of the Photo: Pises Tungittipokai / Shutterstock.com massive Three Gorges Dam Project. Address: Wulong Karst National Geology Park, Chongqing Photo: Hans Wagemaker / Shutterstock.com The Three Gorges Address: No.236 Renmin Road, Chongqing Beginning at Baidi City, Opening hours: Sun–Sat 9am–5pm the Three Gorges – comprising the Qutang, The Dazu Rock Carvings Wu, and Xiling gorges – The Dazu Rock Carvings, have been described by sculpted between 9th to many poems since 13th centuries, are an ancient times. You can contemplate its natural expression of the greatness from two of the most famous scenic harmony between spots, the Fengdu Ghost City and the Sibaozhai Buddhism, Confucianism Pagoda. and Taoism. The largest clusters of this carvings can be found on Mount Baoding and Mount Photo: Lao Ma / Shutterstock.com Beishan. Address: Sibaozhai, Chongqing Photo: Truthven/Wikipedia Commons (image cropped) Chaotian Gate Square Address: Dazu Rock Carvings Scenic Spots, Chongqing Chaotian Gate is a great Opening hours: Sun–Sat 8:30am–6pm place to have a glimpse of Phone: +86 23 4378 5774 the conuence of the Chongqing Zoo Yangtze River and Jialing River. During early The stars of the summer or mid-autumn, Chongqing Zoo are denitely the Giant the contrast between the muddy Yangtze and the Pandas. This zoo does not clear waters of Jialing becomes clear. Close to only serve as an the river, you will nd the dock for the many tour important base for boats that travel along the city landmarks. protection and research of wild animals like Photo: Tauno Tõhk / 陶诺 (image cropped) Tibetan bears, tigers, hippos, monkeys and birds, Address: Changjiang Binjiang Rd, Chongqing but also provides a beautiful and comfortable Phone: +86 23 6371 2870 Destination: Chongqing Publishing date: 2019-05-14 setting for you to experience the wildlife. Jinyun Mountain Natural Reserve For those looking for an Photo: atlassb/ickr (image cropped) escape from the hustle Address: No.25 Xijiao Road, Chongqing and bustle of the city, Opening hours: Sun–Sat 8am–6pm Jinyun Mountain Natural Phone: +86 23 6842 2285 Internet: www.cqzoo.com Reserve is the ideal spot. Situated in the outskirts Hongya Cave of this busy city, it is a perfect place to unwind This site once was a while contemplating the nature and wildlife. military fortress and then became the rst and most Photo: Seasonsinthesun / Wikicommons (image cropped) Address: Jinyun Road, Chongqing advanced pier in ancient Opening hours: Sun–Sat 7am–6am China. Nowadays, it has Phone: +86 23 6822 4497 been turned into a 75-metre tall building on the margin of the Huayan Temple of Chongqing Jialing River packed with many restaurants, The golden Buddha cafes, temples and craft stalls. statue grants this temple When the sun sets, the building illuminates the its own magic and vibe. surroundings, making them look dream-like. The balance of the ancient architecture with Photo: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com the surrounding garden Address: No.88 Binjiang Rd, Chongqing provides the perfect conditions for a calm and Phone: +86 23 6303 9999 relaxing walk. The Dragon Boat Festival is held Fengdu Ghost City here annually. Hidden between the Photo: Skreidzeleu / Shutterstock.com mountains and the Address: Huayan Scenic Resort, Chongqing Yangtze River, the Opening hours: Sun–Sat 8am–6pm Fengdu Ghost City Phone: +86 23 6525 0932 reects Chinese views on afterlife. As a tribute to Nanshan Botanical Garden the ancestors, you can nd Buddhist, Taoist and Nanshan Botanical Confucian sculptures and carvings in any of the Garden is an oasis in the more than 27 temples. The view of the Three middle of the always Gorges from the top of the mountain is also crowded Chongqing worth a visit. where you can have a glance of a wide range of Photo: justdentist / Shutterstock.com plants, from roses to cactuses. During Address: Fengdu, Chongqing springtime, the whole park is painted by a sea of Opening hours: Sun–Sat 6:30am–5:30pm peach and cherry blossoms. Photo: HelloRF Zcool / Shutterstock.com Destination: Chongqing Publishing date: 2019-05-14 Address: No.101 Nanshan Park Road, Chongqing DINING Opening hours: Sun–Sat 9am–5:30am Phone: +86 23 6247 9135 Jindao Canyon Scenic Area One-hour drive along sharp curves from Chongqing lies the Jindao Canyon. Here you can enjoy the scenic view either by by walking TYSB / Shutterstock.com through the narrow gorge or taking a boat As a branch of Sichuan cuisine, the one of through its crystal clear river. This canyon Chongqing is known to have chili pepper and remains one of the city's hidden gems, so expect bean paste as two of its key dish ingredients. it not to be crowded. There are many dierent types of avors, but the Photo: Andrey Bocharov/Shutterstock.com predominant one is the numbingly spicy. Address: No.38 Jiefang Road, Chongqing Chongqing is the hometown of hotpot, a Opening hours: Sun–Sat 8am–6pm continuously simmering spicy broth, in which the Phone: +86 23 6360 2777 diners cook an assortment of meat and vegetables themselves. Restaurants are usually People's Assembly Hall open until 10:00pm. With architectural characteristics Chen Mahua resembling Beijing's Mahua is a twisted strip Temple of Heaven, of dough fried in peanut People's Assembly Hall oil. You can try it at Chen serves as a symbol of Mahua after you visit the China's modern history and politics. For a small nearby Hongya Cave. entrance fee, you can enter the building and Beware of the long enjoy the beautiful auditorium. queues. Photo: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com Photo: Yuangeng Zhang / Shutterstock.com Address: No.173 Renming Road, Chongqing Address: No.88 Jiabin Rd, Chongqing Opening hours: Sun–Sat 8:30am–5pm Phone: +86 23 8652 7617 Blue Olive If you are tired of Chinese cuisine and are looking for some Western food, Blue Olive is the place to go. They oer ne wine and authentic Destination: Chongqing Publishing date: 2019-05-14 Mediterranean and Aussie dishes like salmon Ciqikou Old Town with avocados and potatoes and chocolate The 1700-year-old fondant for dessert. historic town of Ciqikou is well known for its ancient Photo: DronG/Shutterstock.com Sichuan-style buildings Address: No.66 Liziba Main St, Chongqing surrounded by Opening hours: Sun–Sat 11am–9pm mountains. Here you can Phone: +86 23 6373 3950 Email: [email protected] witness the well-preserved local customs, as well as sample some of the traditional snacks and Hao Youlai Suanla Fen delicacies, such as the ubiquitous mao xue wang With a few stalls (a spicy stew).