City guide
Chongqing 重庆
The viral 'cyberpunk mountain city': layered skylines, hotpot, and trains through buildings.
Best time to visit
March–May and September–November. Summer is famously hot and foggy-wet; winter is mild but often overcast, which suits the neon nights.
Getting around the city
- 01The metro (CRT) is the star — Line 2's Liziba station is the one where the train passes through a residential building.
- 02This city is vertical: expect elevators, escalators and skybridges between 'ground floors' on different levels.
- 03Didi is cheap, but traffic on the bridges crawls at rush hour — the metro is often faster.
Top tips for first-time visitors
- 01Hongya Cave lights up after dark — see it from across the river or the Qiansimen Bridge for the full view.
- 02Hotpot here is the real deal; ask for 'yuan yang' (half-spicy, half-mild) if you're unsure.
- 03Chongqing pairs perfectly with Chengdu — high-speed trains run about 1–1.5 hours between them.
Recommended attractions
Hongya Cave
Eleven stacked floors of stilt-house architecture glowing over the Jialing River.
Liziba Station
The metro train that famously runs through the middle of an apartment building.
Yangtze River Cableway
A vintage cable car gliding over the river between the two banks.
Ciqikou Ancient Town
Old riverside lanes of tea houses, snacks and porcelain shops.