96 Hours in Chengdu: The Perfect Itinerary for Foreign Travelers Who Want More Than Just Pandas

“How many days do I really need in Chengdu?”I get this question every week.

My Brazilian friend once booked only 2 days. He saw pandas, ate hotpot, and left—then texted me: “I missed everything else! The alleys, the tea houses, the night walks… I need to come back.”

Here’s the truth: 4 days (96 hours) is the sweet spot. Enough time to see pandas, taste real Sichuan food, explore ancient temples, and still sip cocktails by the river at midnight.

This guide gives you a realistic, local-tested 96-hour plan—no rushed tours, no fake “cultural shows,” and zero tourist traps. Just authentic Chengdu, exactly as locals live it.

Day 0: Arrival + Downtown Glamour & River Nights

Land by 2 p.m.? Perfect. Start with Chunxi Road (Chunxi Lu, 春熙路)—Chengdu’s Times Square. Snap a photo with the Sun Yat-sen statue. Grab matcha soft serve at Ito Yokado.

Then walk 5 minutes to Taikoo Li (Tai Gu Li, 太古里)—a luxury mall built like old Sichuan courtyards. Don’t miss the giant panda climbing the IFS building (7th floor).

Next: Daci Temple (Da Ci Si, 大慈寺). Just 3 minutes from Taikoo Li’s east gate. This 1,400-year-old Buddhist temple is quiet, even at rush hour. Sit in the courtyard. Drink 10-yuan covered-bowl tea. Breathe.

At 6 p.m., take a 15-yuan taxi to Hejiang Pavilion (Hejiang Ting, 合江亭). Watch the Fu River and Nan River merge—the “Two Rivers Embrace the City” view. Cross to Anshun Bridge (Anshun Langqiao, 安顺廊桥). At dusk, its red eaves glow under golden lights.

Book the Jinjiang River Night Cruise (Jinjiang Yeyou, 锦江夜游) (98 yuan, book 1 day ahead). The 8 p.m. slot shows the “Twelve Markets” 3D light show—50 minutes of floating through history.

End at Jiuyanqiao (Jiuyan Qiao, 九眼桥). This bar street pulses with live music, neon signs, and riverside cocktails. Try “The Attic” for rooftop views or “Nox” for craft gin.

Day 1: Culture Deep Dive + Sichuan Opera Magic

Start at Tianfu Square (Tianfu Guangchang, 天府广场). See the Mao statue. Pop into the free Chengdu Museum (Chengdu Bowuguan, 成都博物馆) (book online) or Sichuan Science & Technology Museum (Sichuan Keji Guan, 四川科技馆).

Walk 10 minutes to People’s Park (Renmin Gongyuan, 人民公园). At Heming Teahouse (Heming Chashe, 鹤鸣茶社), order tea (15 yuan) and get ear cleaning (30 yuan)—a Chengdu ritual. Watch locals dance, play chess, or sing opera.

Take Metro Line 4 to Kuanzhai Alleys (Kuanzhai Xiangzi, 宽窄巷子). Go early (before 10 a.m.) to avoid crowds. Eat “Zhong Dumplings” and “Three Cannon Balls” (sticky rice dessert).

After lunch, taxi to Wuhou Shrine (Wuhou Ci, 武侯祠) (20 yuan). Walk the “Red Wall Bamboo Path.” Scan the QR code for free English audio. Then enter Jinli Ancient Street (Jinli Gujie, 锦里古街) through the side gate—skip the main entrance. Lanterns light up at 6 p.m.

In the afternoon, visit Du Fu Thatched Cottage (Du Fu Cao Tang, 杜甫草堂)—the poet’s quiet retreat. Then Qingyang Palace (Qingyang Gong, 青羊宫), Chengdu’s oldest Taoist temple. Rub the bronze goat for luck (10-yuan entry).

End the night at Shufeng Yayun Sichuan Opera House (Shufeng Yayun Chuanju Yuan, 蜀风雅韵川剧院). Watch face-changing, fire-spitting, and acrobatics (180 yuan). They serve free tea. Book ahead—shows sell out.

Day 2: Pandas or Ancient Gods? + Modern Chengdu

Morning choice:Option A: Chengdu Panda Base (Chengdu Da Xiongmao Jidi, 成都大熊猫繁育研究基地). Go before 8 a.m. See baby pandas in the “Moonlight Nursery.” (55 yuan, Metro Line 3 → shuttle bus).Option B: Sanxingdui Museum (Sanxingdui Bowuguan, 三星堆博物馆). Take Metro 18 → shuttle. See 3,000-year-old bronze masks and trees. (72 yuan + 40 yuan for audio guide).

Afternoon: Head to East Suburb Memory (Dongjiao Yiji, 东郊记忆). A 1950s factory turned arts district. Graffiti walls, vintage trains, indie shops. Great for photos.

Then taxi to Yulin Road (Yulin Lu, 玉林路). Find the tiny “Little Bar” (Xiao Jiu Guan, 小酒馆) from Zhao Lei’s song “Chengdu.” Buy Lao Huang Ji (Lao Huang Ji, 老黄记) roasted rabbit (25 yuan)—perfect souvenir.

At 8 p.m., go to ICC Twin Towers (Shuang Zita, 双子塔). Watch the 8:20 p.m. light show. Then walk to Global Center (Huanqiu Zhongxin, 环球中心)—the world’s largest building by floor area. Kids love the indoor beach.

End at SKP Chengdu (SKP Chengdu, SKP·活力塔). Take Metro Line 18 to “Jincheng Lake East.” Climb the rooftop garden. Sip % Arabica coffee with skyline views.

Day 3: Day Trip to Dujiangyan + Panda Bonus

Leave by 8 a.m. Take the Chengdu–Dujiangyan high-speed train from Xipu Station (Xipu Zhan, 犀浦站) (10 yuan, 30 mins).

First: Dujiangyan Irrigation System (Dujiangyan Shuili Gongcheng, 都江堰景区). Built in 256 BC—still works today! Walk the Fish Mouth Levee. Hire a guide (50 yuan) to understand the engineering. (80 yuan entry).

Then explore Guan County Ancient Town (Guanxian Gucheng, 灌县古城). Eat You’s Rabbit Head (You Tu Tou, 尤兔头) (try five-spice—mild for foreigners).

Snap photos at Yangtianwo Square (Yangtianwo Guangchang, 仰天窝广场)—life-sized panda sculptures everywhere.

Now choose two from:

• Mount Qingcheng Front Mountain (Qingcheng Shan Qian Shan, 青城山前山): Taoist temples, cable car, misty peaks (90 yuan).

• Mount Qingcheng Back Mountain (Qingcheng Shan Hou Shan, 青城后山): Waterfalls, hiking trails, fewer tourists (20 yuan).

• China Giant Panda Garden (Zhonghua Da Xiongmao Yuan, 中国大熊猫保护研究中心都江堰基地): Open valleys, 40+ pandas (55 yuan).

• Panda Valley (Xiongmao Gu, 熊猫谷): Quiet, natural setting, baby pandas often active (55 yuan).

Before returning, visit Zhongshuge Bookstore – Dujiangyan Branch (Zhongshuge Dujiangyan Dian, 钟书阁都江堰店). Its spiral shelves look like a sci-fi library. Buy a Sichuan cookbook or postcards.

Take the 5 p.m. train back to Chengdu. You’ll be home by 6 p.m.—just in time for one last hotpot.

Why This 96-Hour Plan Works

I’ve walked every step of this itinerary—with UK students, Canadian couples, solo Japanese travelers. I know which panda naps at 10 a.m., which teahouse has English menus, and which bar plays vinyl, not EDM.

A German reader followed this plan last month. She wrote: “I saw pandas, prayed at a temple, drank by the river, and ate rabbit. I didn’t feel like a tourist once.” (96 hours in Chengdu for foreign travelers)

Want my “96-Hour Chengdu Checklist”?

It includes:

• Offline maps of all routes

• Key phrases (“Spicy but not too spicy” = “Wei la, bu yao tai ma”)

• My top 3 bars per neighborhood

Just click here:

And don’t leave without trying my Chengdu food guide (Chengdu Meishi Gonglve, 成都美食攻略)—it lists hotpot spots even locals queue for.

96 hours. One city. Zero regrets.