5 Secret Walking Routes in Chengdu for Foreign Travelers Who Hate Tourist Crowds
- DolphinUnion
- Oct 8
- 5 min read
If you only visit Kuanzhai Alley or Jinli, you’re missing real Chengdu.
Here’s the thing: most foreign travelers go straight to those crowded spots. My Canadian friend once spent 3 hours in Kuanzhai Alley—surrounded by souvenir stalls, overpriced tea, and zero locals. “It felt like a theme park,” he said.
But Chengdu’s true magic lives in its quiet alleys, neighborhood markets, and riverside streets—where locals sip tea, fry egg cakes, and walk their dogs at sunset.
This guide shows you 5 authentic Chengdu walking routes for foreign travelers—all tested by me over 10 years in Chengdu. Zero tourist traps. All walkable. All full of local life. And yes, you’ll find hidden cafes, street food, and photo-worthy corners most visitors never see.
Route 1: City No.2 Hospital (Shi Er Yi Yuan，市二医院站) B Exit → Xizigong South Street (Xizigong Nan Jie，惜字宫南街) → Shuyuan West Street (Shuyuan Xi Jie，书院西街) → Wucheng Avenue (Wucheng Da Jie，武成大街) → Wangping Street (Wangping Jie，望平街)
This 2.5km loop blends old-school culture and daily life. Start at Xizigong Nan Jie, a pastel-colored lane with indie cafes like “Yijie · Alley” (green vines on every window—perfect for photos). Then walk to Shuyuan Xi Jie, where 1980s bookstores and watch-repair stalls still thrive. At 8 a.m., Wucheng Da Jie buzzes with locals eating fresh dumplings and egg cakes. End at Wangping Jie, a riverside strip with craft shops and open-air cafes. By 5 p.m., families gather by the Fu River to play chess or stroll.
I walked this route last spring with a UK couple. They loved watching an old man read the newspaper in a bamboo chair while sipping tea. “This feels like the Chengdu we read about,” they said.
Go early (9 a.m.–1 p.m.). Take Metro Line 4/6 to “City No.2 Hospital Station” (B exit). Return via Metro Line 2 from “Dongmen Bridge Station.” Skip if you hate slow walks—this is for savoring, not rushing.
Route 2: Fanghua Cross Street (Fanghua Heng Jie，芳华横街) → Fanghua Street (Fanghua Jie，芳华街) → Yujie Lane (Yujie Xiang，玉洁巷) → Yutong Lane (Yutong Xiang，玉通巷) → Yulin Market (Yulin Zonghe Shichang，玉林综合市场) → Yulin East/West Road (Yulin Dong/Xi Lu，玉林东路/西路)
This 3km walk is Chengdu’s living room. Begin in Fanghua Heng Jie, where a 5-yuan covered-bowl tea shop sits next to a stall frying warm egg cakes. In Yujie Xiang and Yutong Xiang, tailors mend clothes, grandmas haggle over bok choy, and kids chase each other past fruit stands. The highlight? Yulin Market—a real neighborhood wet market with handmade dumpling wrappers, spicy pig head meat, and fresh chili paste. End on Yulin West Road, home of Zhao Lei’s famous “Little Bar” (but locals prefer hotpot spots like “Lao Huang Ji” for roasted rabbit).
A Brazilian traveler told me: “I bought pickled vegetables from an auntie, and she taught me how to say ‘delicious’ in Sichuan dialect!”
Best time: 2 p.m.–7 p.m. Start from Metro Line 8 “Nijiaqiao Station” (C exit). Return via Metro Line 3 “Yiguanmiao Station.” Bring cash—many vendors don’t accept cards.
Route 3: Tonghuimen (Tonghuimen，通惠门) → Shizi Alley (Shizi Xiang，柘子巷) → Kuanzhai Alleys (side entrance only) → Zhijishi Street (Zhijishi Jie，支矶石街) → Paulownia Tree Street (Paotongshu Jie，泡桐树街) → Xiaotong Alley (Xiaotong Xiang，小通巷) → Kuixinglou (Kuixinglou，奎星楼) → Commercial Street (Shangye Jie，商业街) → Duozixiang (Duozixiang，多子巷) → Dongsheng Street (Dongsheng Jie，东胜街) → Osmanthus Alley (Guìhuā Xiàng，桂花巷)
Forget the main Kuanzhai crowds. This 4km route skips the tourist core and dives into hidden lanes. Shizi Xiang is Chengdu’s “softest alley”—ivy-covered walls, tiny hanfu boutiques, and handmade jewelry. Zhijishi Jie has a 300-year-old stone tablet marking an ancient legend. Paotongshu Jie feels like Tokyo: minimalist cafes, indie bookstores. In Xiaotong Xiang, locals knit sweaters outside teahouses. Kuixinglou offers real Chengdu street food—try “Mao Jiao Huo La” for cold-broth skewers. End in Guihua Xiang, where osmanthus blooms in fall and ice jelly vendors appear in summer.
A German family spent half a day here. Their kids loved feeding fish in the alley ponds. “No one spoke English, but everyone smiled,” they said.
Walk 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Start at Metro Line 2 “Tonghuimen Station” (A exit). Avoid weekends—some alleys get narrow. Bring a camera: every corner is photogenic.
Route 4: Jinquan Street (Jinquan Jie，金泉街) / Shuanghuai Tree Street (Shuanghuai Shu Jie，双槐树街) → Shuijingfang Museum (Shuijingfang Bowuguan，水井坊博物馆) → Anshun Bridge (Anshun Langqiao，安顺廊桥) → Hejiang Pavilion (Hejiang Ting，合江亭)
This 2km cultural stroll mixes 600-year-old liquor heritage and river romance. Jinquan Jie and Shuanghuai Shu Jie are lined with gray-tiled courtyards, red lanterns, and drying chili strings. At Shuijingfang Museum, you’ll see ancient fermentation pits—and adults can taste free baijiu (Chinese liquor). Cross the Anshun Langqiao, a vermilion Ming-dynasty bridge that glows at night. End at Hejiang Ting, where Fu River and Nan River meet. At sunset, couples take photos under willow trees.
I took a Japanese couple here. They were stunned by the museum’s underground ruins. “Like walking through history,” they whispered.
Go 3 p.m.–6 p.m. Start from Metro Line 2 “Dongmen Bridge Station” (B exit). The museum closes at 5:30 p.m.—don’t be late. Free entry. Perfect for couples or history lovers.
Route 5: Shizi Alley (Shizi Xiang，柿子巷) → Dongsheng Street (Dongsheng Jie，东胜街) → Citang Street (Citang Jie，祠堂街) → Tangba Street (Tangba Jie，镋钯街) → Qinglian Upper Street (Qinglian Shang Jie，青莲上街) → University Road (Daxue Lu，大学路) → Fanghua Street (Fanghua Jie，芳华街) → Yulin Road (Yulin Lu，玉林路)
This 5km “grand tour” shows three faces of Chengdu: old alleys, creative hubs, and campus life. Start in Shizi Xiang (yes, again—it’s that good). Dongsheng Jie was once Chengdu’s “suit street”—tailors still hand-stitch jackets. Citang Jie hosts art galleries in historic buildings like the old Xinhua Daily office. Tangba Jie feels like “Little Tokyo”—think matcha lattes and minimalist fashion. Near Sichuan University, Qinglian Shang Jie and Daxue Lu offer student eats and vintage bookstores. End in Yulin, where street life takes over.
A US student retraced this route twice. “It’s like walking through different eras of Chengdu,” she said.
Allow 6–7 hours (10 a.m.–5 p.m.). Use Metro Line 1 between “Jinjiang Hotel” and “Huaxiba” to skip long stretches. Pack snacks—this is a full-day adventure.
Why Trust This Guide? Real Walks, Real Stories (Authentic Chengdu walking routes for foreign travelers)
I’ve walked every meter of these routes—often with foreign friends in tow. I know which alleys smell like fried dough at 8 a.m., which teahouses welcome solo travelers, and which corners offer the best light for photos.
After my French friend skipped Kuanzhai Alley and chose Route 2, he messaged: “I finally understand why Chengdu is China’s most livable city.”
Want my free “Chengdu Local Walks Cheat Sheet”? It includes offline maps, key Chinese phrases (“How much?” = “Duō shǎo qián?”), and my top 3 street food stops per route. Just DM me!
And after your walk, grab a bowl of dan dan noodles or hotpot—check my Chengdu food guide for spots even locals love.
Don’t just visit Chengdu. Live it.
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