Chongqing

The cliff where Hongyadong stands was a key point on the city's northwest approach since ancient times: military works stood here as early as the Warring States period, and cave temples cut into the hillside appeared in the Song dynasty. From the Ming and Qing onward, stilted houses crowded the riverbank and boats filled the wharves, and 'Dripping Green at Hongya' was one of the old Twelve Scenes of Ba-Yu. When the Ming commander Dai Ding rebuilt Chongqing's stone walls, he established seventeen gates — nine open and eight closed — and Hongya Gate was one of the closed ones, a name the place still carries. The district was rebuilt as a whole at the start of the 21st century and opened in 2006, covering about 31,500 square metres; the buildings climb eleven storeys along the cliff to a total height of 79 metres, with about 75 metres between Cangbai Road at the top and the Jialing riverside road at the bottom — hence the wonder of 'the top floor opens onto a road and the ground floor opens onto a road too'. Now a 4A scenic area, it is brightly lit after dark, and the opposite riverbank and Qiansimen Bridge are the traditional vantage points for a full view. Highlights include the stilted houses at night, the Ba-Yu Folk Street, the viewpoint over the meeting of the two rivers and the Hongyadong snack street. Tip: Go towards evening and wait for the moment the lights come on — the most spectacular sight. Practical info: located on Jiabin Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing; admission free; open all day.

• Address: Jiabin Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing
• Ticket: Free
• Opening: All day

Ciqikou was founded in the Song dynasty and grew into a town because of its position on the Jialing River. It was first called 'Baiyan chang' and later 'Longyin zhen'; tradition says that after the Jingnan upheaval the Jianwen Emperor, Zhu Yunwen, hid at the town's Baolun Temple, hence 'Longyin' (Hidden Dragon). In the Qing dynasty, porcelain fired around Qingcaopo was loaded onto boats here, and the name 'Ciqikou' (Porcelain Port) became the common one. In the Republican era it was a major centre of Jialing shipping and a collection point for goods from eastern Sichuan, with salt firms, merchant guilds, workshops and guild halls crowded together, earning the name 'Little Chongqing'; after river transport declined, the old town kept its layered layout along the hill and river. The cobbled main street connects with several slanting lanes and stone steps, lined mostly with chuandou-frame wooden houses and shopfronts from the Ming and Qing onward; Baolun Temple and the Zhong Family Courtyard preserve the original settings of old Chongqing's daily life and trade. The town's Chen Mahua, maoxuewang and dried bean-curd skin, along with Sichuan opera sung in teahouses, qingyin singing and storytelling, have all been passed down. Tip: Weekdays are better; the main street is lively, but the back streets feel more like old Chongqing. Practical info: located at Ciqikou, Shapingba District, Chongqing; admission free; open all day.

Tip: Visit on weekdays for a better experience.

• Address: Ciqikou, Shapingba District, Chongqing
• Ticket: Free
• Opening: All day

The Yangtze River Cableway opened in 1987, crossing the river between Xinhua Road in Yuzhong District and Shangxin Street in Nan'an District along a total length of 1,166 metres; it has long been called 'the first aerial corridor over the Yangtze'. Each cabin holds about 80 passengers and runs at roughly 6 metres per second, so a crossing takes only about four minutes. In the years when river bridges were still few, the cableway was the public transport people took to work and to market, and daily ridership was once very large; after an upgrade completed at the end of 2019 it reopened, with commuting receding and sightseeing taking the lead. As the cabin crosses the water you look down on the skyline of the two rivers' four banks and the stacked buildings of the Yuzhong Peninsula, the view best at dusk as the lights come on; the slight shudder as the cabin starts and the cables take the load preserves the mechanical feel of an old aerial tramway. Highlights include the flight across the river, the panorama of the Yuzhong Peninsula, the night view of the two rivers and the three-dimensional mountain city. Tip: Ride at dusk to see both the sunset and the lights coming on. One way is enough; no need to return. Practical info: located on Xinhua Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing; ticket ¥20 one way; open 07:30–22:30.

• Address: Xinhua Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing
• Ticket: ¥20 one way
• Opening: 07:30–22:30