Day 2: South bank

Take the Yangtze River Cableway at the station near Jiefangbei to reach the south bank where the Nanshan Mountain stands. The cable car is a must-do if you want to have a perfect city view from above, especially at night. It was built in 1987 and the 1,166-meter cableway used to be a major means of transportation for residents.

Along the bank, the Chongqing Planning Exhibition Gallery, another city landmark with a silver wavy appearance, is worth a visit if you are interested knowing the past and present of the city.

In the afternoon, walk around the mazelike newly renovated Xiahao Old Street, dating back to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), which winds from the river port up to the foot of Nanshan Mountain. This residential community used to be called the last memory of old Chongqing. Now, residents have moved out and their houses have been turned into quaint galleries, bookstores, shops, teahouses, hotels and restaurants. At night, the Landmark Riverside Park, boasting dozens of restaurants and bars, is an ideal place to have a nice dinner and drinks while enjoying the river view.