7 days in Chengdu
The complete first week: pandas, archaeology, water engineering, a mountain day and enough unhurried neighbourhood time to understand why Chengdu is famous for living well.
Seven days does not mean adding Emei Mountain and Leshan to an already full city week. It means giving Sanxingdui, Dujiangyan and Qingcheng Mountain separate days, then keeping one local day flexible for rain, heat, rest and the food you actually want to repeat.
Pandas and modern east
Panda Base → Eastern Suburb Memory → Taikoo Li.
Use the earliest reserved entry, rest after the base and keep the afternoon in eastern Chengdu. Do not stack a museum reservation before the panda visit.
Museum, tea and opera
Chengdu Museum → People's Park → Kuanzhai Alley → Sichuan Opera.
Use one compact westward route from Tianfu Square to the teahouse and old lanes, then finish at your reserved performance. Move this day if the museum is closed Monday.
Poetry and Three Kingdoms
Du Fu Cottage → Wuhou Shrine → Jinli.
Give each historical place a few translated names and stories before arrival, then let Jinli become the easy lantern-lit evening. This is not a day for another cross-city attraction.
Sanxingdui
Guanghan transport → complete museum visit → quiet return.
Reserve the passport-linked ticket, verify the museum entrance and give the galleries most of the day. Keep the evening empty because return transport is part of the itinerary.
Dujiangyan
Early train → irrigation system → return before the last practical connection.
Follow the water from the main diversion structures through the scenic walkways and viewpoints. Check rain and temporary closures before leaving Chengdu, and do not add Qingcheng Mountain simply because both names appear on a combined ticket advertisement.
Qingcheng Mountain
Early rail transfer → front-mountain route → Chengdu return.
Morning — reach the mountain before the crowds
Buy the correct train for Qingchengshan station and confirm the connection to the scenic entrance. The front mountain is the classic Taoist route; choose stairs, cableway and boat segments based on current operations and your knees, not on a viral checklist.
Midday and afternoon — one complete route
Carry water, rain protection and shoes with grip. Paths can be wet even when Chengdu is dry. Do not leave the marked route or assume every temple, cableway and boat remains open in poor weather.
Evening — simple dinner near the hotel
Return, shower and eat close to your accommodation. This is not the night for a prepaid show.
Weather swap: exchange Day 6 with Day 7 if mountain conditions are poor; confirm the last train before starting the ascent.
Eat and live like Chengdu
Yulin Road → long lunch → Wangping Street → Jiuyan Bridge.
Late morning — Yulin Road
Sleep later, then use the south-side neighbourhood for noodles, small restaurants and cafés. Choose places with clear menus or busy local tables; translate dietary restrictions before ordering.
Afternoon — rest and one repeat
Return to the hotel, buy tea or revisit the park you liked most. The rest block is intentional after three excursions.
Evening — Wangping Street and Jiuyan Bridge
Walk the riverside food-and-café area, then continue toward Jiuyan Bridge for the night view. Pick one bar or restaurant rather than chasing several districts across the city.
Move: use metro/DiDi between Yulin and Wangping; save Yulin Road (玉林路), Wangping Street (望平街) and Jiuyan Bridge (九眼桥) in Chinese.
The seven-day advantage
- Weather: Day 7 is the swap day for Qingcheng Mountain, Dujiangyan rain or an outdoor Panda Base disruption.
- Reservations: lock Panda Base and Sanxingdui first; keep city neighbourhoods movable.
- Energy: three excursion days are separated by clear evenings, not by more paid attractions.
- Food: translate allergies, ask for "wēi là" (微辣, mildly spicy) when needed and keep one non-spicy option at every shared hotpot meal.
- Departure: check whether you leave from TFU, CTU, Chengdu East or another station before committing the final afternoon.