Chongqing 3-Day Itinerary: Hills, Rail & River Nights

Take a taxi to the upper end near Jiashi Elderly Care Home, then follow Shancheng Lane downhill. It is an easier way to understand the old hillside neighbourhood than starting from the bottom and climbing every staircase first.

Continue through Shibati and toward Jiefangbei. Let the route stay loose: the point is the transition from stepped lanes to the dense commercial centre, including the striking building nicknamed Chopsticks Tower along the way.

Kuixinglou is the classic Chongqing spatial joke: you can stand on what looks like street level and discover that the other side of the building is many storeys below. Go for the sense of scale, not a long visit.

Hongyadong's exterior is the sight; the interior is mostly food and retail. See the lights from the outside, then continue to the riverside park for the view with Qiansimen Bridge. If your final stop is the riverfront, do not descend into Hongyadong first: it adds crowds, stairs and a difficult return route.

Visit the Taoist complex and use its viewpoint to take in the city's dense river-and-hill geography. Exit toward the west side when you are ready to continue downhill.

Follow the old path through Huangjueya Old Street and past the former residence associated with writer Sanmao. These stops make sense in this order because they lie along the descent; do not turn them into separate taxi trips.

These neighbouring old-street areas are a natural finish. Xiahaoli has the more intimate stepped-lane feel; Longmenhao is more polished and commercial. Arrive before dusk and stay long enough to watch the riverfront turn on.