Chongqing and the art of navigating China’s vertical cities

In Chongqing, a building's ground floor can be someone else's rooftop. A road that looks close on a map might require a long climb, while a train disappears into a residential block and emerges on the other side. The city seems to have negotiated its own terms with gravity. Here, directions tend to involve a landmark, a staircase or a change in elevation.

This is what makes Chongqing, in southwest China, so compelling to explore. Set among steep hills where the Yangtze and Jialing rivers meet, it has grown around terrain that refuses the neat geometry of a conventional metropolis. The internet has made its most startling features famous, particularly the monorail passing through Liziba station's apartment building. But the real pleasure of visiting lies in working out how the city functions beyond the photographs.

Start at Liziba, naturally. Take Line 2 and experience the famous passage from inside the train before heading down to the viewing platform. Then put the camera away for a moment. Watch the residents going about their day around the station. For them, the train is public transport, not a spectacle. That distinction is worth remembering throughout Chongqing.

Find your way on foot

The Mountain City Alley, or Shancheng Xiang, offers a more intimate introduction to the city's geography. Tucked into the older part of Yuzhong district, this hillside neighbourhood follows stone steps past traditional buildings, old gateways and houses fitted into the slope. Look out for the details that survive between renovations: a narrow passage opening onto a river view, a small shop tucked beneath a staircase, laundry hanging above a lane.

Nearby, Shibati, or Eighteen Steps, recalls the old routes that connected Chongqing's upper and lower town. Parts have been restored for visitors, and the new cafés and shops can make it feel polished. Still, the change in elevation is revealing. The city's history is not arranged in tidy museum rooms. It is embedded in the way people move between levels.

For a quieter detour, head to Huangjueya Old Street on Nanshan. Once a stopping point for porters and travelling merchants, the historic street has traditional Ba-yu buildings and former residences, with newer businesses now occupying parts of the neighbourhood. It is a useful counterpoint to the high-rise districts across the river. Allow time to wander rather than treating it as a quick photo stop.

Eat where the day begins

Chongqing's food makes more sense once you've spent time in its streets. Start early with xiaomian, the local bowl of wheat noodles dressed with chilli oil, Sichuan pepper, preserved vegetables and other seasonings that vary from shop to shop. It is an everyday breakfast, often eaten quickly at a neighbourhood noodle counter before work. There is no need to seek out the most famous address. A busy shop near a residential lane can be a better introduction to the city's routine.

Hotpot is the meal that tends to linger in the memory, partly because it is an event in itself. A pot of chilli-laden broth bubbles at the centre of the table as diners lower in slices of meat, tripe, vegetables and tofu. The traditional broth often uses beef tallow, and Sichuan pepper brings its familiar numbing sensation alongside the heat. The nine-grid pot, divided into separate sections, is a recognisable Chongqing style. Go with friends if possible. The meal is designed to be shared, and the cooking happens at the table.

Look beyond hotpot, too. Jianghu cai, a broad category of bold, home-style dishes, includes preparations such as chilli chicken. At local eateries, tofu pudding can arrive with savoury seasoning and rice rather than sugar. In the evening, follow the smell of skewers and sizzling food towards a neighbourhood night market. The city's appetite does not stop when the office lights go out.

When the dragon takes the streets

Chongqing's cultural life extends well beyond its famous food and engineering. The wider municipality is home to the Tongliang dragon dance, an elaborate folk performance in which a long dragon is carried and manoeuvred by a team of performers. During festive celebrations, some performances incorporate showers of sparks, making the dragon appear to move through fire. The tradition is particularly associated with Tongliang district, so it is worth checking the local calendar if seeing it is a priority.

Back in the city, Huangjueping offers another perspective. Its graffiti street and art spaces sit within a district shaped by Chongqing's art education scene. The murals bring colour to the built environment, though the neighbourhood is more interesting when approached as a place where people live and work rather than an outdoor backdrop. Spend some time looking at the smaller workshops and cafés around the main stretch.

Let the rivers set the pace

Eventually, make your way to the meeting point of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers. The waterfront gives the city room to breathe, and a river crossing offers a different view of the towers and steep banks. Hongyadong is spectacular when illuminated at night, but it draws heavy crowds. For a less hurried evening, cross towards Nan'an or find a stretch of riverside promenade where residents gather to walk and talk.

Chongqing is not always an easy city to navigate. Distances deceive, stairways can be steep, and rain or summer humidity can make a climb feel longer than expected. Use the metro for longer journeys and leave room for detours on foot.

The reward is a city that refuses to be understood from a single viewpoint. Look down from a bridge, climb through an old lane, or sit over a bowl of noodles while the morning rush gathers outside. Chongqing's verticality is not just a trick of architecture. It is part of the daily work of living here.

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