Ciqikou Ancient Town, a former trading hub dating back to the Ming Dynasty, is one of Chongqing’s best-preserved historic areas. It’s packed with tea houses, street food stalls, and traditional wooden buildings that give off a sense of old-world China.
If you’re used to big, modern city vibes and new to exploring China, you’re going to love exploring ancient towns like this one! Most cities in China have pedestrian-friendly old streets filled with shops, street food, and souvenirs, and they’re a great introduction to the country’s historical side.
While it’s definitely touristy, it still offers a great glimpse into old Chongqing’s charm. Here is a quick list of things you could do while in Ciqikou Ancient Town.
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Table of Contents
Wander the historic streets
This one’s easy and obvious. The point of visiting Ciqikou Ancient Town is to get away from the big city buildings and lights.
While you stroll through the area, take it slow and look up to truly appreciate the Ming and Qing Dynasty-style wooden buildings. Personally, I love the wooden patterned windows and the red lanterns hung everywhere!
Try the local street food
Ciqikou is a street food haven, and trying the local snacks here is half the fun.
One of my most intriguing (and slightly shocking) finds was this furry white tofu. At first glance, it looks like a furry toy, but then I realized.. it’s actually covered in a thin layer of fuzzy mold—a natural fermentation process that gives it a unique, deep umami flavor when cooked.
Vendors will fry it up to crispy perfection and drizzle it with spicy, garlicky sauce. Try it if you dare (I didn’t, haha).
Another standout snack for the less brave is mahua (麻花), or twisted fried dough. Originally from Tianjin but popular throughout China, mahua in Chongqing takes on a savory spin.
At first, it doesn’t look like much—just a simple, stiff twist of dough that looks tasteless. I wasn’t interested in it at first but I figured, what the heck, I might as well try it while I’m here.
OK, WAIT, but why was it SO good? Once you bite into it, the crispy, slightly chewy texture and the bold seasoning make it unexpectedly addicting. The mahua shops coat it in all kinds of umami-packed sauces, from spicy Sichuan pepper to sweet-and-savory seaweed, the latter of which ended up being my favorite!
Other spots you’ll encounter are vendors selling really thin strips of crispy beef jerky that we ended up being addicted to as soon as we tried it (we bought two boxes—yes it was that good). They were too dangerously easy to snack on… we accidentally finished it all before we left Chongqing.
You’ll also find a bunch of shops with all kinds of pickled goods, from crunchy pickled radish to spicy, fermented green beans that locals swear by as the perfect accompaniment to rice.
While you’re hunting for snacks to try, you can even pick up travel-friendly snacks to bring home as souvenirs. My mom spent loads of money at this local candy shop selling all kinds of Chinese-style candy.
Yes, peanuts, dried fruits, and sesame seed-covered chews might not be considered ‘candy’ in some cultures, but in China, they definitely are. Everything there was lightly sweet, which is just how the Chinese like their sweets!
For an actual meal, there are restaurants serving Chongqing specialties, as well as a casual food court where you can try a little bit of everything.
Chongqing1949
If you’re into immersive, grand-scale productions like the ones in Vegas or NYC’s Broadway and have yet to experience one in Mainland China (they’re literally some of the best in the world), Chongqing 1949 should shoot straight to the top of your itinerary for your day in Ciqikou.
We had just come off a whirlwind week of these kinds of performances in Shenzhen and Xi’an, so we needed a break from watching shows—but after reading TONS of glowing reviews, I’m passing on the knowledge so you can decide if it’s a must for you.
Set in the Chongqing 1949 Grand Theater, a massive 1,497-seat venue built specifically for this production, the show takes you back to the eve of Chongqing’s liberation in 1949. It follows the experiences of Communist Party members imprisoned in Zhazidong and Bai Mansion, depicting their struggles and the larger battle for control of the city.
Political beliefs aside, this is an opportunity to learn about the local history in a super immersive way. Expect massive sets, immersive staging, large-scale battle sequences, cinematic effects, and even some tear-jerker moments.
There are 4 shows daily with the first show at 2pm and the last show at 8pm.
You can read reviews and buy tickets to the show here.
Catch a Sichuan opera performance
Some tea houses feature face-changing opera shows. You can usually tell because they’ll have someone dressed up in traditional opera garb standing outside. Or, you’ll see posters of the traditional masks they use in the face-changing performances.
Since we had already watched one of these shows in Chengdu a few days prior to getting to Chongqing, we chose to skip this activity at Ciqikou.
Explore the smaller alleyways
Ciqikou Ancient Town is set up like a classic old street market, with one main drag running through the center, packed shoulder-to-shoulder with snack vendors and souvenir shops.
The store vendors will be calling out to you, waving samples of dried fruit, spicy peanuts, mahua dough sticks, beef jerky, and other local treats, practically daring you not to try them.
Even though Ciqikou is considered a respite from Chongqing’s crazy metropolitan energy, the main street is still surprisingly loud, colorful, and full of energy, with shopkeepers chopping up handmade candy, steaming baskets of dumplings, and grilling skewers right in front of you.
But if you want a break from the crowds, duck into one of the smaller alleyways branching off from the main road. These quieter paths lead to hidden teahouses, tucked-away courtyards, and small local shops selling handcrafted ceramics, antiques, and calligraphy brushes.
Some of these alleys even open up to nice views of the Jialing River, offering a much-needed breather from the busy main strip.
How To Get To Ciqikou Ancient Town
The easiest way to get to Ciqikou Ancient Town is by calling a Didi—they’re super cheap!
From our hotel (the Hyatt Regency Metropolitan Chongqing), it was about a 15 minute-drive without traffic. By metro, it would have taken 37 minutes.
If you prefer public transport, take Chongqing Metro Line 1 to Ciqikou Station, then walk about 10 minutes to the entrance.
Planning Your Trip To China?
Here are some of our other China travel guides to help you plan an incredible trip:
Chongqing
- Where To Stay In Chongqing: 3 Central Areas For First-Timers
- Shibati (18 Steps): A Walk Through Chongqing’s Past
Chengdu
- 3 Days In Chengdu, China: Pandas, Ancient Streets, and Royal Banquets
- 4 Days In Chengdu, China: An Even Better Itinerary!
- 15 Actually Fun Things To Do In Chengdu: Beyond Pandas And Temples
- Shuyanfu Dinner Show: A Must-Do In Chengdu, China
