Chengdu among most attractive cities in China

Chengdu, capital of Southwest China's Sichuan province, is expected to be among the country's top tourist destinations over Spring Festival, which will be celebrated from Feb 4-19.

Local attractions include giant pandas, delicious cuisine, beautiful scenery and a variety of cultural traditions.

A list of what are expected to be China's hottest Spring Festival tourism destinations, recently released by AutoNavi Maps and the China Tourism Association, has included a number of Chengdu's attractions.

The report said that some of Chengdu's streets, including the Kuanzhai Alleys, Chunxi Road, and Jinli are included in the list's top 10. Xiling Snow Mountain is included on the list of the top 10 ski resorts. The fair at Marquis Wu Temple is also on the list of the nation's top 10 temple fairs.

The Kuanzhai Alleys in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, are expected to be among China's hottest Spring Festival tourism destinations. [Photo provided to China Daily]

The well-preserved ancient Kuanzhai Alleys are known as the sole example of North China's Hutong culture, which made its way to the cities of South China. The alleys attract 10 million visitors every year.

Although Chengdu has a warm climate and feels like spring year-round, Xiling Snow Mountain, located 100 kilometers away from downtown Chengdu, is equipped with high-quality ski facilities.

With its long history and rich local culture, Chengdu has planned about 2,000 events for the New Year, including temple fairs, lantern fairs, garden tours, folk art displays.

Of particular note is the Grand Fair of the Temple of Marquis Wu — which was built to commemorate the acclaimed prime minister Zhuge Liang of the Shuhan State during the Three Kingdoms period (220-280).

The temple fair opened on Jan 3 and closes on Jan 20. A variety of events, including a Three Kingdoms culture show, performances, a lantern show and an art exhibition will be held.

Food shows also are not to be missed. While Chengdu, capital of the ancient Shuhan Kingdom, o¬ffers spicy Sichuan cuisine, dishes representing two other kingdoms —Wei and Wu, located in today's northern and eastern China — are also on display, offering "a taste of the Three Kingdoms", as event organizers put it.

Fire-spitting and face-changing performances are shown at the Grand Fair of the Temple of Marquis Wu during the Spring Festival. [Photo provided to China Daily]

At the Thatched Cottage of Du Fu, the former residence of the renowned Tang Dynasty (618-907) poet, events include poetry contests and calligraphy shows.

For those interested in the history of Chengdu, a "sun-worshiping festival" is held at the Jinsha Site Museum.

Other attractions, such as the Giant Panda Breeding Research Center and Dujiangyan — an irrigation project that has been operating for more than 2,000 years — will still be top choices for many tourists.

Chengdu's government and tourism companies are expecting more foreign tourists this year, as a new policy allowing for 144-hour visa-free stays for foreign travelers passing though Chengdu will give more people an opportunity to experience the city.

A panda frolics around at the Chengdu Research Base for Giant Panda Breeding, which has the largest number of captive pandas in the world. [Photo provided to China Daily]

The new policy, an extension of the 72-hour visa-free stay introduced years ago, allows travelers from 53 countries and regions to stay in Chengdu for 144 hours —six days, five nights — with only their passports and plane tickets out of china.

In addition to the visa-free stay, a well-developed airport will also be convenient for overseas tourists to Chengdu. At the end of 2018, Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport offered 114 international flights, more than any other airport in the central and western regions of China.

Adorable pandas, a slower pace of life, unique culture and delicious food have made Chengdu one of the country's most popular destinations.

The U.S.-based National Geographic Traveler magazine included Chengdu on their list of 21 must-see cities in 2017.

MasterCard International ranked it No. 2 on its 2017 Global Destination Cities Index, due to the growth in number of overnight international tourists.