Ciqikou Old Town: Lanes, Local Food and River Setting
Plan a half-day among Ciqikou's stone-paved lanes, local food and teahouses, with metro and bus directions and tips for individual venues.
Contents
Ciqikou is the hillside old town of Chongqing, tucked into the northeast of Shapingba district between the Jialing River in the east and Gele Mountain in the west, wrapped by three hills and two streams.[1] It is the largest ancient town in Chongqing's main urban area and one of the first batch of China's Historical and Cultural Streets, rated as a national 4A scenic area.[2] Come to explore it on foot, lane by lane, rather than to see one enclosed monument.
Choose how to explore the lanes
For food and shopping, start on the main pedestrian street, then slip into the side lanes for the older street pattern. A winding stone-paved road strings together nine traditional lanes. The old town holds 12 protected cultural relic sites, 8 historic buildings and about 670 buildings in traditional style, among them Baolun Temple from the Song dynasty.[1] Check whether a particular building is open before you plan around it.
The name carries a porcelain story. According to legend, brothers from Fujian opened a kiln in the Kangxi era of the Qing dynasty, and their blue-and-white porcelain was shipped from the town's quay, so the river port came to be called Ciqikou, "porcelain port". The local specialties to look for are Ciqikou Chen Mahua, a twisted dough snack, and the "three treasures": maoxuewang, a spicy blood-curd stew, huiqianzhang, stewed bean-curd sheets, and pepper-salt peanuts.[1] Compare a few stalls and share portions so you can taste more.
The Back Street runs around the clock with restaurants, shops and creative boutiques, and the immersive stage show Chongqing 1949 plays at the Jinbi Theatre on Jinbi Zheng Jie.[2]
Things to Do
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Getting to Ciqikou
Take Metro Line 1 to Ciqikou Station. Buses 202, 220, 224, 237, 261, 467, 503, 553 and 843 and the sightseeing buses T003 and T198 stop at Ciqikou West Gate.[2] Since 8 May 2025, the old staircase at Exit 1 of Ciqikou Station has been closed because of construction for Line 27, and passengers use the new staircase at the same exit.[3] Follow the signs in the station if the layout has changed since.
Allow time for your own pace
Half a day is enough for several lanes, a few snacks and a tea break. The old town climbs the hillside, so choose a loop that suits your legs, and ask ahead about the route and venues if step-free access matters to you.
Tickets and individual venues
Walking the lanes needs no ticket, while temples, teahouses, shops and performances each set their own hours and prices. Check the venue you care about before you make it a fixed part of your plan.
For onward planning, explore the China travel guide.
Sources and background
Numbers in the text such as [1] refer to these sources.
- [1] Chongqing Municipal Archives website, citing a Shapingba District Archives collection: 跟着档案游巴蜀 | 千年磁场 万巷灯火——磁器口古镇. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
- [2] Chongqing Municipal People’s Government, reproducing a Shapingba District People’s Government visitor profile: 磁器口古镇. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
- [3] Chongqing Municipal People’s Government website, republishing a Chongqing Rail Transit WeChat notice: 请注意！地铁1号线磁器口站通行有调整. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a hillside old-town district beside the Jialing River, with a winding stone-paved road linking nine traditional lanes. The main pedestrian street is the food-and-shopping choice, and the side lanes show the older street pattern.
Legend ties the name Ciqikou to blue-and-white porcelain from a Fujian family's kiln that was shipped from the town's quay. The old town also has Baolun Temple from the Song dynasty, 12 protected cultural relic sites, 8 historic buildings and about 670 buildings in traditional style.
Try Ciqikou Chen Mahua, a twisted dough snack, and the three treasures: maoxuewang (spicy blood-curd stew), huiqianzhang (stewed bean-curd sheets) and pepper-salt peanuts.
Take Metro Line 1 to Ciqikou Station, or one of the buses 202, 220, 224, 237, 261, 467, 503, 553 or 843, or sightseeing buses T003 or T198, to Ciqikou West Gate.
Use Exit 1 of Ciqikou Station. Since 8 May 2025 the old staircase there has been closed for Line 27 construction, and you use the new staircase at the same exit.
Half a day gives room for several lanes, a few snacks and a tea break. For a shorter visit, stay on the main pedestrian street.
Walking the lanes needs no ticket. Temples, teahouses, performances and shops set their own hours and prices, so check any venue you want to visit before you go.
