Chengdu does not need to prove itself in a hurry. Tea, markets, older streets, and Sichuan flavour all reward a looser itinerary and a few properly unhurried meals.
How do you plan it beyond a checklist?
Do not squeeze every place into a route. Leaving space between arrival, movement, and staying makes a journey both more comfortable and more memorable.
Sample route
Chengdu: 3 nights
- Arrival and a neighbourhood supper
- Parks, tea houses, old streets
- A nearby day out or the panda base
- An unhurried finish