Chongqing sits at the junction of the Yangtze and the Jialing, and the two rivers wrap around the Yuzhong peninsula so that water is never far away. Over the last two decades both banks have been rebuilt as continuous promenades, with reclaimed embankments, planting, cycle tracks, running paths, playgrounds and long stretches of cafe and restaurant frontage. Together they are the city's best public space and, since they face the peninsula and its bridges head-on, the best free viewpoints in Chongqing.
The south bank
Nanbin Road on the south side of the Yangtze is the most developed stretch: a broad promenade running for several kilometres opposite the Yuzhong peninsula, with parks, an indoor ski slope, restaurants, bars and a very long line of viewpoints aimed at the skyline across the water. At night, with the towers on the peninsula lit and the bridges picked out in colour, the view from Nanbin Road is the image most people associate with Chongqing. The riverbank below the road has been terraced with steps, fishing spots and small gardens, and it is used all day.
The north bank and Jialing
Beibin Road on the north side of the Jialing runs below the Jiangbei district, and the riverside there is quieter, with sections of park, old wharves and warehouses alongside new residential towers. Further downstream the Jialing promenades connect with the Chaotianmen area, where the two rivers meet. The steps and embankments on both sides are used for walking, dancing, kite flying and, in summer, for sitting in the spray of the fountains with a beer - a Chongqing habit that visitors find surprising and locals regard as obvious.
Practical notes
The promenades are free and open at all hours, and the stretches nearest the centre are lit at night and safe. They are long, so a bicycle or a taxi between sections saves time; the cable car across the Yangtze is the fastest way from one bank to the other and is worth the trip in its own right. The summer heat and humidity are intense in the basin, so walk in the early morning or after dark in July and August. Riverside eating is a Chongqing speciality, particularly the grilled fish and the riverside barbecue that appear on the wharves in the evening.
