Ciqikou, Chongqing

Ciqikou is an ancient town on the Jialing River, over a thousand years old, where time has stood still since the Ming and Qing dynasties. Cobbled streets lead through a maze of traditional houses with red lanterns, where you can admire Sichuan opera mask-changing performances and visit the 1,500-year-old Baolun Monastery.

The distinctive stilt houses above the river create a picturesque panorama, and numerous tea houses and craft workshops offer an authentic experience of old Chongqing, when the city was famous for its porcelain production.