Industrialisation and natural disasters once seriously endangered China’s community of giant pandas, but thanks to Chengdu’s dedicated breeding centres the adorable bears have made a comeback. The city’s furry residents top the list of what to see in Chengdu. There’s a multitude of research centres that host them, including the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding on the outskirts of the city; or the newer Gengda Wolong Panda Centre, nestled into the hills some 200km outside of Chengdu.

The Sichuan peppercorn is one of the world’s genuinely unique flavours. Its fragrant, tingling, mouth-numbing effects are most often paired with chilli peppers to create mala – numbing-spicy dishes. In this Unesco-dubbed City of Gastronomy, it’s a combination that’s not for the faint-hearted. Sample it in the simmering broth of hotpot restaurants like longtime staple Lao Ma Tou, or head to hole-in-the-wall restaurants for sesame-spiked dan dan noodles, or sweet and fiery tian shui mian (sweet water noodles).

Considered one of the birthplaces of Taoism, Mount Qingcheng is certainly a spiritual place, with verdant views and tumbling waterfalls which bring a sense of calm to even the most frantic visitor. Start in the ancient town of Tai’an at the foot of Qingcheng, where red lanterns cling to the roofs. Cable cars run partway up the mountain, or you can strap on your boots and head up the steps, passing temples and palaces along the way.

When it was built, the Dujiangyan irrigation system transformed Sichuan, making floods a thing of the past and allowing the fields to flourish. More than two thousand years later, this beautiful spot is a Unesco-listed heritage site – the oldest and only damless system of its kind – and it still plays a fundamental role in draining floodwaters, irrigating farms and getting water to more than fifty cities in Sichuan province.

Chengdu is full of atmospheric teahouses, where locals while away the day with conversation over pots of steaming tea. Better-known institutions include the century-old He Ming Teahouse in People’s Park and the teahouse near Wangjiang Pavilion Park’s four-story pavilion. A resonant ring announces the arrival of the other classic Chengdu teahouse custom: roving ear-cleaners, who tap together their long metal tools to advertise their services.

A respite from the glistening skyscrapers of downtown Chengdu, Kuanzhai Alley is home to well-preserved Qing-style courtyard buildings situated around three alleys: Kuan (wide), Zhai (narrow) and Jing (well) Alley. It’s one of the most popular things to do in Chengdu and heaves with tourists and locals eating skewered meats and seafood, plus street performers and vendors touting traditional arts and crafts.

Born from the folk tradition of face painting to scare away wild animals, Sichuan Opera combines the rural customs, dialects and stories of the region into a piercing musical form. It tops the list of what to see in Chengdu: catch impressive, ornate mask changes at Shu Feng Ya Yun Sichuan Opera House – or go for a more charmingly informal experience at the Yuelai Teahouse instead.

Architects regularly compete for the tallest building title, but the New Century Global Center in Chengdu can claim the most sheer floor space – 18 million square feet, which is about four times the size of the Vatican City. It’s a domineering, multi-purpose structure in the Tianfu New Area that boasts everything from a 975-room, five-star hotel to an Olympic-sized ice rink to a waterpark with an artificial beach, where you can watch the sun rise and set on a giant screen.

Chengdu has seen a flurry of openings that have helped define the city as a destination for art and culture. Visit the Kengo Kuma-designed Zhi Art Museum and the cutting-edge A Thousand Plateaus Art Space for inspiring contemporary works. To learn about the city’s cultural roots, head to the Chengdu Museum, which includes specialist exhibits on folk customs and shadow puppetry.

Carved from the red sandstone that lies at the meeting point of the Min and Dadu Rivers, the 1,200-year-old, 71-metre-high Leshan Giant Buddha Statue is the largest and tallest stone Buddha in the world, making it a top Chengdu attraction. A pathway winds up alongside the statue, allowing you to take in the foliage-bedecked sculpture from toe to top.