Southwestern metropolis has emerged as a hot tourist destination in recent years

People gather around the People's Liberation Monument, a landmark in downtown Chongqing, to wait for the coming of New Year at about 11:30 pm on Dec 31. (LIU SONG / FOR CHINA DAILY)

Sometimes known as the "Mountain City", Chongqing, a southwestern metropolis of 30 million people, has become a major tourist destination not only for its historical and cultural attractions and spicy hotpot, which can be found everywhere, but also for its distinctive urban landscape.

Lit by thousands of colorful lights, the city of skyscrapers built on rolling hills through which the Yangtze and Jialing rivers cut a swathe comes to spectacular life at night, drawing thousands of visitors to its landmarks to enjoy Chongqing's views, its famous spicy food and sizzling nightlife.

People enjoy the cool air and night view on a dock on the Jialing River in Chongqing on July 29, 2019. (LIU SONG / FOR CHINA DAILY)

A singer performs at an open-air bar in a riverside park in Jiangbei district on April 25. (LIU SONG / FOR CHINA DAILY)

Winter swimming enthusiasts take a dip on the night of Jan 9, 2022, in the Yangtze River in Chongqing to welcome the coming Beijing Winter Olympic Games. (LIU SONG / FOR CHINA DAILY)

A couple take a wedding photo on the bank of the Jialing River on March 11, 2019. (LIU SONG / FOR CHINA DAILY)

Chongqing residents visit stone sculptures at Yabadong Riverside Park on the banks of the Yangtze River, on Jan 31. (LIU SONG / FOR CHINA DAILY)

People enjoy the night view of the Hongyadong scenic area on the shores of the Jialing River, on May 4. (LIU SONG / FOR CHINA DAILY)

People have hotpot at a restaurant famous for its dining spaces housed in concrete pipes in Chongqing on Feb 4. (LIU SONG / FOR CHINA DAILY)