A 4.6km loop in Dali | A curated list of artsy city walks that avoid the main streets (Spring/Solo)

I spent fourteen days in Dali Old Town, repeatedly walking a community loop often overlooked by tourists: starting from the North Gate Market, passing through Yincang Road, Guangwu Road, and Yeyu Road, ending at Yu'er Park. The entire route is about 4.6 kilometers long, and with two side streets, it takes about half a day to walk. This route is less crowded than Fuxing Road, yet it strings together Ming and Qing dynasty screen walls, old factory bookstores, vinyl record corners, and local markets into a complete cultural slice.

Section 1 | From Beimen Vegetable Market to Yincang Road: The lively morning market under the old Ming and Qing dynasty walls (about 8 minutes walk)

Starting from the stone steps on the north side of the North Gate vegetable market, it's recommended to position your camera at a low angle, aiming at the piles of bamboo baskets and the old woman selling milk fans. Before 8 a.m., the sidelight shining obliquely on the blue of the Bai ethnic minority aprons and the glistening of the vegetable leaves is more stable than any filter. Why stop and look for five minutes? Because this is the only remaining large-scale local morning market in the ancient city. After five minutes, you'll find that the baskets are filled with vegetables still covered in dew, not props for tourists to take pictures. Walking south through the market, the first screen wall at the alley entrance will show the "three courtyards and one screen wall" structure commonly seen in Ming and Qing dynasty Dali residences. The wall has fine cracks, which are the patina of time.

This section is over 600 meters long, so don't walk too fast. Along both sides of Yincang Road, there are many old gates with signs saying "Protected Courtyards." When the gates are half-open, you can see the pomegranate tree in front of the screen wall in the inner courtyard. A blogger's tip: Don't rush into private courtyards to take photos. Standing five steps outside the threshold is the best distance; use the door frame as a foreground to create depth without disturbing the residents.

Section 2 | Yincang Road - Guangwu Road: A blend of independent bookstores, cafes, and old neighborhoods (approximately 10 minutes walk)

The intersection of Yincang Road and Guangwu Road is a community viewpoint. Choosing a spot next to a general store on the east side of Guangwu Road allows you to capture the wooden windows of old houses, tie-dyed fabrics drying on the second floor, and people playing chess on the street corner. It's worth spending five minutes here because you can see the unspoiled, untouched lifestyle of Dali's locals: tourists flood in from the main street, but life goes on at its own pace. In the middle section of Guangwu Road, there are three or four independent bookstores and cafes, nestled between a courier station and a hardware store; their storefronts are unassuming, and a cup of coffee costs only a few dozen yuan.

I recommend stopping at a secondhand bookstore and the unsigned window café next door. The bookstore is nestled among piles of old books and an old wooden staircase; the staff won't bother you. Why is it worth spending five minutes there? Flipping through an 1980s local history of Dali, you can read about the old customs of fishermen along Erhai Lake—something you won't find in travel guides. From the window seat, you can watch people returning from grocery shopping walk through the alleyways; the scene is so peaceful, it doesn't feel like a tourist spot.

Side Route 1 | Huguo Road Bend Bed Sheet Factory: A Mobile Art Scene in an Old Factory Building (Approx. 18 minutes round trip)

From the middle section of Guangwu Road, turn onto Huguo Road and walk east for about 500 meters, then follow the signs to enter the Bed Sheet Factory Art District. This area is converted from an old factory building and often hosts local handmade markets or independent film exhibitions on weekends. The blogger personally tested it and found that it was least crowded on a weekday afternoon. The skylights in the roof of the old workshop act as a natural softbox, and shooting from a low angle in the atrium on the first floor can bring out the lines of the factory's steel frame and the ceramics on the display shelves.

Why is it worth the detour? The sheet factory retains its machine bases and workshop numbers, a rare find in Dali. A complete tour takes about forty minutes, more worthwhile than visiting ten identical tourist shops. Note that it's not open every day; check with nearby cafes beforehand to see if there are any events scheduled tonight, to avoid a wasted trip. This side route is about 1.2 kilometers round trip and is suitable for those who appreciate old factories and live art.

Section 3 | Yeyu Road - Yu'er Park: The Community's Foundation of Vinyl Records, Vintage Clothing, and Pocket Parks (Approximately 12 minutes walk)

Returning to the main road and continuing east, Yeyu Road is the most pleasant section of the old town. There are two or three vinyl record stores and vintage clothing stores here, mostly open in the afternoon. The vinyl record store's setup is to the side of the listening area, using record covers as the foreground and a weathered brick wall as the background. Why stop? The owner often plays electronic music adapted from local Yunnan folk music—a unique blend found only in Dali. The vintage clothing stores offer mid-range prices on old shirts and handmade silver jewelry, perfect for leisurely browsing; you could easily spend half a day looking around even if you don't buy anything.

Another 500 meters is Yu'er Park. Around 4 PM, the park is where the elderly sing Bai folk songs and play chess. My camera was positioned outside the pavilion on the north side of Yu'er Park, using a telephoto lens to compress the light dappled across the stone table, teacups, and leaves. This pocket park isn't large, but it's a breath of fresh air along the entire route; sit for ten minutes, and you'll understand that Dali's artistic charm isn't something artificially created, but rather an outpouring of community life.

Branch Route 2 | Pingdeng Road, Zheyita Lane: Republican-era screen walls and easily overlooked alleyway light and shadow (approximately 12 minutes round trip)

From the intersection of Yeyu Road and Yu'er Park, branch off onto Pingdeng Road, then turn into Yita Lane. This alleyway sees few tourists. In the middle section of Yita Lane, several screen walls and gate towers from the Republican era are preserved, with brick carvings showing a blend of Chinese and Western styles. The best spot is a backlit corner in the alley; after 4 PM, the light filtering through the old utility poles casts beautiful lines on the screen walls.

Why stop for five minutes? Because there are no shops here, only residents and the occasional cat passing by. The slogans on the walls and the traces of repairs from different eras are microcosms of Dali's urban transformation. Returning to Yu'er Park via the same route, the entire loop is approximately 4.6 kilometers long—not tiring, but packed with content. This side path, about 800 meters round trip, is the quietest section of the entire route.

Blogger's Summary and Practical Tips

This route is best enjoyed in spring and early autumn. It starts at 8:00 AM from the North Gate vegetable market and ends before noon; if you want to visit the bed sheet factory, choose a weekend. It's especially suitable for solo travelers and those who enjoy architectural and community observation. Wear soft-soled shoes, as the alleyways are mostly paved with cobblestones, which can be slightly slippery after rain.

Tips to avoid pitfalls: First, don't force your way into the old courtyard on Yincang Road; second, check the opening status of the bed sheet factory branch beforehand; third, most vinyl record and vintage clothing stores on Yeyu Road open in the afternoon, so don't go empty-handed in the morning; fourth, there's no entrance fee for the entire route, and the only purchases involve coffee or records, so prepare around tens to hundreds of yuan per person. The blogger's personal experience suggests the most comfortable pace is to "walk a bit, sit a bit," dedicating half a day to exploring the alleys rather than rushing to check off landmarks.