There are now so many places to study Chinese in China: Shanghai, Chengdu, Guilin, Xian, Beihai, Beijing, Chengde etc. Is Beijing still the first city that comes to mind when people think about studying Chinese in China?
Absolutely not! The Beijing dialect is too strong, and the city is too big. Beijing would be the last on my list.
Disagree with the above, I think it’s a great place to study.
In reality China is so big that there is no right or wrong answer. Everyone has their own preference, but I’d have Beijing right near the top personally.
Chengdu is a fun choice, just be sure to speak putonghua and avoid Sichuan dialect which might give you a headache!