Nanjing 南京
Nanjing is a former imperial capital with a compact core of museums, city walls, lakes and the Qinhuai riverfront. Use the metro and allow two to three days for major sights plus duck, dumplings and riverfront evenings.
Sights in Nanjing
Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum 中山陵
Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum 明孝陵
Nanjing Museum 南京博物院
Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders 侵华日军南京大屠杀遇难同胞纪念馆
Laomendong Historic District 老门东
Xuanwu Lake Park 玄武湖公园
Jiming Temple 鸡鸣寺
Nanjing City Wall (Taicheng Section) 南京城墙（台城段）
Zhan Yuan Garden 瞻园
Zhonghua Gate 中华门瓮城
Yuhuatai Martyrs Memorial Park 雨花台烈士陵园
Six Dynasties Museum 六朝博物馆
Nanjing Eye Pedestrian Bridge 南京眼步行桥
Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge 南京长江大桥
Slender West Lake 瘦西湖
Maoshan 茅山
Presidential Palace 总统府
Jinshan Temple 金山寺
Prices are approximate and hours change. Sights without a page haven't been checked yet.
Where to stay
Xinjiekou 新街口
Central commercial heart and metro interchange, walkable to the Presidential Palace and convenient for transfers.
Good for: first-timers, shopping, transit
Fuzimiao/Qinhuai 夫子庙
Historic canal district with the Confucius Temple, night markets and atmospheric river views, though very touristy.
Good for: sightseeing, nightlife, food
Xuanwu Lake 玄武湖
Relaxed lakefront area near Nanjing Railway Station and the city wall, good for walks and quieter stays.
Good for: families, outdoors, rail access
Getting there
Nanjing Lukou International Airport 南京禄口国际机场
Metro S1 to Nanjing South Railway Station (about 35-40 min, ¥7), then transfer to Metro Line 1/3; taxi 45-60 min, about ¥120-150.
Nanjing Railway Station 南京站
Central-north station by Xuanwu Lake; serves conventional trains and some high-speed services; Metro Line 1/3.
Nanjing South Railway Station 南京南站
Main high-speed hub for Beijing-Shanghai and other HSR lines; Metro Line 1/3/S1/S3; allow extra time, it is very large.
Getting around
Metro
Most sights and rail stations
Use Alipay/WeChat metro QR or buy a token; Lines 1/2/3 cover the core areas.
Taxi/Didi
Late nights, luggage, direct trips
Use the official taxi queue or Didi; avoid drivers soliciting inside stations.
Shared bike
Short hops along the city wall or lake
Need Alipay/WeChat; park only in designated areas.
Bus
Local gaps not served by metro
Less English signage; use a map app to track stops.
Good to know
- Alipay accepts Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Discover and Diners cards. Payments under ¥200 carry no Alipay service fee; payments of ¥200 or more carry a 3% fee. Verify your passport in the app to raise limits. Source
- A travel eSIM or home SIM on roaming reaches Google, WhatsApp and Instagram without a VPN; a Chinese SIM or hotel Wi-Fi does not. Keep your home SIM active for SMS codes. Source
- Check whether your train leaves from 南京站 (Nanjing Railway Station) or 南京南站 (Nanjing South); the latter is far south and much larger.
- Free major sights such as Nanjing Museum and the Nanjing Massacre Memorial require advance real-name reservation via WeChat; many museums close Mondays.
- Carry your passport: hotels and some attractions use real-name registration, and ticket checks may ask for it.
- For Fuzimiao/Qinhuai, arrive before 5 pm or on a weekday evening; boat queues and crowds peak after dark on weekends.
- Summer is brutally humid and winter can feel damp-cold; pack quick-dry clothes or warm layers rather than relying on central heating.
What to eat in Nanjing
盐水鸭
Yánshuǐ yā
Salted duck · Nanjing's signature cold dish; savory, lightly salty and rich.
鸭血粉丝汤
Yāxuè fěnsī tāng
Duck blood vermicelli soup · Peppery duck-broth soup with blood curd, liver and vermicelli.
汤包
Tāngbāo
Soup dumplings · Nanjing-style juicy pork dumplings; bite a hole first.
牛肉锅贴
Niúròu guōtiē
Beef potstickers · Crisp-bottomed beef dumplings, often eaten with soup.
狮子头
Shīzitóu
Lion's head meatball · Large braised pork meatball, a Huaiyang classic widely served in Nanjing.
芦蒿炒香干
Lúhāo chǎo xiānggān
Artemisia with dried tofu · Fragrant local greens stir-fried with firm dried tofu.
桂花糖芋苗
Guìhuā táng yùmiáo
Osmanthus taro dessert · Sweet, glossy taro in osmanthus syrup; popular snack.
赤豆元宵
Chìdòu yuánxiāo
Red bean rice balls · Warm sweet red-bean soup with chewy glutinous rice balls.
Weather by season
| Months | Day | Night | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar-May | 20 °C | 11 °C | Mild but rainy; cherry blossoms in March |
| Jun-Aug | 32 °C | 24 °C | Hot and humid; plum rains then intense heat |
| Sep-Nov | 23 °C | 14 °C | Crisp and pleasant; best autumn foliage |
| Dec-Feb | 8 °C | 0 °C | Cold and damp; occasional snow |
Typical averages, not a forecast.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Nanjing?
Apr-May and Sep-Oct
Which sights in Nanjing should I book in advance?
Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, Nanjing Museum, Yuhuatai Martyrs Memorial Park, Six Dynasties Museum, Slender West Lake, Maoshan.
Which airports serve Nanjing?
Nanjing Lukou International Airport (NKG).
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