Nanjing Attractions

Nanjing has been the capital of several Chinese imperial dynasties. It has a variety of historical and cultural heritage evident in its architecture like imperial mausoleums, old temples, traditional garden buildings, and museums.

The Mount Zijinshan (Purple Golden Mountain) Area covers half of the attractions in this city's suburbs. The Purple Golden Mountain dominates the northeastern skyline of the city. Some of the famous attractions found in this area include a mausoleum of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, the father of China's great revolution, the imperial tomb of the first Ming emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang, and the temple of antiquity. Also, an observatory and a planetarium on the mountainside are famous attractions for science gurus. Another place of interest in this area is the so-called Plum Garden where the annual plum festival in the city is held.

If one goes westward of the Zijinshan area, another picturesque mount called Qixia (pronounced as Kitsya) can be found. It is a popular destination for the locals in the area especially during spring and autumn.

Found on the west side of the mountain (southeast of Nanjing Railway Station), is the scenic Xuanwu Lake. The Xuanwu Lake is a former imperial navy training and recreation center accessed only by extravagant aristocrats. Fishing game and boating are some of the recreational activities in this area. Xuanwu Lake is a must for your itinerary in this city because the clustered sights are quite convenient for travelers to see for a day.

One of Nanjing's must-see places would be the area around the Qin Huai River, which falls on the southern end of the walled city. During the old days, this riverside region had a bustling nightlife where extravagant nobles, talents and businessmen flock to the restaurants, dance halls and whorehouses in this area. In Chinese literature, it is famed as a place for beauty queens and romance. Nowadays, Gongyuan Street (the modern name of the riverside street) has once again taken on the looks of an ancient shopping area and is fast becoming a busy tourist spot in the city. Antique temples, shopping centers, and restaurants surround Gongyuan Street. This is a very beautiful area because the landscape blends with the cityscape. Other attractions in this area include Fuzimiao (Confucius Temple), Gong Yuan (palaces for people to take part in the imperial examinations), Ming walls, Zhonghua Gate and Zhanyuan Garden. This area is reputed as the Luminous Pear of Jinling (former name of Nanjing) for its fantastic night scene. We highly recommend you to visit this area in the evening at around 7:00 p.m.

If one goes southward of Nanjing, crossing the South Railway Station, Yu Hua Tai - a favorite place for Chinese patriots will be found. The historical park of Yu Hua Tai houses a monument built to commemorate the seventy-two Chinese martyrs. If you will be more curious about historical records, we recommend you to visit the Museum halls, which contain these pertinent documents. The Yuhuashi (Rain Flower Pebbles) Art Festival (annual) is held here. The tour around this area will take you three hours.

In the eastern part outside of Nanjing along the upper part of the Qin Huai River (the river that crosses the city from northwest to the south) is Mochou Lake. Near the lake is a memorial hall built to commemorate the victims of the Nanjing Massacre. The memorial hall contains documents and pictures of Chinese people under the atrocities of Japanese soldiers during World War II. Time spent on visiting this memorial hall will depend on how much you want to learn about the history of the Nanjing people under the Japanese regime.

The shopping area near Xinjiekou, the street near Hunan Lu and Shanxi Lu Square, is a must for night owls. This is a commercial area and has a varied and bustling nightlife. More information is found in our nightlife section.

One Day Itinerary
Take Bus 9 from Xin Jie Kou and get down at Zhong Shan Ling stop (pin yin for Mausoleum of Dr. Sun Yet-sen) to visit the Zijinshan scenic area. After visiting, take Bus 20 and get down at Da Xing Gong stop to visit the former Presidential Hall then take Bus 31 to Jian kang stop to visit the famous riverside street of Qin Huai River and have a sample of the local snacks at Fuzimiao dining street.
Two Days Itinerary
Day1: the same as the above
Day2: Take Bus 1, 3, 33 or 40 to get down at Xuan Wu Men stop to visit the Xuanwu Lake. Have a look at the vegetable fare in Jiming Temple. In the afternoon, take Bus 2 or 33 to Yu Hua Tai stop and visit Yu Hua Tai scenic area, Zhonghua Gate and Zhanyuan Garden.

Metro Tour
The new metro line is an alternative for travelers who do not want to take the crowded buses. You could still see most of the attractions in the area.

Route& Attractions
Hongshan Zoo ---> Nanjing Railway Station ---> Xin Mofan Malu ---> Xuanwu Men (Xuanwu Gate) ---> Gulou (Drum Tower) ---> Zhujiang Lu ---> Xinjiekou (downtown area) ---> Zhangfuyuan ---> Sanshanjie ---> Zhonghua Gate -----> Xiaohang -----> Aoti Zhongxin (the southern ending)

Hongshan Zoo
It is the second stop for the north-to-south passengers with 10 minutes walk from the metro station to the zoo gate. The dense forest park is home to various animals.

Xuanwu Lake
Get down at the four stop - Xuanwu Men and take a five-minute walk eastwards from the stop, you will find the second-famous attraction in the city, Xuanwu Lake. The Jiangsu Exhibition Center is on the way to the lake.

Ganxi's Residence (Ganxi Guju)
Continue from Xuanwu Men stop and go further for four stops is Zhangfuyuan. Walk out of the station and go southward for five minutes along the Zhonghua Lu, you will find classical garden buildings on the street. Originally it is the residential houses during the Qing Dynasty. The Nanjing Folk Museum is located in the area.

Fuzimiao
Next stop to Zhangfuyuan, you will get to Sanshanjie stop. Take a five-minute walk east to the northern end of Fuzimiao area. Fuzimiao, also called Confucius Temple, has been a prosperous area from the old days. Dazzling shops, restaurants and entertainment places surround the traditional houses during the traditional Ming and Qing eras. Old architectural buildings can be found along the beautiful Qinhuai River. This is a must attraction in the city.

Zhonghua Gate
Next stop to Sanshanjie is the Zhonghua Gate, the well-preserved castle on the ancient wall of the city.

Rain Flower Terrace (Yuhuatai)
Walk across the old Gate and go down to the south for fifteen minutes, you will get to the north gate of Yuhuatai Park. It is a historical monumental site where Chinese martyrs are commemorated.