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5-Day Nanjing Itinerary

5-Day Nanjing Itinerary

TL;DR — Five days in Nanjing (南京) covers the city's three "must-sees" — Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum (中山陵), Confucius Temple (夫子庙), and the Nanjing Massacre Memorial (侵华日军南京大屠杀遇难同胞纪念馆) — plus two day trips: Zhou Shan (紫金山/钟山) and Yangzhou (扬州). Nanjing is a 2,600-year-old capital of six dynasties, with a slower pace than Shanghai and richer history than Hangzhou. The plan works well for travelers who like a deep cultural dive with a side of food. Best months: March-May, September-November. Avoid June-August (hot, humid) and December 13 (Nanjing Massacre Memorial anniversary — entry is restricted).

Day 1: Old Nanjing

Morning (09:00–12:30): Confucius Temple + Qinhuai River

  • 09:00 — Metro Line 3 to Fuzimiao Station (夫子庙站).
  • 09:30 — Confucius Temple (夫子庙, Fuzimiao), ¥30 entry. A Tang-era complex rebuilt on the Qinhuai River (秦淮河). 1.5 hours.
  • 11:00 — Walk along the Qinhuai River pedestrian zone. The most photogenic 30 min in Nanjing. Folk museums along the river are free and small.
  • 12:00 — Lunch at Jinling Hotel (金陵饭店) for upscale Huaiyang cuisine, or Lao Zheng Xing (老正兴) for local duck blood soup. ¥80-150/person.

Afternoon (13:30–17:30): Ming City Wall + Xuanwu Lake

  • 13:30 — Taxi to Zhonghua Gate (中华门), the world's largest surviving city gate complex. ¥50 entry, 1 hour.
  • 15:00 — Xuanwu Lake (玄武湖), free. A 5-km lake in the city center with Ming-era city wall running around it. Bike rental ¥15-20/hour, or a 1-hour electric tour car ¥80.
  • 17:00 — Sunset from the city wall (明城墙) near Xuanwu Gate (玄武门).

Evening (19:00–22:00): Qinhuai Night Cruise

  • 19:00 — Qinhuai River night cruise (秦淮河夜游), ¥80-120/person, 50 min. The river lit by lanterns is the most evocative Nanjing experience.
  • 21:00 — Dinner at De Ji (德记) or Ma Xiang Xing (马祥兴) for Huaiyang cuisine. ¥100-200/person.

Day 2: Sun Yat-sen + Purple Mountain

Morning (08:30–12:30): Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum

  • 08:30 — Metro Line 2 to Muxiangyuan Station (苜蓿园站), then 10-min walk or shuttle bus to Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum (中山陵).
  • 09:00 — Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum (中山陵), free (real-name reservation via WeChat). 392 steps to the top, a 1.5-hour visit. The blue-tiled roof against the green mountain is famous.
  • 10:30 — Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum (明孝陵), ¥70 entry. The tomb of the Hongwu Emperor (1381-1398). 1.5-2 hours; the Sacred Way (神道) with stone animal statues is the highlight.
  • 12:00 — Lunch at the Purple Mountain (紫金山) restaurant row. ¥60-100/person.

Afternoon (13:30–17:30): Linggu Temple + Meiling Palace

  • 13:30 — Linggu Temple (灵谷寺), ¥35 entry. A Tang-era Buddhist temple in a quiet bamboo forest. 1 hour.
  • 15:00 — Meiling Palace (美龄宫), ¥30 entry. Chiang Kai-shek's wife Soong Mei-ling's mountain villa. 45 min.
  • 16:30 — Nanjing Museum (南京博物院), free (real-name reservation). One of China's top 3 museums. The Republican era (民国) exhibition is the highlight. 2 hours.
  • 18:30 — Dinner at Jiang Yougen's (蒋有记) for beef pot stickers and Yuezi (粤子) for Huaiyang. ¥80-120/person.

Day 3: Nanjing Massacre Memorial + Yangtze

Morning (08:30–12:00): Memorial Hall

  • 08:30 — Metro Line 2 to Yunjin Lu Station (云锦路站), exit 2.
  • 09:00 — Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall (侵华日军南京大屠杀遇难同胞纪念馆), free. Allow 2-3 hours; emotionally heavy. The exhibition covers the 1937 massacre of 300,000+ civilians. Closed Mondays.
  • 11:00 — Walk 5 min to Jianzhong Memorial (建忠亭) and the Jiangdong Gate Memorial (江东门纪念馆).

Afternoon (13:30–17:30): Yangtze River Bridge

  • 13:30 — Metro to Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge Station (南京长江大桥站). Walk the bridge (4.5 km one-way, 1.5 hours) or take a taxi across (¥30).
  • 15:00 — Pukou Old Town (浦口火车站), on the north bank. The 1914 railway station, an architectural time capsule. Free.
  • 16:30 — Return to downtown.

Evening (19:00–22:00): Local Dinner

  • 19:00 — Linggu Temple Vegetarian (灵谷素面) or Jiang Yougen (蒋有记) for the famous 牛肉锅贴 (beef pot stickers). ¥60-100/person.
  • 21:00 — Hunan Road (湖南路) or 1912 Block (1912街区) for nightlife. The 1912 area is the most atmospheric.

Day 4: Day Trip to Yangzhou (扬州)

Morning (08:00–13:00): Travel + Slender West Lake

  • 08:00 — HSR from Nanjing South Station (南京南站) to Yangzhou East (扬州东站), ¥40, 50 min.
  • 09:00 — Bus or taxi to Slender West Lake (瘦西湖), ¥100 entry. A 4-km classical garden-and-lake complex. 2.5-3 hours.
  • 12:00 — Lunch at Shi Wei Fang (食为天) or Fu Chun (富春茶社), the latter for Yangzhou fried rice (扬州炒饭) and xie fen crab roe soup (蟹粉狮子头). ¥80-150/person.

Afternoon (13:30–17:30): Ge Garden + Dongguan Street

  • 13:30 — Ge Garden (个园), ¥45 entry. A Qing-era garden famous for its bamboo collection (over 50,000 plants). 1 hour.
  • 15:00 — Dongguan Street (东关街), the historic merchant street with century-old shops. Free; sample Qionghua (琼花糕) sweets.
  • 16:30 — He Garden (何园), ¥45 entry. The "Late Qing First Garden." 1 hour.
  • 17:30 — Return HSR to Nanjing, ¥40.

Day 5: Jiangnan Style + Departure

Morning (08:30–12:30): Jiangning Silk + Tangshan

  • 08:30 — Taxi to Jiangning Silk Museum (江宁织造博物馆), free. The Qing dynasty imperial silk-weaving center. 1.5 hours.
  • 10:30 — Tangshan Hot Spring (汤山温泉) for a half-day soak, ¥150-300. One of China's top 4 hot spring regions.
  • 12:00 — Lunch at the Tangshan Hot Spring Resort or return to downtown. ¥80-150/person.

Afternoon (13:30–17:30): Final Sights

  • 13:30 — Nanjing 1912 Block (1912街区), the Republican-era district. Yihe Mansions (颐和路公馆区) nearby is a 1-km walk through 1930s villas. Free.
  • 15:30 — Yuejiang Tower (阅江楼), ¥40 entry. Ming-era tower with Yangtze views. 1 hour.
  • 17:00 — Sunset from the Yangtze River embankment.

Evening (19:00–22:00): Departure Dinner

  • 19:00 — Final dinner at Huaiyang Cuisine Museum (淮扬菜博物馆) or Nanjing Impressions (南京大牌档) for the most atmospheric local experience. ¥100-200/person.
  • 21:00 — Return to hotel or head to Nanjing South Station for HSR departure.

Practical info

  • Airport: Nanjing Lukou (NKG) — metro Line S1 to downtown, ¥6, 45 min.
  • HSR: Nanjing South (南京南站) is the main HSR hub. Direct HSR from Shanghai (1.5 hours), Hangzhou (1.5 hours), Beijing (3.5 hours), Suzhou (1 hour).
  • Hotels: Stay near Xinjiekou (新街口) or Confucius Temple (夫子庙). Mid-range: ¥300-500/night. Boutique: ¥600-1,000/night.
  • Best season: March-May, September-November. June-August is hot (32-38°C, humid). December 13 is the Memorial anniversary — visit the Memorial on a different day.
  • What to skip: The Yuejiang Tower river cruise — short, overpriced, better views from the tower itself.

Budget estimate

| Item | Per person (CNY) | |---|---| | Hotel (4 nights, mid-range) | 1,400–2,000 | | Food (5 days) | 600–1,000 | | Transport (metro + HSR day trips) | 350–500 | | Tickets (all sites + Yangzhou) | 800–1,200 | | Total (excl. international flight) | 3,150–4,700 |

Verify with: 12306.cn for HSR (Nanjing-Yangzhou, Nanjing-Shanghai), the Nanjing Massacre Memorial official site for closure dates, and Slender West Lake's official site for any weather-related closures.