China Travel Guides
Last updated 2026-08-24

Nanjing Travel Guide: Six Places Worth Visiting and a Three-Day Itinerary

Nanjing's foundation is that of the "ancient capital of six dynasties" and "metropolis of ten dynasties," with over 2,500 years of city history. Most of its sights come freighted with a story of a regime's rise and fall. Before putting pen to paper, I checked the years and origins of these sights one by one against public sources. This list is ordered by hill and city: two mausoleums at the foot of Mount Zhong, the Confucius Temple and Old South Gate in the city's south, the Presidential Palace in the city's middle, plus Xuanwu Lake — three days fits neatly.

When to come to Nanjing

Nanjing has a northern subtropical monsoon climate with four distinct seasons — long winters and summers, short springs and autumns. The annual average temperature is 16.4°C; the coldest month averages 3.1°C and the hottest 28.4°C. Early summer brings the plum rains (meiyu): on average entering around June 23 and breaking around mid-July, hot and humid, followed by the drought of high summer (fuhan) — sunny, hot, and dry. Nanjing was once grouped with Chongqing and Wuhan as one of the "three great furnaces," but hot days and their intensity have since fallen; the label is now outdated. Spring and autumn suit best — after March and after September the weather is most comfortable. In autumn, walking up the spirit way of Ming Xiaoling amid the ginkgo is Nanjing's most classic view.

Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum and Purple Mountain

The sacrificial hall of the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum
Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, by Jiong Sheng, CC BY-SA 2.0.

The Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum stands on the southern foot of Purple Mountain. Construction began after Sun Yat-sen's death in 1925, and his remains were interred here on June 1, 1929. The mausoleum was designed by the architect Lü Yanzhi, shaped overall like a bell, signifying "an ever-sounding alarm bell." At the entrance is the Bo'ai Archway, with Sun's hand-written "Universal Love" in large characters on the stone plaque, its roof capped with blue glazed tiles. From the archway up to the sacrificial hall are 392 steps and 10 platforms in 13 flights — many climb it, many are panting. At the top, looking back, the platforms unfold below in layers and the whole sweep of grandeur comes through. The mausoleum grounds are free — opened November 12, 2010 — and closed on Mondays for maintenance, so avoid Monday when you plan.

Ming Xiaoling

The stone archway and stele pavilion at Ming Xiaoling's Sifangcheng
Ming Xiaoling's Sifangcheng. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, by wang leon, CC BY-SA 2.0.

Ming Xiaoling is the tomb of the Hongwu Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang and his Empress Ma, on the southern foot of Purple Mountain, adjoining the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum — one of the largest imperial mausoleums in ancient China. In 2003, Ming Xiaoling was inscribed on the World Heritage list under "Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties." The spirit way is the most rewarding part: along it stand stone elephants, horses, camels, and lions, paired two by two, with centuries of weather marked into the stone. At the spirit way's end is Sifangcheng, a Ming tower holding the "Stele of Divine Merits and Sage Virtues," over three meters tall, erected by Zhu Yuanzhang's son Zhu Di. The "Treasure Peak" of Xiaoling is Zhu Yuanzhang's burial mound; the underground palace has never been opened. The whole site takes two to three hours on foot; pair it with the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum the same day, both within the Mount Zhong scenic area.

Confucius Temple and the Qinhuai River

Qinhuai River at night
The Qinhuai River at night. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, by SQFP, CC BY 2.0.

The Confucius Temple (Fuzimiao) stands on the north bank of the Qinhuai River, originally a place for venerating Confucius. It was first built in the first year of Jingyou in the Song (1034), expanded on the site of an Eastern Jin academy. The scenic area's old-building complex is made up of three parts: the Confucian temple, the academy, and the Jiangnan Examination Hall — the latter the provincial exam venue for the Ming and Qing, which produced many a famous name. Across the river stands a 110-meter "spirit wall" (zhaobi), built in the third year of Ming Wanli (1575), one of Nanjing's best-preserved ancient buildings. In the Six Dynasties, great families clustered in this area — what people called "the gilded quarter of the Six Dynasties." Today's Fuzimiao street market fuses temple and market — eating, shopping, and browsing all mixed together. From Spring Festival to the Lantern Festival it hosts the Jinling Lantern Fair, the most New-Year-flavored spot in Nanjing. Taking a night cruise on the Qinhuai to watch the lanterns reflected on both banks is the most classic way to do it.

Presidential Palace

The gate of the Nanjing Presidential Palace
South gate of the Nanjing Presidential Palace. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, by 董辰兴, CC BY-SA 4.0.

The Presidential Palace is at No. 292 Changjiang Road — among China's modern architectural remains, one of the largest and best-preserved complexes. In the Ming this plot was the Han Prince's residence; in the Qing it became the Liangjiang Governor-General's office, where Lin Zexu, Zeng Guofan, and Li Hongzhang all worked. In 1853 the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom made Nanjing its capital, and Hong Xiuquan expanded the Governor-General's office into the Heavenly King's Palace; the Hunan Army burned it when they took the city, and in 1870 it was rebuilt to the Governor-General's specifications. On New Year's Day 1912, Sun Yat-sen was inaugurated here as Provisional President of the Republic of China. After the National Government set its capital in Nanjing in 1927, this became its workplace; in 1948 the gate received the three characters "Presidential Palace." In 2003 it was re-established as the Nanjing Museum of Modern Chinese History Site, and rated a national AAAA scenic area in 2004. The gardens, offices, and meeting rooms are all preserved as they were — a visit is like walking through modern history, from the Taiping to the Republic.

Xuanwu Lake

Xuanwu Lake and lotus under Purple Mountain
Xuanwu Lake. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, by CL4-LCLC, GFDL and CC BY-SA 4.0.

Xuanwu Lake lies in the northeast of Nanjing, right against the city wall. Before the Six Dynasties it was called Sangpo, once the largest imperial garden lake, and is the only surviving Jiangnan imperial garden today — paired with Hangzhou's West Lake and Jiaxing's South Lake as the "three great lakes of Jiangnan." The lake is rhombus-shaped, with five small "islands" — Huan, Ying, Ling, Liang, and Cui — linked by causeways and bridges. The lakefront is Nanjing's largest downtown park — for walking, jogging, or boating. Cherry blossoms on Huan Isle in spring, lotus on the lake in summer, ginkgo in autumn — there's a view in every season. The Xuanwu Gate by the lake is a Ming city-wall gate; viewing the lake from the wall is another flavor. The park is free; the lake islands charge a separate boat fare.

Old South Gate (Laomendong)

Old South Gate seen from the Nanjing city wall
Old South Gate. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, by 西安兵马俑, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Old South Gate is east of the Zhonghua Gate. Since the Southern Tang it had been the prosperous south-end of Nanjing, with the Confucius Temple close by to its north. In the early 21st century, Nanjing turned this area into a historic-cultural block; in September 2013 the Gulong Lane demonstration stretch opened — blue-brick "horse-head" gables and flagstone lanes, rebuilt in the manner of traditional folk houses. The block gathers a large number of old-name snack and craft shops, and in 2018 was selected among Jiangsu's first batch of "old-name-shop blocks." Compared with the Confucius Temple, Old South Gate is quieter — narrow lanes, fewer people, suited to a slow stroll. After the lights come up, Old South Gate beneath the city wall is finer than by day.

Eating in Nanjing

Nanjing cuisine, also called Jinling cuisine, emphasizes original flavors; stewing, braising, and spit-roasting are its strengths. Nanjing people's love of duck is famous — salted duck, pressed duck, duck-blood vermicelli soup, dried duck gizzards, all over the streets. For salted duck, look for Han Fuxing, a Jinling old-name brand. Duck-blood vermicelli soup with a duck-fat crisp flatbread is the everyday Nanjing pairing. Snacks are rich too — chicken-juice re-lao-gan, plum-blossom cake, sweet osmanthus taro seedlings, beef pot stickers; the "Eight Great Qinhuai Snacks" string the signature bites of each house into one set. For a concentrated meal, go to the Confucius Temple or Shiziqiao; the lanes of Old South Gate also have plenty of places to sit and eat.

How to arrange the route

Three days is comfortable, ordered by area.

Day one: Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum in the morning; Ming Xiaoling in the afternoon — both in the Mount Zhong scenic area; back to the city at dusk.

Day two: the Presidential Palace in the morning; lunch around the 1912 block; Xuanwu Lake in the afternoon; walk the lake at dusk for the sunset.

Day three: the Confucius Temple in the morning — see the Confucian temple and Jiangnan Examination Hall; lunch on snacks in the Qinhuai area; Old South Gate in the afternoon; the Qinhuai night view in the evening.

Things to confirm before you go

Frequently asked questions

How many days for Nanjing?

Three days is comfortable — Mount Zhong, the city, and the south end all reachable. Two days if you're rushing, cutting Old South Gate or Xuanwu Lake.

Which season is best for Nanjing?

Spring and autumn. In autumn, the ginkgo on Ming Xiaoling's spirit way and the autumn colors at Xuanwu Lake are the most famous; in spring, cherry and peach blossoms fill the city.

Is the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum free?

Free admission since November 12, 2010; closed Mondays for maintenance; generally open on legal holidays.

Can Ming Xiaoling and the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum be done in one day?

Yes. Both are in the Mount Zhong scenic area and not far apart — one in the morning, one in the afternoon, lunch inside the scenic area.

What time to visit the Confucius Temple?

In the evening. The Qinhuai night view and lantern reflections are Fuzimiao's signature; browse the temple and exam hall by day, and take a boat on the river after dark.

Sources

The facts in this article were checked against the following Chinese Wikipedia entries, retrieved August 11, 2026.

  1. Nanjing (city) https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/南京市
  2. Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/中山陵
  3. Ming Xiaoling https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/明孝陵
  4. Nanjing Confucius Temple https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/南京夫子庙
  5. Nanjing Presidential Palace https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/南京总统府
  6. Xuanwu Lake https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/玄武湖
  7. Old South Gate https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/老门东

All photos are from Wikimedia Commons, used under CC licenses; re-use requires attribution.