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Nanjing Travel Guide
Top 12 Things to Do • Foreigner-Friendly Tips

南京 · Ten Dynasties' Capital & Republican China's Heart

🏛️ Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum 🦆 Nanjing Duck Capital 📅 Pre-booking tips 🚇 Metro directions
Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum Nanjing 中山陵
History Free ⏱ 2–3h ⭐ Editor's Pick

Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum 中山陵

The spiritual birthplace of modern China — 392 marble steps ascending through pine-forested Purple Mountain to the blue-glazed mausoleum of Sun Yat-sen, the "Father of the Nation." The staircase was engineered with a visual trick: looking up from below, you see only steps and never the landings; standing at the top, only the platforms below, never the steps. The blue tiles reference the Republic of China's colours; architect Lü Yanzhi designed the whole complex in three years (1926–1929) and died before seeing it completed. Free to enter but strictly limited — pre-book 7 days in advance. The Zhongshan Scenic Area also includes Ming Xiaoling and Meiling Palace on the same electric cart network.

💡 Tip: Inside the mausoleum hall, photography is prohibited — a guard will gesture you to stop before you realise. The 3-minute electric cart (¥10 one-way) from the base to the upper gate saves energy for the staircase itself. Buy the cart at the shuttle station before the slope, not from touts at the top. Sunday mornings fill with local families; arrive 30 minutes before 08:30 opening for the best mist-light on Purple Mountain and essentially zero crowds.

🚇 Line 2, Muxuyuan Station (苜蓿园), Exit 1; walk 10 min or take scenic area electric cart ¥10 🕐 08:30–17:00 (last entry 16:30); closed Mondays 🎟 Free · book 7 days ahead via "钟山风景区" WeChat mini-program · passport number works
Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum Nanjing 明孝陵
History ¥70 ⏱ 2–3h ⭐ Editor's Pick

Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum 明孝陵

The tomb of Zhu Yuanzhang — the orphaned monk who became China's most remarkable self-made ruler, founding the Ming Dynasty in 1368 and building an empire that outlasted him by 276 years. The Sacred Way (神道, Spirit Road) is China's finest: 615 metres of ancient stone paving lined with 12 pairs of stone animals — lion, xiezhi (mythological lawkeeper), camel, elephant, qilin, and horse. These originals date to 1381–1413 and have never been moved. The curved route (unusual — most sacred ways are straight) follows Purple Mountain's contour, forcing visitors to approach the emperor obliquely, never directly. UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2003.

💡 Tip: Enter via Gate 5 (五号门, near Meihua Mountain plum blossom garden) before 06:30 — the early-bird passage is free for the mausoleum grounds. The ticket booths open at 07:00 (¥70). Autumn peak is late November to early December when ginkgo and sweetgum on the Sacred Way turn gold and red simultaneously — locals call it "Nanjing's most beautiful 600 metres." Combine with Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum on the same morning; both are in the Zhongshan Scenic Area, 15 minutes apart by internal electric cart (¥10).

🚇 Line 2, Muxuyuan Station (苜蓿园), Exit 1; take scenic area electric cart to Gate 3 or Gate 5 🕐 06:30–18:30 (Mar–Oct); 06:30–18:00 (Nov–Feb) · Gate 5 opens 06:30 for early-morning free entry 🎟 ¥70 adults · ¥100 Zhongshan combo (Ming Xiaoling + Sun Yat-sen + Meiling Palace) · Trip.com accepts passport
Nanjing Museum 南京博物院
History Free ⏱ 4–5h ⭐ Editor's Pick

Nanjing Museum 南京博物院

One of China's three pre-eminent museums (alongside the Palace Museum in Beijing and Shanghai Museum), and the most surprising — because here the most extraordinary section isn't ancient history at all. The Republican Quarter (民国馆) is a full 1:1 recreation of Nanjing's streets in 1912: a tram car, a working barber shop, a bank, a teahouse, a post office. Walking through it, you understand in 20 minutes what 3 history books can't convey. The History Hall houses 430,000 objects including the spectacular Golden Beast (金兽), two of China's finest celadon vessels, a Han Dynasty jade gallery, and the renowned Summer Special Exhibition. Free to enter but pre-booking is mandatory — tickets go fast.

💡 Tip: Every day at exactly 18:00, the next day's free tickets release on the "Nanjing Museum" WeChat mini-program — set an alarm. Foreign visitors: book using your passport number. At the main gate, look for the International Visitor green channel on the right side of the east entrance — this is where foreigners verify reservations with their passport (do not queue at the ID-card turnstiles, which won't recognise a passport). Walk the museum in reverse: Republican Quarter first, then Special Exhibition, then History Hall — crowds thin in the direction you're walking.

🚇 Line 2, Minggugong Station (明故宫), Exit 1; walk 8 min east to 中山东路321号 🕐 09:00–17:00 (Mon closed); extended to 20:00 in summer (Jul–Aug weekends to 21:00) 🎟 Free · book 7 days ahead at 18:00 daily via "南京博物院" WeChat · foreign visitors use east entrance green channel
Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall 南京大屠杀纪念馆
History Free ⏱ 2h ⭐ Editor's Pick

Memorial Hall of the Victims 南京大屠杀纪念馆

A mandatory stop that sets Nanjing apart from every other Chinese city. In December 1937, Japanese Imperial forces entered Nanjing and over six weeks killed an estimated 300,000 civilians and prisoners. This memorial, designed by architect Qi Kang and opened in 1985 on the site of one of the massacre's mass graves, handles this history with extraordinary architectural restraint: crushed stone, descending pathways, a wall carved with 300,000, a preserved burial site where human remains are visible in an illuminated pit, and an exhibition hall moving through testimony, photographs, and international documentation. The final section — a deliberate space of light and silence — is among the most affecting designed spaces in China.

💡 Tip: Wear sombre clothing — guards respectfully ask visitors in vivid colours to reconsider. Security is airport-level: water must be empty, no food, hand luggage only. Tickets release twice daily at 08:00 and 17:00 — gone within minutes, both times. Set two alarms. Only one visit per month per passport is allowed, so plan carefully. Arrive at 09:30 when the overnight queue has moved and tour groups haven't yet arrived — the site carries a different quality of silence in that 30-minute window.

🚇 Line 2, Yunjinlu Station (云锦路), Exit 2; walk 5 min north to 水西门大街418号 🕐 08:30–17:30 (last entry 16:30); closed Mondays except national holidays 🎟 Free · book via "侵华日军南京大屠杀遇难同胞纪念馆" WeChat · tickets at 08:00 & 17:00 · one visit per month per passport
Presidential Palace Nanjing 总统府
History ¥35 ⏱ 2–3h ⭐ Editor's Pick

Presidential Palace 总统府

Six centuries of Chinese political history compressed into one compound. In sequence: the residence of a Ming prince; the Qing Dynasty's Liangjiang viceroy headquarters — the most senior provincial post in China, governing three of the richest provinces; the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's imperial palace during the 1853–1864 rebellion; and finally the executive seat of the Republic of China from 1912 to 1949, the building where Sun Yat-sen took office as provisional president and from which Chiang Kai-shek governed until the Communist victory. The architectural language shifting from Chinese mahogany halls to white-arched Republican corridors to Suzhou-style gardens is unlike anything else in the country.

💡 Tip: Foreign visitors cannot book online — buy your ¥35 ticket at the physical window with your passport. Arrive at 08:30 opening and head immediately to the central axis (the Republican offices): tour groups fill the garden first. The east wing, covering the 1937 Nanjing Defence Battle, is the least-visited section and contains the most historically sober content. The 1912 Bar Street neighbourhood next door is ideal for lunch after.

🚇 Line 2 or 3, Daxinggong Station (大行宫), Exit 5; walk 3 min west to 长江路292号 🕐 08:30–17:00 (last entry 16:30); closed Mondays 🎟 ¥35 adults · foreigners buy at window with passport · no online booking for international visitors
Confucius Temple Qinhuai River Nanjing 夫子庙秦淮河
Culture & Food Free entry ⏱ 3h (evening)

Confucius Temple & Qinhuai River 夫子庙秦淮河

The Confucius Temple precinct is Nanjing's most commercial tourist zone — and also the most spectacular place in the city after dark. The inner Qinhuai River here is the cultural heartline of imperial Nanjing, where the Imperial Examination compound (江南贡院) and court-patronised entertainment houses stood side-by-side for centuries. At 18:30, the temple and river illuminate with red lanterns and painted boats begin their runs — lantern reflections doubling on the still water in a scene that poets have been writing about since the Tang Dynasty. The Jiangnan Gongyuan (江南贡院) examination museum beneath the temple is a seriously underrated collection about the world's most consequential civil service exam. Everything else in the precinct is souvenir shops and overpriced food.

💡 Tip: Buy river cruise tickets on WeChat (search: 夫子庙秦淮风光带) — cheaper than the dock and no queue. Do not eat on the main temple street: walk 10 minutes to Laomendong (老门东) for the same dishes at half the price. The best free river viewing spot is Wendeqiao Bridge (文德桥), looking north towards the lit temple facade from water level.

🚇 Line 3, Fuzimiao Station (夫子庙), Exit 2; walk 5 min · or Line 1, Sanshanjie Station (三山街), Exit 4; walk 5 min 🕐 Temple area all day; river cruises 18:00–22:00; Jiangnan Gongyuan 09:00–22:00 🎟 Temple area free; river cruise ¥100 east route / ¥140 west route (book WeChat for discount); Jiangnan Gongyuan ¥50
Laomendong Historic District Nanjing 老门东
Food & Culture Free entry ⏱ 2–3h ⭐ Editor's Pick

Laomendong Historic District 老门东

Opened in 2013 on a genuinely old Ming and Qing neighbourhood south of the city wall — Laomendong feels the way the Confucius Temple wishes it could: actual narrow lanes, compressed courtyards, and traditional artisans alongside small galleries. The main food axis has four absolute musts within 200 metres: Jiang You Ji beef potstickers (蒋有记, ¥18/two), Xiao Zheng crispy duck-fat sesame biscuits (小郑酥烧饼, ¥3), Lan Laoda rock sugar lotus root soup (蓝老大糖粥藕, ¥12), and Lu Shi plum blossom cakes (陆氏梅花糕, ¥8). At the end of Hutong Alley (箍桶巷), a section of the Ming City Wall is accessible. This is the correct answer to "where should I eat in Nanjing?"

💡 Tip: Jiang You Ji on the main street always has a 20+ minute queue — walk to Lane 7 Bianying Road for Ji Ming Soup Dumplings (鸡鸣汤包边营店): same quality, half the wait. The chrysanthemum leaf filling (菊叶汤包, ¥22) is unique to Nanjing — a wild herb used in dumpling filling that exists nowhere else in China. Best time: 14:00–17:00 when food stalls are still open and the tourist density is lowest.

🚇 Line 1, Zhonghuamen Station (中华门), Exit 2; walk 5 min north · or Line 3, Wudingmen Station (武定门), Exit 1; walk 8 min west 🕐 Street open 24h; food stalls 10:00–22:00; Jiezi Garden 09:00–17:00 🎟 Free to enter; food from ¥3; Jiezi Garden ¥15
Zhonghua Gate Nanjing 中华门
History ¥50 ⏱ 1.5h

Zhonghua Gate 中华门

The most formidable and best-preserved of the 13 original gates of the Ming Dynasty city wall, and one of the most extraordinary medieval defensive structures in Asia. Three successive enclosed courtyard traps (瓮城) with 27 concealed tunnel chambers that could hold 3,000 soldiers in ambush — a military engineering tour de force built in 1366. The gate commands the southern entrance to old Nanjing, spanning the ridge above the Qinhuai River. From the rampart, looking south you see the Da Bao'en Temple spire and the old South City roofscape; looking north, the full modern skyline. It's a less-visited site that rewards those who find it — the tunnel chambers are genuinely disorienting to walk through.

💡 Tip: Arrive at 17:30 to combine the last sunlight on the wall with the Da Bao'en Temple spire lighting at 18:10 — both visible from the rampart in one shot, no extra ticket needed. Bring your phone light to explore the full network of tunnel chambers (藏兵洞); they're dark and maze-like. From Zhonghua Gate, walk east along the wall to Wudingmen (about 2 km) for the best unobstructed Ming city wall walk in the city.

🚇 Line 1, Zhonghuamen Station (中华门), Exit 2; walk 8 min south 🕐 08:00–20:00 (summer); 08:00–17:30 (winter) 🎟 ¥50 adults · cash or Alipay at the window
Jiming Temple Nanjing 鸡鸣寺
Culture ¥10 ⏱ 1h

Jiming Temple 鸡鸣寺

Nanjing's oldest Buddhist temple, with origins in the Western Jin dynasty (around 300 CE), perched on a small hill directly above Xuanwu Lake at the northern edge of the old city. The current yellow-walled buildings are a 1980s restoration — but the site is genuinely ancient and still used for worship. Three things make it worth ¥10: the Medicine Buddha Pagoda (药师佛塔) at the summit frames Nanjing's definitive view — Xuanwu Lake, Purple Mountain, and the Zifeng Tower in a single panorama; the temple is actively visited by local students who come for the "Jiming Temple divination sticks," among the most trusted in the city; and the Baiwenzhai vegetarian restaurant within the grounds serves an excellent ¥28 bowl of noodles.

💡 Tip: In cherry blossom season (mid-March to early April), Jiming Temple Road (鸡鸣寺路) becomes a 400-metre tunnel of pink blossom against the yellow walls — arrive before 07:30 to beat the crowds. Outside blossom season, it's pleasantly quiet. After your visit, walk 200m downhill to the Xuanwu Lake Liberation Gate (解放门) entrance — free, no queue, and the direct route into the lake park.

🚇 Line 3 or 4, Jimingsi Station (鸡鸣寺), Exit 4; walk 2 min to temple gate 🕐 07:00–17:30 (extended to 20:00 during cherry blossom season mid-Mar to early Apr) 🎟 ¥10 (includes 3 incense sticks) · cash or Alipay
Xuanwu Lake Park Nanjing 玄武湖
Nature Free ⏱ 2–3h ⭐ Editor's Pick

Xuanwu Lake Park 玄武湖

China's largest urban imperial-garden lake surviving in its original form — 5.62 km² of water and five peninsulas connected by causeways, with the Ming Dynasty city wall rising along the western shore and Purple Mountain visible east. Five distinct zones: Cherry Peninsula (樱洲) for spring blossoms, Liang Peninsula (梁洲) for autumn ginkgo, Jade Peninsula (翠洲) for open lawns, Ling Peninsula (菱洲) for herons and egrets, and Ring Peninsula (环洲) for evening walks. The view from the northern lakeside at sunset — Jiming Temple silhouetted against Purple Mountain with the Zifeng Tower rising in the background — is Nanjing's classic image, free and genuinely beautiful.

💡 Tip: Enter via the Gangzicun entrance (岗子村, Line 4 Gangzicun Station) rather than the Xuanwumen main gate — the main gate has tour buses, Gangzicun has tai chi groups and essentially no other foreigners. Rent an electric pedal boat (¥60/hour, 4-person) to reach Liang Peninsula independently. The lake at sunset from 17:00–18:30 in summer, with golden light on the water and tower reflections, is worth the entire visit.

🚇 Line 1, Xuanwumen Station (玄武门), Exit 3; walk 5 min to main gate · or Line 4, Gangzicun Station (岗子村) for quiet entrance 🕐 06:00–21:00 (May–Oct); 06:00–18:00 (Nov–Apr); outer lakeside path open 24h 🎟 Free · electric boat rental ¥60/hour (4 people)
Da Bao'en Temple Nanjing 大报恩寺
History & Culture ¥90 / ¥69 night ⏱ 2h

Da Bao'en Temple 大报恩寺

The site of what was, when completed in 1431, considered one of the seven wonders of the medieval world: the Porcelain Tower of Nanjing — a nine-storey hollow pagoda of glazed white bricks visible from 80 km away, lit by 146 wind-chime-suspended oil lamps. In 1856, the Taiping Army detonated it with gunpowder to deny its use as a watchtower. What remains today is the original underground vault — intact, accessible, and extraordinary — alongside a 2015-built glass pagoda that attempts to recreate the original's spirit without pretending to be it. The Aśoka reliquary discovered here in 2007, containing what is believed to be a Buddha skull bone relic presented by the Maurya Empire, is among the most significant Buddhist archaeological finds of the 21st century.

💡 Tip: Buy the evening ticket (¥69 online via WeChat; ¥90 at the door). Arrive at 17:30 — watch the underground archaeological exhibit first while it's uncrowded, then emerge as the glass tower illuminates at 18:10. The sky is still coloured, the pagoda glows amber, and you've paid the lower evening rate for something far more beautiful at dusk than in daylight. The carved stonework around the reliquary vault in the morning light is also exceptional if you visit by day.

🚇 Line 1, Zhonghuamen Station (中华门), Exit 2; walk 10 min northwest · or Line 3, Yuhuamen Station (雨花门), Exit 1; walk 8 min 🕐 Day session 08:30–17:30; evening session 17:30–21:00 🎟 ¥90 day / ¥69 evening · book evening online via "大报恩寺遗址景区" WeChat for discount
Yihe Road Historic Area Nanjing 颐和路
History Free ⏱ 1.5h

Yihe Road Historic Area 颐和路公馆区

"One street, half a chapter of Republican history" — 225 Ming-Qing and Republican-era garden villas built between 1929 and 1937, shaded by ancient plane trees, along which 24 foreign legations established their Nanjing residences (Philippines, Soviet Union, Australia, Brazil, Switzerland, Canada, Mexico, the Vatican, and more). Architecture ranges from Beaux-Arts mansions to Art Deco villas to Chinese-Western hybrid compounds. It is the largest surviving concentration of Republican-era architecture in the world. Crucially, unlike most preserved historic districts in China, it is not a museum — these buildings are residences and offices, making it feel genuinely inhabited rather than staged. The plane tree canopy in May and in November is extraordinary.

💡 Tip: The 12th Quarter (第十二片区, 3 Jiangsu Road) is a boutique hotel and café complex open to the public — the only way to see inside one of the villas without a private invitation. The best photo in Nanjing: walk to No. 216 Xiqiao (西桥216号), align the Republican-era villa with the Zifeng Tower in the background — this is the "Nanjing old meets new" image that local photographers specifically travel here to frame. This is a slow walk, not a race — bring a coffee from the 12th Quarter and wander.

🚇 Line 4, Yunnanlu Station (云南路), Exit 3; walk 10 min into Ninghai Road / Yihe Road intersection 🕐 Street area 24h; 12th Quarter 09:00–17:00 🎟 Street area free; 12th Quarter interior ¥25

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🗓️ Perfect 1 Day in Nanjing

Purple Mountain (two mausoleums) demands a whole morning. The Memorial Hall and Presidential Palace are your powerful afternoon. Laomendong and the Qinhuai River close the day with food and light.

07:30–11:30
🌅 Morning
Metro Line 2 to Muxuyuan Station — take the scenic area electric cart (¥10) to Ming Xiaoling (明孝陵, ¥70). Walk the 615m Sacred Way with stone animal pairs, explore the mausoleum palace. Then catch the cart to Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum (中山陵, free, pre-booked). Climb the 392 steps for the panoramic view. Return to station by 11:30.
12:00–17:00
☀️ Afternoon
Metro to Daxinggong. Quick lunch at 1912 Street (walk 8 min from station). Enter Presidential Palace (总统府, ¥35) at 13:00 — go straight to the Republican offices, east wing last. Then metro to Yunjinlu for the Memorial Hall (纪念馆, free, pre-booked) — allow 2 hours of quiet time. Come out of the grounds at around 17:00.
17:30–21:30
🌆 Evening
One stop metro to Zhonghuamen Station → Laomendong (老门东) for dinner: Jiang You Ji potstickers (蒋有记, ¥18), Xiao Zheng sesame biscuit (¥3), Lu Shi plum cake (¥8). Walk 10 min east to the Qinhuai River (夫子庙) at 19:30 when lanterns are lit — stand at Wendeqiao Bridge (文德桥) for the best free view of the illuminated temple reflected in the water.

💡 Why this order: Purple Mountain is east and takes a morning of walking. The Memorial Hall and Palace are city centre and best in the afternoon (crowds thin after 14:00). Laomendong food and the Qinhuai lights are an evening experience — visiting by day misses the lanterns entirely.

Practical Tips for Foreign Visitors

💳
Paying in Nanjing
Set up Alipay before arrival: download Alipay International, link your foreign Visa/Mastercard, and activate the "Travel" top-up mode. This covers 95% of Nanjing's payment needs — metro rides, food stalls, small museums, and taxis via Didi. Foreign cards physically work only at international hotel restaurants, Starbucks, Apple Store (Deji Plaza), and a few high-end mall counters. Carry ¥200–300 cash as backup for the few remaining cash-only windows (Zhonghua Gate, some temple stalls).
📅
The Pre-booking Battle
Nanjing has more must-book-in-advance sites than almost any other Chinese city. Set alarms: Nanjing Museum tickets release at 18:00 sharp, 7 days ahead. Memorial Hall tickets release at 08:00 AND 17:00 — both times, every day. Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum needs booking 7 days ahead. Presidential Palace does NOT require advance booking — foreigners buy at the window with passport. If you miss the museum or memorial tickets, go to the Presidential Palace and Yihe Road instead — equally good and walk-in.
🚇
Getting Around on the Metro
Metro Line 2 is the backbone: Muxuyuan (Purple Mountain), Minggugong (Nanjing Museum), Daxinggong (Presidential Palace), Yunjinlu (Memorial Hall), all on one east-west line. Line 1 runs north-south through Xuanwumen (Xuanwu Lake) and Zhonghuamen (Laomendong / Zhonghua Gate / Da Bao'en Temple). Line 3/4 reaches Jimingsi (Jiming Temple) and Fuzimiao (Confucius Temple). Pay with Alipay transit code. Avoid hiring taxis from stations — always use the Didi app.
🌿
Best Seasons to Visit
Spring (March–May) is Nanjing's finest season: Jiming Temple cherry blossoms (mid-March to early April), Ming Xiaoling plum blossoms (February to early March), and comfortable walking temperatures. Autumn (late October to late November) is the second peak — the plane tree avenues of Yihe Road and the Sacred Way at Ming Xiaoling turn gold and amber. Summer (June–August) is Nanjing's notorious "furnace season" with 35–40°C heat and high humidity — visit museums in the afternoons and outdoor sites early morning only. Winter is mild but grey.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I book Nanjing Museum and Memorial Hall tickets as a foreigner?
Nanjing Museum: tickets release every day at 18:00 on the "Nanjing Museum" WeChat mini-program, 7 days in advance — set an alarm. Use your passport number. At the gate, find the International Visitor green channel at the east entrance (right side of the main gate) for foreigner verification — the regular ID-card turnstiles will not recognise a passport. Memorial Hall: tickets release at 08:00 and 17:00 daily — both times. Only one visit per month per passport. If you fail to book online, arrive at 08:00 with passport — a small number of walk-in tickets are sometimes available at the gate.
How do I get to Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum and Ming Xiaoling?
Metro Line 2 to Muxuyuan Station (苜蓿园), Exit 1. Walk 10 minutes to the Zhongshan Scenic Area gate, then take the internal electric cart system (¥10 per sector, ¥40 all-day pass). Recommended order: Ming Xiaoling first (enter Gate 5 near Meihua Mountain) → cart to Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum → cart back to station. Full loop: 4–5 hours. Pre-book the Mausoleum (free) 7 days ahead on the "钟山风景区" WeChat mini-program. Ming Xiaoling tickets (¥70) available at the gate or on Trip.com with passport.
What is Nanjing's signature food?
Nanjing is the Duck Capital of China. Yanshui Ya (盐水鸭, salted duck) is the essential dish: cold-served, moist, with a delicate texture completely unlike Peking duck. Buy it freshly cut at Zhangyun Salted Duck (章云板鸭) on Pingshi Street or Laomendong — never buy pre-packaged vacuum duck at tourist kiosks. Duck Blood Vermicelli Soup (鸭血粉丝汤, ¥15–20) is the city's everyday soul food. Beef Potstickers (牛肉锅贴) from Jiang You Ji (蒋有记) in Laomendong are mandatory — crispy bottoms with a pork-jelly interior. Chrysanthemum leaf soup dumplings (菊叶汤包) are Nanjing's unique contribution to the dumpling world. Sweet: Lu Shi Plum Blossom Cakes (陆氏梅花糕, ¥8) are a Nanjing original.
How many days do I need in Nanjing?
Three full days covers the essential Nanjing. Day 1 (east): Ming Xiaoling + Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum on Purple Mountain, Nanjing Museum afternoon, Laomendong dinner. Day 2 (centre): Memorial Hall morning (pre-book!), Presidential Palace afternoon, Qinhuai River cruise evening. Day 3 (north + south): Jiming Temple + Xuanwu Lake morning, Zhonghua Gate or Yihe Road afternoon, Da Bao'en Temple evening light show. A fourth day works as a day trip to Suzhou (30 minutes by high-speed train) or Yangzhou (45 minutes) — both are classic Nanjing day-trip destinations.
Is Nanjing safe for foreign tourists?
Yes — Nanjing is among the safest cities in China for independent travellers. Violent crime is very rare. The main scams to know: unlicensed "tour guides" near the Confucius Temple who offer free tours and deliver you to overpriced souvenir shops (decline all unsolicited guides); counterfeit pre-packaged "salted duck" near the Memorial Hall and major stations (only buy freshly cut duck); river cruise ticket scalpers at the dock (buy on WeChat or at the official booth). At the Memorial Hall, be prepared for airport-level security: water bottles must be empty, no food, no large bags. Use Didi for all taxis — never take unmarked cars at station exits.