Overview
Nanjing is the capital of Jiangsu Province. It’s 1.5 hour away from Shanghai by bullet train (train fare a little over 100 yuan).
Things to do
- Xuanwu Lake (玄武湖): situated at the foot of Mt. Zhongshan in Nanjing, Xuanwu Lake is a beautiful scenic spot protected by China. Within the park are temples, pagodas, pavilions, gardens, teahouses and other attractions. If you are in the mood, you can get on a boat and “drive” around the lake. Be sure to check out some of the buildings, because there are English signs and labels for you to gain a better appreciation and understanding of the stories and history associated with each structure.
- The Memorial of the Nanjing Massacre (侵华日军南京大屠杀遇难同胞纪念馆) is a museum to memorialize those that were killed in the Nanjing Massacre by the Imperial Japanese Army in and around the then capital of China, Nanjing, after it fell on December 13, 1937. It is located in the southwestern corner of Nanjing known as Jiangdongmen, near a site where thousands of bodies were buried, called a “pit of ten thousand corpses”. If you are into history, this place is a must-see.
Nanjing City Wall (南京明城墙): the City Wall of Nanjing was designed by Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang after he founded the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and established Nanjing as the capital 600 years ago. To consolidate his sovereignty and keep out invaders, he adopted the suggestions of advisor Zhu Sheng to build a higher city wall to collect grains and to postpone the coronation. The City Wall took 21 years to complete, and used 200,000 laborers to move 7 million cubic meters of earth. The City Wall of Nanjing was among the largest city walls ever constructed in China.
- If you are in the mood for birdwatching, Nanjing Zhangshan Botanical Garden is a great option.
- When it comes to Nanjing food, Laomendong (老门东) is one of the best places to go. You will find plenty of food vendors along a famous food street in this area.
- Zhangyun Banya Shop (章云板鸭店) Address: 208 Pingshi Street
Liji Halal Restaurant (李记清真馆) Address: Pingshi street Dading Alley No.1 (Jinjianye Road)
Must-try: pan-fried beef dumplings (牛肉锅贴)
Where to eat?
Feeling hungry after some proper sightseeing? Here we provide a few options for you to try out some of the top-rated food of Nanjing.
Must-try: Soup dumplings (汤包) at Jiming Steamed Dumpling (鸡鸣汤包)
Zhangyun Banya Shop (translated as Zhangyun pressed salted duck shop) is a deli-and-takeaway. If you are looking for something to pair with your beers, look no further.
Must-try: crisp-skinned roast duck (脆皮烤鸭)