Nanjing

Art Museum of Nanjing University of the Arts (AMNUA)

南京艺术学院美术馆

The Art Museum of Nanjing University of the Arts is a contemporary exhibition space that integrates artistic display with academic research. Featuring modern, open galleries, it showcases works by faculty, students, and artists from around the world. The museum regularly hosts exhibitions, lectures, and cultural events, making it a vibrant hub of creativity in Nanjing.

09:00-17:30, closed on Mondays·Free

Bassment Bar

Live music almost every night and a good atmosphere, very spacious. A lot of expats will perform here. There's a dance floor, pool, and some arcade cabinets. People mainly sit at tables, but the bar has seating. A healthy mix of Chinese and expats. Beers start around ¥30-40 and mixed drinks are alright. (Live music has now stopped at Bassment)

Caoqiao Mosque

草桥清真寺

The mosque traced its origin during Qianlong Emperor of Qing Dynasty.

Chaotiangong

朝天宫

For antique lovers, this place is a small market hosted next to the Confucius Palace. You can find all sorts of small and big objects there, some are real antiques, others are fake. If you want to buy something, be prepared to negotiate the price! This place is fun to stroll around seeing both things to sell and sellers as the environment is quite charming.

Daily 11:00-17:00

City Wall of Nanjing

城墙

The City Wall of Nanjing was designed by Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang (r. 1368-1398) after he founded the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and established Nanjing as the capital. To consolidate his sovereignty and keep out invaders, he adopted the suggestions of advisor Zhu Sheng to build a higher city wall, to collect grain and to postpone the coronation. Building the wall took 21 years, and involved 200,000 laborers to move 7 million m³ of earth. The city wall is the most complete one in China, after decades of erosion, vandalism and destruction.

Confucius Temple

Fuzimiao (夫子庙)

Once an imperial examination testing center for the entire Jiangsu region, this museum comprises a tiny fraction of the once-massive original buildings. The rest of the site is a massive, labyrinthine market; a top tourist draw in Nanjing and a place where you can get all your haggling out of your system. Get your picture taken with the Confucius sculpture and grab some tea on one of the gondolas on the canal. On the southern side of town next to Zhonghua Gate and the Taiping Museum.

Dr. Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum

中山陵

Resting place of the first president of China, who led the 1911 revolution that toppled China's last imperial dynasty. A beautifully designed complex that features a fusion of traditional Chinese and Western architectural styles. Closed on Mondays.

Free

Ellen's bar

An always-popular and chaotic expat bar, usually with African DJs. Although there's no dance floor there's many people dancing between tables and in any open space.

Former site of Japanese Shinto shrine

日本神社旧址

Built in 1939 by the Imperial Japanese Army during their occupation of the city. The shrine, officially known as the Nanjing Shrine (南京神社), was one of the largest Shinto shrines the Japanese built on Chinese soil. It was also one of the very few that was not demolished after the war. Today the site is being used as an activity centre for retired Communist Party cadres, so you might not be able to enter the building, but viewing it from the outside should be okay.

Gan Family Compound

Gan's Grand Courtyard, 甘家大院, 甘熙宅第, 甘熙故居 Gan Xi's former residence

Built during the reign of the Jiaqing Emperor (1796-1820), this is the former residence of Gan Xi, a famous scholar and civil servant. It is said to be the largest traditional private residence in Nanjing and has over 300 rooms. The residence is administered by the Nanjing Folk Museum (南京市民俗博物馆) and has many exhibits on traditional Chinese culture.

09:00-17:30, no entry after 17:00, closed on Mondays·¥20

Gingko Lake Pleasure Park

银杏湖乐园, 银杏湖游乐园 Gingko Lake Amusement Park, 银杏湖休闲度假景区 Gingko Lake Holiday Resort

Includes an amusement park, a golf course, a nature park, a shopping area and a hotel.

amusement park: 09:30-17:00 (09:00-17:30 on public holidays), golf course: 05:30-17:00·¥260 (adults), ¥170 (students), ¥125 (persons over 60 and children between 1.2 and 1.5 metres in height). Children under 1.2 metres in height can get in for free

Great Bao'en Temple Ruins Park

大报恩寺遗址公园, 大报恩寺遗址景区

Once one of Nanjing's greatest Buddhist temples, the Great Bao'en Temple was destroyed by the Taiping rebels when they occupied the city in the mid-19th century. There is now a museum at the site. The Porcelain Tower, which is said to have been one of the seven wonders of the medieval world, has been reconstructed and affords great views over the city.

Closed · opens 9 am·¥120 (discounted to ¥80 if you buy the ticket on the website)

Hunan Road

A slightly more low-key version of Xinjiekou, running between Xuanwu Lake and Zhongshanbei Lu. It has most of the same stores including the Phoenix International Bookstore which has a whole floor of English-language books. There is also a small pedestrianised street running south from Hunan Road which is lined with pretty much every variety of restaurant imaginable, including the usual KFC and McD's, several cheap jiaozi and noodle places, some more upmarket Chinese places and a handful of international restaurants including a Thai and Indian restaurant..

Jiangsu Province Kunqu Theatre

江苏省昆剧院

This highly-regarded theater company in Nanjing will give you a chance to see Kunqu Opera, a traditional Chinese art form, firsthand. Expect the dialogue to be sung in ancient Chinese, but LED subtitling in English and contemporary Chinese characters is provided.

Jiefang Gate

Access to the Taicheng section of the City Wall, offering panoramic views of Xuanwu Lake and Jiming Temple.

Jiming Temple

鸡鸣寺

Jiming Temple is the most popular temple in Nanjing and it is located convenient to downtown.

Tickets are ¥10, which includes 3 free incense with every ticket. Price may rise during popular seasons (e.g., Spring Festival)

Jinghai Temple Museum

静海寺纪念馆

The first temple was built in 15th century to commemorate the voyages of Zheng He. In 1842, following China's defeat in the First Opium War, the Jinghai Temple was the venue for discussions between the British and the Qing government over the terms of the Treaty of Nanking. It was rebuilt twice due to being destroyed in the Taiping Rebellion and then in the Second World War. The current structures date from the late 20th and early 21st centuries. There are exhibitions about both Zheng He's voyages and the Treaty of Nanking.

08:30-17:30, no entry after 16:30, closed on Mondays·Free

Jinjue Mosque

净觉寺

The mosque traced its origin during the Hongwu Emperor of Ming Dynasty in 1388.

John Rabe's former residence

拉贝旧居，拉贝故居, 拉贝与国际安全区纪念馆 John Rabe and International Safety Zone Memorial Hall

John Rabe (1882-1950) was a German businessman and Nazi party member who is widely celebrated in China for his efforts to protect civilians during the Japanese occupation. This house was his residence from 1932 to 1938. It is now a museum dedicated to telling the story of Rabe's life and the Nanjing International Safety Zone that he helped to establish and which is credited with saving thousands of lives.

08:30-16:30 (Mon to Fri). Visitors can also visit on the weekend if they make a booking in advance·Free

Les 5 Sens

乐尚法国餐厅

French restaurant with a French chef and a cosy atmosphere, providing traditional and family homemade French dishes.

11:30 to 22:00·¥38-119

Liji Alley Comfort Station Site

利济巷慰安所旧址

The term 'comfort station' was a euphemism used by the Japanese army in World War II to refer to a brothel where so-called 'comfort women' were held captive and forced to render sexual services to Japanese soldiers. This particular comfort station was one of the largest in Asia. It is now a museum run by the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall. Entry is by appointment only. Visitors are required to make an appointment at least one day before visiting and cannot visit more than twice a month or more than 10 times a year. Due to the adult content of the exhibitions, children are not permitted inside the building.

09:00-16:30, closed on Sundays and Mondays·Free

Meihuashan

formerly

After Wang Jingwei was buried here Wu Wangfen was renamed Meihuashan.

¥70 area ticket which includes the Ming Tomb, Plum Blossom Hill, PlumValley Arts Building Red, Purple Cloud Lake 5 attractions

Meiling Palace

美龄宫

A stately mansion named after Chiang Kai-Shek's wife Song Mei-ling. This was one of Chiang Kai-Shek's official residences in the 1930s and 1940s. The building has been fully restored and is open to the public. There is a book store and cafe on the second floor. The basement level displays paintings made by Soong Mei-Ling.

07:30-18:00, no tickets sold after 17:30·¥30

Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum

明孝陵

The most famous Ming-era site of Nanjing, Ming Xiaoling is the mausoleum complex of Zhu Yuanzhang, also known as the Hongwu Emperor, the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty. Most of the monuments are lined up along the mile-long Sacred Way (shendao), which runs from the Square Pavilion (Sifangcheng) with its giant bixi turtle to the artificial hill under which is the emperor's burial chamber. Look out for the stone camels and elephants of the sacred way, as well as for the site's second turtle - homage of the Kangxi Emperor, the greatest emperor of the Qing dynasty, to his Ming predecessor. The site's third turtle - the least known of the three, but the biggest and most mysterious - was found in a nearby ravine in the late 20th century, and is now installed in the Red Chamber Culture Park (红楼艺文苑 Honglou Yiwen Yuan), which is located just east of the main Ming Xiaoling complex, and can be visited on the same ticket. ¥70, open on Monday

Nanjing Geological Museum

南京地质博物馆

The Nanjing Museum of Geology is a comprehensive science museum dedicated to Earth history, minerals, fossils, and geological evolution. Featuring extensive collections of ancient fossils, mineral specimens, and interactive exhibits, the museum offers visitors an engaging way to explore the formation of the Earth and the development of life. It serves as an important educational and research center in Nanjing.

09:30-16:30 (Wed to Fri), 09:00-16:30 (Sat and Sun), closed on Mondays and Tuesdays·Free

Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall

侵华日军南京大屠杀遇难同胞纪念馆

A memorial for the hundreds of thousands of Chinese who died at the hands of Japanese troops in Nanjing during World War II. Two partially excavated mass-burial sites reveal victims remains in situ, accompanied by insightful information boards around the walkway. The elongated sites sympathetically restrained architecture and beautifully maintained gardens are interspersed with sculptures, murals and other artworks that inspire solemn meditations. Close to the entrance is the museum exhibiting multitudes of photos, videos and objects to tell the full story, somewhat even-handedly, that can easily occupy you for hours. Captions are in English, Chinese, and Japanese. Entrance lines can be long, so plan accordingly.

Tue-Sun 08:30-16:30·Free

Nanjing Memorial Hall to Aviation Martyrs Killed in the War of Resistance Against Japan

南京抗日航空烈士纪念馆, Nanjing Anti-Japanese Aviation Martyrs Memorial Hall

Dedicated to all those who fought and died during the aerial battles that were fought against the Japanese during the Second World War. The memorial hall is close to a cemetery where around 3500 aviation martyrs are buried, including 870 from China, 2197 from the US, 237 from the Soviet Union and 2 from Korea.

09:00-16:30, closed on Mondays·Free (this site is not inside the park)

Nanjing Museum

南京博物院

Eleven exhibition halls display a mixture of poetry, bronzes and silk artifacts interspersed with cultural displays. Worth pondering over are a jade burial suit and an arched door from the Ming era Porcelain Pagoda. A great place to spend humid or rainy days.

Tue-Fri and most public holidays 09:00-17:00, Mon 09:00-12:00, no entry in last 60 minutes, closed on the first day of Chinese New Year and on Chinese New Year's Eve·Free

Nanjing Non-Government Museum of the War of Resistance Against Japan

南京民间抗日战争博物馆

A privately-run museum dedicated to the Second Sino-Japanese War.

09:00-16:00, closed on Mondays·Free

Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge

南京长江大桥

This 6-km bridge over the Yangtze has sculptures that are classics of Chinese sociallist art; with workers and farmers carrying tools, soldiers carrying weapons, and all of them holding books, most likely Quotations of Chairman Mao Zedong (better known as The Little Red Book). The bridge was built after Soviet advisors left China during the Sino-Soviet Split of the 1960s, and is therefore the first major project built entirely by Chinese, without foreign help. The bridge is walkable in about an hour, but this is not recommended. Pedestrians share a narrow sidewalk with bicycles and electric scooters going in the same direction.