Stand on the causeway between the islands of Xuanwu Lake and the city skyline stacks up behind the water, with Purple Mountain on the far shore. That pairing of water, wall and wooded ridge is the shape of a Nanjing visit: most of what is worth your time sits close to the Qinhuai River or along the edge of the old city.
Nanjing suits travellers who want weight with their sightseeing. The city served as a capital for dynasties and republican governments from the 3rd century to 1949, and its museums and memorials deal directly with that record, including the darkest parts of it. It also suits anyone who prefers a lake, a river and a mountain to a checklist of monuments.
This guide covers the sights named in the source material, grouped so you can plan a route rather than a scramble, and closes with a single day that strings the best of them together.
Top things to do in Nanjing
1. Qinhuai River
The Qinhuai is the largest river in the city area after the Yangtze and the artery the old sights cluster around. Painted boats cruise from several wharfs, and the stretch along the banks takes in Zhanyuan Garden, Zhonghua Gate, and the views between Taoye Ferry and Zhenhuai Bridge.
Take a boat rather than only walking the bank: the cruise is the easiest way to see the riverside sights in one pass and to get a sense of the traditional culture of the city. Combine it with Zhanyuan Garden, which sits on the same stretch of bank.
2. Nanjing Museum
Eleven exhibition halls hold a mixture of poetry, bronzes and silk artifacts alongside cultural displays. Two items are worth seeking out in particular: a jade burial suit and an arched door from the Ming era Porcelain Pagoda.
It sits next to Zhongshan Gate, so pair it with the city wall and Purple Mountain side of town. This is also the place to spend a humid or rainy day, and entry is free.
3. Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall
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, with information boards along the walkway, and the restrained architecture and gardens are interspersed with sculptures, murals and other artworks.
The museum near the entrance uses photos, videos and objects to tell the full story and can easily occupy you for hours; captions are in English, Chinese and Japanese. Entrance lines can be long, so plan accordingly. It is next to Yunjinlu metro station on Line 2, and entry is free.
4. Xuanwu Lake
Three islands in the middle of the lake are connected by causeways, with a children's amusement park, a small zoo, and views back at the city and Purple Mountain. Paddle boats can be rented.
Entry is free. The main entrance is a short distance east of Xuanwumen Station on Metro Line 1, which makes it an easy first or last stop of a day.
5. Xuanwu Lake Park
The park around the lake, with the same three linked islands, the amusement park for children, the small zoo and the views of the city and Purple Mountain. Paddle boats are available here too.
Opening is split by area: Huanhu Road is open around the clock, while the Wuzhou area runs 05:00 to 22:00 in summer and 06:00 to 21:00 in winter. Entry is free, and the main entrance is a short distance east of Xuanwumen Station on Metro Line 1.
6. Yuhuatai Scenic Area
The park holds a number of different sights, best known among them the Yuhuatai Matyrs' Cemetery, which contains the remains of soldiers who fought in the Red Army during the Chinese Civil War.
General admission is free, but some sights within the park charge between ¥5 and ¥10, and sightseeing cars run around the park for ¥10. It opens 08:00 to 17:00, and bus routes serve separate east, north and south gates.
7. Chaotian Palace and the Nanjing Municipal Museum
The Nanjing Municipal Museum occupies No. 4 Chaotian Palace on Wangfu Street, and its entry fee is included with the palace ticket, which costs ¥25.
It opens 09:00 to 18:00 with no entry after 17:00 and closes on Mondays. It is roughly 840 m west of Zhangfuyuan Station on Metro Line 1 and about 920 m south of Shanghai Road Station on Metro Line 2; bus routes 43, 302 and 306 also serve it.
8. Taiping Kingdom History Museum
A small museum inside Zhanyuan Garden devoted to the Taiping Rebellion, a conflict that is not well known in the West. Exhibits cover Taiping documents and the grinding reduction of the movement by Qing generals and their European auxiliaries, culminating in the siege of Nanjing.
It is about 400 m from Sanshanjie metro station on Line 1, and it sits within Zhanyuan Garden, so the two visits fold into one stop on the Qinhuai River bank.
9. Hongshan Forest Zoo
A zoo in Xuanwu District, reached from Hongshan Zoo Station on Metro Line 1. Tickets are ¥40 for adults and ¥20 for students and children over 1.4 metres in height, while children under 1.4 metres and adults over 60 enter free.
It runs 07:30 to 18:00, with no tickets sold after 16:30, so arrive with enough of the afternoon left to use.
10. Jiangsu Art Museum (New Branch)
The new branch on Changjiang Road is a free gallery, about 450 m east of Daxinggong Station at the intersection of metro lines 2 and 3.
It opens 09:00 to 17:00 with no entry after 16:30 and closes on Mondays. The old branch is on the same road, so the two can be done together.
11. Jiangsu Art Museum (Old Branch)
The old branch sits at 266 Changjiang Road, about 200 m north-northwest of Daxinggong Station. Entry is free.
Opening is 09:00 to 17:00, no entry after 16:30, closed on Mondays. Pair it with the new branch a short way along the same road.
12. Jinling Art Museum
A free museum at 50 Jianzi Lane in Qinhuai District, 900 m west of Wudingmen Station on Metro Line 3.
It opens 09:00 to 17:00 with no entry after 16:30 and closes on Mondays, which makes it a reasonable fill-in on a Qinhuai District day.
13. Art Museum of Nanjing University of the Arts (AMNUA)
A contemporary exhibition space that integrates artistic display with academic research, with modern, open galleries showing work by faculty, students and artists from around the world. It regularly hosts exhibitions, lectures and cultural events.
It is at 15 North Huju Road in Gulou District, 700 m north of Caochangmen Station on Metro Line 4, opens 09:00 to 17:30, closes on Mondays and is free.
14. Nanjing Non-Government Museum of the War of Resistance Against Japan
A privately run museum dedicated to the Second Sino-Japanese War, at 48 Andemen Street in Yuhuatai District, about 650 m south of Tianlongsi metro station on Line 1.
It opens 09:00 to 16:00 and closes on Mondays. Entry is free, and it pairs naturally with a visit to the Yuhuatai Scenic Area in the same district.
If you only have one day
Morning. Start at Xuanwu Lake Park, entering from the main entrance a short distance east of Xuanwumen Station on Metro Line 1. Walk the causeways between the three islands for the views of the city and Purple Mountain, then continue to Nanjing Museum next to Zhongshan Gate, where the jade burial suit and the arched door from the Ming era Porcelain Pagoda are the pieces to look for.
Afternoon. Move to the Qinhuai River and take a painted boat from one of the wharfs, watching for Zhanyuan Garden and Zhonghua Gate along the banks. Stay in the same area for the Taiping Kingdom History Museum inside Zhanyuan Garden, about 400 m from Sanshanjie metro station on Line 1.
Evening. Finish at the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall, next to Yunjinlu metro station on Line 2. It closes at 16:30 and entrance lines can be long, so treat this as the fixed point of the afternoon and build the rest of the day around it rather than the other way round.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a city pass for the sights?
Yes. It can be bought for ¥100 at the entrance to any of the big parks in the city, such as the zoo or Yuhuatai Memorial Park, and gives free entry to 21 different locations. You need to provide a passport photo for each pass, and it is valid for one calendar year.
Which sights are free?
Xuanwu Lake and Xuanwu Lake Park are free, as are Nanjing Museum, the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall, the Nanjing Non-Government Museum of the War of Resistance Against Japan, the Art Museum of Nanjing University of the Arts, both branches of the Jiangsu Art Museum and the Jinling Art Museum. Yuhuatai Scenic Area has free general admission, though some sights inside charge ¥5 to ¥10.
What should I know about closing days?
Most of the museums close on Mondays, including the Nanjing Municipal Museum, the Nanjing Non-Government Museum of the War of Resistance Against Japan, the Art Museum of Nanjing University of the Arts, both branches of the Jiangsu Art Museum and the Jinling Art Museum. Nanjing Museum is closed on the first day of Chinese New Year and on Chinese New Year's Eve.
How do I get around the main sights?
Metro lines cover most of them: Xuanwu Lake and Xuanwu Lake Park from Xuanwumen Station on Line 1, Hongshan Forest Zoo from Hongshan Zoo Station on Line 1, the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall from Yunjinlu Station on Line 2, Nanjing Museum from Minggugong Station on Line 2, and both branches of the Jiangsu Art Museum from Daxinggong Station on lines 2 and 3. Yuhuatai Scenic Area is served by bus routes to its east, north and south gates.
Pick the sights that match the history you want to sit with, check the closing days, and start building your route around the Qinhuai River and the lake.