First divide Nanjing into three areas
Purple Mountain Scenic Area is suitable for a day alone. The connection between Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum and Meiling Palace is not easy to get off the bus. Mountain roads, queuing and connecting will all consume time.
The Old City Line can go from the Presidential Palace, Yihe Road, and Ming City Wall all the way to the south of the city. The museum line takes Nanjing Museum as its core and is paired with Jiming Temple or Xuanwu Lake.
- Purple Mountain: Mountains and Modern History
- Old City: City Walls, Streets and Qinhuai
- Museum: Objects, Architecture and Rainy Day Plan
Three-day reference sequence
After arriving on the first day, take the Old Town Lightweight Line to avoid rushing into Purple Mountain as soon as you get off the high-speed train. Leave all your energy to Purple Mountain on the second day, and finish with the museum and lakeside on the third day.
- Day 1: Presidential Palace - City Wall - Laomen East - Qinhuai River
- Day 2: Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum - Meiling Palace - Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum - Music Stage
- Day 3: Nanjing Museum - Jiming Temple - Xuanwu Lake
Where to stay to save time?
Xinjiekou has the most balanced traffic and is suitable for first time visitors to Nanjing; the Daxing Palace is close to the presidential palace and the museum line; Confucius Temple is convenient for night tours but is more crowded on holidays. If you enter Purple Mountain early in the morning, you can choose to take Metro Line 2.
Reservation and flexibility
The reservation rules for venues such as Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum and Nanjing Museum may change. Lock the reservation first and then adjust the order within the same area. When it rains, replace the outdoor city walls and lakeside with museums or memorials.
Opening hours, reservations, transport and temporary restrictions may change. Check official venue and public transport notices before departure.
