Why Nanjing, and what it costs
Nanjing was the Ming dynasty's first capital from 1368 until the court moved to Beijing, and later the capital of the Republic of China from 1927 to 1949. That stack of eras is the reason to come: an imperial tomb on the edge of the city, a 600-year-old wall around the centre, and a memorial hall marking the darkest chapter of the twentieth century. Entry is cheap — several of the best sights are free — but the free ones require a real-name reservation made with your passport, which is where most visitors lose a morning.
What to see
| Sight | Why it matters | Ticket and booking |
|---|---|---|
| Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum | Burial place of the first president of the Republic, built 1926–1929; a straight 392-step stairway up Purple Mountain | Free, real-name reservation required; closed Mondays |
| Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum | Tomb of Zhu Yuanzhang, founder of the Ming, begun 1381; the stone-lined Sacred Way is the highlight | ¥70; combo ticket ¥100 adds Linggu Temple, Meiling Palace and the Music Hall |
| Nanjing Museum | The city's best indoor stop and the answer to a rainy day | Free, reservation required; closed Mondays |
| Memorial Hall of the Nanjing Massacre | Stands on the site of the 1937 massacre; grim and direct, not a sight to slot between two others | Free, booking required 1–7 days ahead, passport accepted; closed Mondays |
| Presidential Palace | A Qing office, the Taiping palace and the Republic of China government inside one wall | ¥35 full price, real-name timed booking; closed Mondays |
| Confucius Temple (Fuzimiao) and Qinhuai riverfront | The evening district: lanes, river and lanterns | Streets free; temple around ¥30 |
| Zhonghua Gate and the city wall | Ming defences at full scale; the best late-afternoon walk in the city | Ticketed at the gate |
Give Purple Mountain a full day. The mausoleum, Ming Xiaoling and Linggu Temple sit inside one 31 km² scenic area with long walks and shuttle buses between them, and adding the city centre to the same day ruins both halves. The Massacre Memorial Hall needs two to three hours on its own and admits no children under 14. Attractions, booking and timing.
Best time to go
Late April and the second half of October are the two strong windows, with mild air, low rainfall and long walking days; November is quieter and close behind, and the maples at Qixia Mountain peak mid-month. If you can pick one stretch, take mid-October to about 20 November.
Avoid 1–7 October, the National Day holiday, when hotel rates roughly double and Purple Mountain reservation slots are gone before the week starts, and avoid July and August, when highs sit near 33°C with heavy humidity. Plum rain runs from mid-June to early July — steady drizzle rather than storms. Cherry blossom usually falls in the last days of March into the first week of April. Month-by-month detail.
Getting there
Nanjing sits on the Beijing–Shanghai high-speed line. From Shanghai Hongqiao the fastest trains take a bit over an hour, from Suzhou about an hour, from Beijing three and a half to four hours. Most high-speed services use Nanjing South Railway Station, the main hub and the one to check on your ticket; Nanjing Railway Station is north of the centre beside Xuanwu Lake. The two are far enough apart that mixing them up costs an hour.
Lukou International Airport (NKG) is about 35 km south of the centre. Metro Line S1 runs from the airport to Nanjing South in 35 to 45 minutes for ¥7, first train around 06:00 and last around 22:40. A taxi to Xinjiekou runs roughly ¥80–130, adding about 20 percent after 23:00. Inside the city the metro is the seasonal equaliser — air-conditioned in August, heated in January, unaffected by holiday road closures — and fares are distance based, a few yuan for most central rides. See airport and station transfers and the metro guide.
How many days
Two days is the practical minimum. Day one is Purple Mountain; day two is the Presidential Palace, Nanjing Museum and the Qinhuai riverfront in the evening. Three days adds the Massacre Memorial Hall and Xuanwu Lake without rushing. With only half a day, pick the Presidential Palace for the widest sweep in two hours, or give the whole half day to the memorial hall.
Stay near the metro. Xinjiekou, where Lines 1 and 2 cross, reaches almost everything with one change; Fuzimiao on Line 3 puts the river district on your doorstep. Budget chain rooms run about ¥150–300, mid-range and four-star roughly ¥350–700, international five-star from around ¥800 up. Neighbourhoods compared.
Work out the money before booking: what a China trip costs covers transport, hotels and daily spend. Spring and autumn swing 10°C or more between afternoon and night, so the China packing list is worth reading before you pack. And arrange mobile data before you land, because metro gates, museum reservations and restaurant menus all run on phones — eSIM options for China.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to book Nanjing's free attractions?
Yes. Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, Nanjing Museum and the Massacre Memorial Hall are all free and all require a real-name reservation, with a passport accepted as the ID. The memorial hall releases slots one to seven days ahead and allows one reservation per visitor per month.
What actually costs money in Nanjing?
Ming Xiaoling is ¥70, or ¥100 with Linggu Temple, Meiling Palace and the Music Hall. The Presidential Palace is ¥35, the Fuzimiao temple around ¥30, and Zhonghua Gate and the city wall are ticketed. The mausoleum, museum and memorial hall are free, and metro rides are a few yuan.
Which sights close on Mondays?
Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, the Presidential Palace and the Massacre Memorial Hall all close on Mondays except on national holidays, and many Nanjing museums close one weekday. Check the official channel for each site before building a day around it.
How do I get from Shanghai to Nanjing?
High-speed rail from Shanghai Hongqiao, a bit over an hour, which makes a day trip possible. Most services arrive at Nanjing South Railway Station. Book on the official 12306 channel with your passport; tickets are e-tickets, so you scan the passport at the gate.
Is Nanjing worth more than a day trip?
Yes. Purple Mountain alone is a full day, and the city centre — Presidential Palace, museum and the Qinhuai riverfront — is another. Two or three days lets you add the Massacre Memorial Hall without cutting anything short.
When should I avoid Nanjing?
1–7 October, the National Day holiday, when rates roughly double and Purple Mountain slots vanish; July and August, when it is hot and humid; and the core Spring Festival week. Late April and mid-October to mid-November are the best windows.