Nanjing 南京 Travel Guide

Considered to be one of China’s most pleasant cities Nanjing was twice China’s capital, first during part of the Ming dynasty and later as the capital of the Republic of China in the early 20th century. Today it’s a mix of futuristic office towers, lush green parks and huge shopping malls. Being home to some of China’s best universities it has a young, vibrant and cosmopolitan feel alongside plenty to see and do and all this only 2 hours from Shanghai by bullet train.

A great mixture of the past and the future permeate Nanjing making it well worth a visit for those trying to capture a snapshot of today’s China.

The Sun Yat Sen Memorial is a huge mausoleum on Zijin hill dedicated to the man who is considered the father of modern China and led the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty. The Yangtze River Bridge was completed in 1968 and at 4,500 meters long was justly considered a huge achievement for the Communists. The Zijin Observatory is one of the highlights in this historically rich area and contains a collection of bronze Ming and Qing astronomical instruments. Fuzi Temple is a 1,500 year old Confucian temple that, today, is slap bang in the city’s entertainment area. The Jiming Temple is a busy, working Buddhist temple dating back to AD 527 during the Three Kingdoms period.

Often overlooked on travel itineraries Nanjing is well worth a day or two, especially as part of a wider exploration of Eastern China.

As a good all-rounder we recommend the Central Hotel in Nanjing which has good standards and represents good value. There are also the usual 5* chains operating if more luxury is required.

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By Phil Stanley & Headseast – TCTC Destination Expert.