Nanjing Tours & Things to Do
Discover the best Nanjing tours and things to do in one of China’s great ancient capitals: wander the Confucius Temple and glowing Qinhuai River, visit the vast Ming Xiaoling and Sun Yat-sen mausoleums on Purple Mountain, walk atop the mighty Ming city wall, and taste Jiangsu street food. Compare top-rated experiences and plan the perfect trip.
Explore Nanjing by interest
Whatever brings you to Nanjing — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
Top attractions in Nanjing
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
Confucius Temple
Qinhuai River.
Ming Xiaoling
Imperial tomb.
Sun Yat-sen
Grand memorial.
Ming City Wall
Ancient rampart.
Purple Mountain
Forest park.
Qinhuai at Night
Lantern-lit river.
City Skyline
Modern Nanjing.
Street Food
Jiangsu snacks.
City awayConfucius Temple
Qinhuai River.
Purple Mtn awayMing Xiaoling
Imperial tomb.
Purple Mtn awaySun Yat-sen
Grand memorial.
City awayCity Wall
Ming rampart.
30 min awayPurple Mountain
Forest park.
City awayStreet Food
Night food tour.
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Nanjing visitor asks before booking.
Spring (Mar–May)
Mild and blooming — the best season.
Summer (Jun–Aug)
Hot and humid — one of China’s “furnaces”.
Autumn (Sep–Nov)
Crisp air and golden leaves on Purple Mountain.
Winter (Dec–Feb)
Cold and quiet, good for sightseeing.
For colours
Late autumn for foliage on Purple Mountain.
Best overall
Spring and autumn for comfortable weather.
One day
The Confucius Temple and a mausoleum.
Two days
Add Purple Mountain and the city wall.
Three days
Add museums and a Qinhuai night cruise.
For history
The Ming and Sun Yat-sen tombs.
For nature
A day on Purple Mountain.
For food
A Qinhuai night food tour.
By metro
A large metro reaches most major sights.
Tours & transfers
Tours reach Purple Mountain and the tombs.
On foot
The Confucius Temple area is walkable.
By taxi
Taxis and ride-hailing are cheap and easy.
Where to stay
Stay near the Confucius Temple or Xinjiekou.
Chinese yuan
China uses the yuan; mobile pay is common.
Confucius Temple
Come at night for the lit Qinhuai River.
Ming Xiaoling
Walk the Sacred Way of stone animals.
Sun Yat-sen
Be ready for the long climb of steps.
City wall
Walk a section for panoramic views.
Purple Mountain
Allow a full day to see its sights.
Local food
Try Nanjing salted duck.
Temple tours
Confucius Temple tours fill up — book ahead.
Mausoleum tours
Ming Xiaoling tours fill up — reserve early.
Sun Yat-sen tours
Memorial tours fill up — book ahead.
Purple Mountain tours
Mountain tours fill up — reserve early.
Food tours
Night food tours fill up — book ahead.
Spring & autumn
These seasons are busiest — book well ahead.
Temple tour
Around €40–70 for a Confucius Temple tour.
Mausoleum tour
About €26–60 for a Ming Xiaoling tour.
Private day tour
Roughly €58–130 for a private city tour.
City wall tour
Around €80–120 for a wall and city tour.
Food tour
About €58–120 for a night food tour.
How to save
Join group tours to save over private ones.
Nanjing through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
- Best for
- Mild & blooming.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Best.
- Best for
- Long days.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Humid.
- Best for
- Golden leaves.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Lovely.
- Best for
- Quiet sights.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Cold.