3 days · China itinerary
Nanjing in 3 days
Purple Mountain heritage, Qinhuai nights, and a Ming-wall or museum buffer day before Shanghai or Hangzhou rail.
- 3 days
- Nanjing
- history focus
An independent planning outline, not a booked package. Plan your accommodation and confirm current admission and transport arrangements.
Places on this itinerary
- C.City-centre reference
- 1.Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum
- 2.Confucius Temple (Fuzimiao)
Day by day
Day 1
Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum / Purple Mountain
- Main activity
- Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum / Purple Mountain
Plan your visit
Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum: Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum (中山陵) is a heritage stop in Nanjing. Monumental memorial on Purple Mountain. Combine with nearby Ming Xiaoling for a Purple Mountain day.
Visit timing
About 2.5 hours on site (catalog estimate; travel and queues extra).
Use the city guide to plan travel between sights.
Admission & reservations
Check current admission and opening hours in the linked attraction guides.
Day 2
Confucius Temple and Qinhuai River
- Main activity
- Confucius Temple and Qinhuai River
Plan your visit
Confucius Temple (Fuzimiao): Confucius Temple (Fuzimiao) (夫子庙) is a neighborhood stop in Nanjing. Qinhuai River temple and night-market district. Evening lights are the draw; daytime is better for temple details.
Visit timing
About 2 hours on site (catalog estimate; travel and queues extra).
Use the city guide to plan travel between sights.
Admission & reservations
Check current admission and opening hours in the linked attraction guides.
Day 3
City wall or museum morning + Nanjing South buffer
- Main activity
- City wall or museum morning + Nanjing South buffer
Nanjing South is south of the historic core — build transfer time.
Useful guides
Where to stay
If staying overnight, compare neighbourhoods near your main sights and transport. Day trips may not need a hotel; no fixed number of nights is assumed.
Nanjing
Choose a neighbourhood convenient for the sights and your arrival or departure terminal.
Trains and transfers
These are optional onward connections, not transfers required by the itinerary.
Shanghai → Nanjing (HSR)
Yangtze Delta history corridor linking Shanghai’s hub with Nanjing’s republican-era landmarks.
Hangzhou → Nanjing (HSR)
Yangtze Delta secondary hop linking West Lake weekends with Nanjing heritage stops.
Budget
Costs to plan
- Accommodation if staying overnight (confirm the number of nights)
- Meals, local transport and optional excursions
- Admission for the attractions listed on each day
What's included on this page
- Suggested daily activities and catalog visit-length estimates
- Links to verified ticket tariffs when the site has them
- Hotel-area orientation and published route guides
- No booking service, live availability or package total
Prices vary by travel date and provider. Only sourced admission prices are quoted within the relevant day cards; other costs are not assumed to be zero.
Before you go
Common questions
Is this a booked tour?
No. This is an editorial itinerary outline. You book travel and admissions independently.
Are the listed travel times and prices live?
No. Rail timings in the catalog are indicative. Confirm schedules, admission and fares for your specific dates.
How many hotel nights do I need?
That depends on when you arrive and leave. The itinerary counts calendar days, not a fixed number of hotel nights.
Sources and updates
This route uses ChinaTravelChina's destination and attraction catalog. Confirm current admission, opening hours and train information on official channels. Dated ticket sources apply only to the named attractions.