NANJING 南京 4D3N
Onto our last city of the trip, Nanjing! We took the train from Suzhou, around 1.5hours!
We checked in to our hotel 📍 南京夫子庙景区漫心酒店 which was located near 夫子庙 and 📍南京万象天地
Went to the mall for quick shopping! Bought to summer perfume and meltseason here! They even had the Goodees popup here! Also tried Charlietown town, which didn’t have a crazy queue like the Shanghai branch. I tried the milk tea with the blended pearls, quite an interesting texture!! But I still prefer my bobas the way it is hehe
We took the train from 三山街 to 夫子庙 station, and walked over to 夫子庙 street via 东园桥 and 平江桥. There were so many street photographers and the crowd levels were crazy too! Walked around and we had dinner at 📍 金陵家宴·金陵春.南京菜(夫子庙店) which was pretty good! Enjoyed all the dishes here 😛 From there we simply walked back to the hotel and called it a night!
Day 2
Started the day with 颐和路 citywalk!
Route:
- 宁海中学(北门) (to get photo of the 紫峰大厦)
- 先锋书店(颐和书馆) (via 江苏路) really pretty library! Take photos from the balcony area at 2nd floor. There is a little museum on the 3rd floor, and souvenir area on the 1st floor!
- 颐和路歪脖子树: there were so many photographers and people queueing up to take photo with the tree…. Which looked like every other tree on the street HAHAHA
Lunch: ate at 📍美丽心情(西桥店)
It was such an unassuming shop on the outside, but it was a cozy little shop inside! The moment i saw the pizza oven, i knew i had to get the Neapolitan pizza!! Chef kisses 🤤🤤 my mum got the cod fish and it was really fresh and good as well!! Price was on the steeper side but definitely worth it, especially after many days of Chinese food hahaha
📍 cot sth coffee(颐和路店)
Had coffee at this little cafe and it was so good! Met the cutest westie named 皮蛋 and she had a little tiara!! Love that everywhere is so pet friendly in China!
Headed to 📍牛首山 after coffee and we went via 西门
There was a shuttle provided from the drop off area, before we reached the actual 西门! We got the tickets via trip.com, but you will have to head to the counters with your passport to exchange for physical tickets! From 西门, we opted to take the shuttle bus to the main area (CNY40 for round trip) you can walk up the mountain but me and my mum was not up for a walk 🤣
From the bus drop off place, you just need to take a couple escalators (+1 long flight of stairs) to reach the top! I went up the 弘觉寺塔 to get a good shot of 牛首山! But definitely not an easy climb up! I think there was a total of 9 floors?
We went to the main hall (禅境大观), and there was a performance ongoing! After it ended, we simply followed the crowd to reach the basement hall (舍利大殿). Do take note that you’ll need to wear the disposable shoe covers provided to enter!
It was amazing to see how they built it so deep (I think we went down at least 5 escalators) The view was simply spectacular and almost unreal!! The photos definitely don’t do justice to the majestic design. Do head up one floor, to take photos and videos from the 2F balcony!
It is a one way route, so follow the crowd and you’ll walk past a few souvenir shops before you reach the entrance again! I was there around 2.30pm, and finished around 4pm! Since it was close to the closing time, I went back into the main hall, and found the sleeping Buddha (it wasn’t there during the performance earlier on). Don’t know how they did it but it was so cool! There were also lesser people so I think the tip is definitely to visit near closing time to avoid the crowd!
We went back down to the shuttle bus area towards 西门 (there were significantly lesser people as compared to 东门) but you have freedom to go either!
After descending from the mountain, we took a didi to 📍老门东 it was not too bad, and their alleys were filled with interesting shops! Queued around 1.5hours for 📍南京大牌档 (get a queue number earlier via 大众点评!) but the dishes were alright only, not really up to our taste so we’ll probably give it a pass 🙂
Day 3
Started with breakfast at 📍 张记香酥鸡蛋灌饼(丰富路店) it was so good! Wanted to head to 📍 金陵鸡蛋汉堡南京特色名小吃 after, but they only opened at 11am so we went to the mall nearby first! When we went back at 11.30am, there was a snaking queue outside! Queued for 30mins, and it was definitely worth it!! It was like McMuffin on steroids HAHAHA so flavourful!
We had a little citywalk after: B.U.BREAD&COFFEE(南台巷店) - 啾·Buono - NIJO二条商店 - wanted to head to lunch at 李记清真馆(打钉巷店) BUT THE QUEUE WAS NO GO omg
So we went to 德基广场 instead, the mall with the crazy aesthetic toilets 🤣🤣 it was definitely fun exploring the toilets on each floor! Never seen the toilet being so crowded with people taking photos HAHA
Tried 📍 椿田熟成茶行(南京德基店) - brown sugar milk tea (not too bad, maybe top 4? 🤣
And also 📍 去茶山(南京德基广场店) not too bad as they had little mochi balls as toppings! Their flavours are more towards fruit tea so it was refreshing as well!
We just hung out at the mall until it was time for early dinner at 📍 广东阿生鱼捞·斑鱼海鲜粥火锅(新街口店)
It was so interesting to see how they brought out the soup dry 🤣🤣 they literally just add the water right infront of you - one side is fish soup and the other side is fish porridge! The fish soup tasted really clean, and they had white fungus and mochi ball (omg again, but it was a great addition). The ingredients were really fresh, and the fish were sliced so thinly it was like shabu style - 3-5 seconds and it was cooked! The server was so lovely to assist us with the cooking cause we looked so lost 🤣🤣 it was a different taste from the usual hotpot we get where it’s pretty heavy and strong tasting, but I feel healthy eating this! 😛😛 would definitely wanna try the OG ones in Guangzhou hehe
Day 4
I was so bummed about not being able to try 李记清真馆 the day before but I found out I could preorder for delivery hehehe so I ordered for bfast! I love you 美团 🫶🏻🫶🏻 The 牛肉锅贴 was soooooo good ❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥 牛肉小笼包 was not too bad, but the 牛肉煎包 was absolute trash 🥴 the skin was just so thick HAHAAH but bopian I had to hit the minimum order, so JUST ORDER THE 牛肉锅贴 it’s so worth it!!!
We chilled in the hotel room before checking out at 11am for lunch at 📍 鹏华石磨肠粉 right opposite our hotel! It was a small little shop so do go early to avoid the queue! We were seated immediately and we ordered the 牛肉肠粉 and chicken claypot rice! The claypot rice was really nice and fragrant, but the beef cheongfan was really mid. We ordered their daily soup and they gave up ABC pork rib soup which was really good!
Went back to the mall for 周四晚 one last time and it was time to jet home!
China is definitely fun and I can’t wait to explore more cities!
Traveling through Nanjing over four days offers a blend of rich history, vibrant street life, and unique culinary experiences that truly capture the essence of this ancient capital. One thing I found particularly rewarding was exploring the less touristy neighborhoods and local cafes, which gave me a more authentic feel of the city beyond the popular attractions. For example, visiting 颐和路 (Yi He Road) was a highlight; the peaceful citywalk along this road introduced me to charming bookstores like 先锋书店 (Xianfeng Bookstore) and quaint coffee shops such as cot sth coffee. Meeting 皮蛋, the adorable Westie dog at the cafe, added a delightful personal touch, showing how pet-friendly and welcoming Nanjing can be. The experience at 牛首山 (Niu Shou Mountain Cultural Tourism Area) was memorable as well. The convenience of the shuttle and escalators made the climb manageable, and exploring the 弘觉寺塔 (Hongjue Temple Tower) and underground halls was unlike anything I've seen before. The stunning architecture and serene performances offer deep cultural insights, and visiting near closing time was a great tip to avoid the crowds and see special sights like the sleeping Buddha statue. Food lovers will appreciate the local specialties showcased in various eateries, from the crispy 张记香酥鸡蛋灌饼 breakfast to the intriguing seafood porridge hotpot at 广东阿生鱼捞. Trying different milk teas with unique toppings like blended pearls and mochi balls was also fun – each shop had its own twist, reflecting the city's innovative café culture. Shopping and exploring malls such as 德基广场 with its quirky, photo-worthy restrooms provided a modern contrast to the historic streets like 夫子庙 and 老门东, where traditional architecture and lively markets blend seamlessly. This mix of old and new makes Nanjing a multifaceted destination. Overall, I found that pacing your itinerary between cultural sites, delicious meals, and casual city strolls helps soak in the city’s atmosphere intimately. My advice: embrace both planned visits and spontaneous detours to discover hidden gems. Nanjing’s blend of history, food, and friendly local vibe makes every moment there special and memorable.
