Top 20 Best Things to Do in Nanjing
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Top 20 Best Things to Do in Nanjing

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Trip.Best is a collection of travel rankings that takes into account the travel choices and genuine preferences of hundres of millions of Trip.com users. It is updated monthly based on real data.
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  • Niushou Mountain Cultural Tourism Zonetop_1
    󰺂8.7
    537038
    Nanjing.Niushou Mountain/Ginkgo Lake Park15.7 km from downtown
    trip best TravelHotspot logoTwo Attractions, One Ticket: Niushoushan and Nan Tang er Ling
    trip best small logoFeatured in 2026 China 100 - Best Things to Do
    Highlights:
    󱨜The Reclining Buddha statue wall in Usnisa Palace is breathtaking
    󱨜Breathtaking Buddha statue wall
    󱨠Saved by 2156 users󱨠23549 positive reviews
    4.7/5
    Anonymous userAnonymous user

    The park is absolutely stunning and magnificent! It is beautifully constructed, offering a pleasant atmosphere. Although it is located a bit outside the city center, I found it very convenient to call a DiDi ride.The management of the scenic area is clearly excellent. I highly recommend that anyone visiting Nanjing must come here. It is definitely worth the trip.

  • Nanjing Hongshan Forest Zootop_2
    󰺂8.3
    222223
    Nanjing.Nanjing Railway Station/Hongshan Forest Zoo5.8 km from downtown
    trip best TravelHotspot logoStanley the wolf's weight soars to 40 kg
    trip best small logoAchieved a 2-year streak on the annual lists
    Highlights:
    37 exhibits & diverse animals
    󱓊Close encounter with Dudu (Monk monkey)
    󱨠Saved by 621 users󱨠13675 positive reviews
    4.6/5
    _TI***yh_TI***yh

    Red Mountain Zoo panda girl is active, you can see her three nine nine, and, flat, and the cultural and creative shop staff is very friendly to help me solve the problem of sending posrcard

  • Zhongshan Mountain National Parktop_3
    󰺂7.8
    Nanjing.Zijin Mountain Scenic Area/Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum Area6.2 km from downtown
    trip best TravelHotspot logoNanjing Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum Rouge Snow Pavilion Red Leaf Season | Dec 2025-Dec 2025
    trip best small logoFeatured in 2026 Global 50 - Fall Viewing Attractions
    Highlights:
    Unique astronomical observation experience
    󰋄Overlooking Jongsan (Ropeway)
    󱨠Saved by 981 users󱨠6815 positive reviews
    4.6/5
    Anonymous userAnonymous user

    Very worth visiting four attractions, but to plan a lot of time and legs and bones, one day to walk all four attractions is very strenuous, so if the admission ticket  can have a two-day use period even better. Remember to buy unlimited use shuttle tickets as soon as you enter. ¥30 Unlimited pick-up and drop-off, finally delivered to the subway station. Because each attraction is far apart, it is impossible to walk there at all. If you don't have enough time, you can go to Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum.

  • Grand Baoen Temple Heritage and Scenic Area
    4
    󰺂7.5
    322223
    Nanjing.Confucius Temple/Qinhuai River Scenic Area3.6 km from downtown
    trip best TravelHotspot logoFree admission day at Bao'en Temple, 5,000 tickets available for reservation | Dec 12, 2025-Dec 16, 2025
    trip best small logoNo. 2 of Night Attractions in Nanjing
    Highlights:
    󱨜78.2m-high Glass Pagoda
    󱓊China's second Buddhist temple
    󱨠Saved by 914 users󱨠6398 positive reviews
    4.7/5
    Ladie CLadie C

    What a fantastic place to visit. It’s very diverse and a wonderful area to learn and explore. Of course take some beautiful pictures. You can easily spend half a day there and enjoy some food or drinks at the end in the cafe. We enjoyed it to the full. Highly recommend!

  • Fuzimiao (Confucius Temple) Qinhuai Scenic Area
    5
    󰺂7.5
    Nanjing.Confucius Temple/Qinhuai River Scenic Area2.4 km from downtown
    trip best small logoAchieved a 3-year streak on the annual lists
    Highlights:
    󱨜Confucius Temple & Academy Complex
    󱓊Chinese Imperial Examination Museum in Nanjing
    󱨠Saved by 1490 users󱨠4711 positive reviews
    4.7/5
    天冷穿短袖天冷穿短袖

    The Qinhuai River scenery belt of Confucius Temple is really worth visiting! This is the historical and cultural treasure of Nanjing, with a deep cultural heritage. Confucius Temple and Jiangnan Gongyuan are all witnessing the glory of the past. Walking along the Qinhuai River, the Ming and Qing styles of architecture are simple and charming, which can make you feel the unique style of old Nanjing. It is even more beautiful at night. The lights are on at the beginning, the river is sparkling, and the paintings are shuttled in the river. The atmosphere of "Nightbo Qinhuai Near Restaurant" is directly full. Tired of shopping, there are various Nanjing specialty snacks on the street, such as duck blood vermicelli soup, plum cake, the taste is authentic, the price is OK. Whether it is to feel the history and culture, or to relax and taste food, this place will not disappoint you. It can be said to be a must-visit place for Nanjing tourism!

  • Nanjing Museum
    6
    󰺂7.3
    Nanjing.The Ming Palace and Nanjing Museum Area3.9 km from downtown
    trip best small logoFeatured in 2024 Asia 100 - Family-friendly Attractions
    Highlights:
    󱓊Nanjing Museum stamp & street view
    󱓊The Silver Witch Hazel (Treasure-holding)
    󱨠Saved by 919 users󱨠1888 positive reviews
    4.6/5
    ChiapanecoChiapaneco

    Fantastic and huge museum. Free but you must reserve tickets in advance on wechat (very difficult, make sure to do it 7 days in advance as they get booked up). Very little English, bring a translator app. I spent 6 hours here, could have spent more. There's 3 buildings:1. North building has 6 amazing galleries of regional history from dinasours and prehistory through Qing. Highlight of Jaingsu. 2. West building is mostly just 20th cent artists (skippable imo), but the basement is a huge recreated Republican-era Nanjing Street. Every storefront is an actual shop you can buy things at. Feels a bit like a commercialized version of the Japanese Edo museums. No historical artifacts or interpretation - 100% Disney-style, but still highly recommended. There's even a theater with live performances (English subtitles).3. Northwest buildings holds 15 temporary exhibition galleries. The first floor seemed to hold the blockbuster one (Oct 2025 was a huge encyclopedic gallery of Persian artifacts, really delightful). Higher floors seemed to hold thematic displays of Ming/Qing artifacts, likely ftom the Republican-era collection left behind in 1949. There's a cafe on the top floor along with a nice terrace.There's paid luggage storage before entry, may need a Chinese phone number though.

  • Nanjing Presidential Palace
    7
    󰺂7.2
    Nanjing.Xinjiekou Area/Presidential Palace1.3 km from downtown
    Highlights:
    Classical garden beauty & tranquility
    󰋄Combines Chinese & Western elements
    󱨠Saved by 822 users󱨠31047 positive reviews
    4.7/5
    M31***18M31***18

    Nanjing Presidential Palace is located on Changjiang Road, Xuanwu District, Nanjing City. It is the largest and most complete complex of modern Chinese architecture. It is an important site of modern Chinese history. It is the office of Sun Yat-sen's Interim President of the Republic of China. There are many exhibitions that tell the story in detail. There is time to look at it carefully.

  • The Oriental Metropolitan Museum
    8
    󰺂7.1
    100000
    Nanjing.Xinjiekou Area/Presidential Palace1.5 km from downtown
    trip best small logoNo. 4 of Family-friendly Attractions in Nanjing
    Highlights:
    󱨜Designed by Mr. Bei Jianzhong | 4 exhibition halls
    󱓊Archaeological excavation activities
    󱨠Saved by 256 users󱨠3193 positive reviews
    4.6/5
    红妆人Nefelibata红妆人Nefelibata

    It feels like this is a special museum of history and culture. There are fewer people and more cultural relics, and it is quiet! ! No reservation, the ticket is only 30! Mainly speaking the historical stories of the six dynasties of Nanjing from the beginning of the 3rd century to the end of the 6th century in Dongwu, Dongjin, Song, Qi, Liang, and Chen. Just next to the presidential palace, after going to the presidential palace, you can go to the Six Dynasties Museum! It feels like on Tao Wei, it can be seen that people in the Six Dynasties like hairstyles and costumes~~

  • Jiming Temple
    9
    󰺂7.0
    Nanjing.Xuanwu Lake Scenic Area/Jiming Temple2.4 km from downtown
    Highlights:
    󱓊Cherry blossoms & lotus views
    󰋄Filming site of Legend & White Snake
    󱨠Saved by 530 users󱨠653 positive reviews
    4.3/5
    M31***18M31***18

    The ancient Jiming Temple is located on the shore of Xuanwu Lake in Nanjing, backed by the Ming City Wall. It is a historic Buddhist holy place in Jinling City. Jiming Temple was built in the southern dynasty, and has been known as the first temple in the southern dynasty since ancient times, and the first temple in the southern dynasty. Although the scale of the temple is not large, the layout is rigorous, and the pharmacist Buddha Tower is a famous building. With the hot broadcast of TV dramas, the popularity of Jiming Temple has been continuously improved, and there are many tourists, which is worth seeing.

  • Qixia Mountain Scenic Area
    10
    󰺂6.9
    Nanjing.Xingang Development Zone21.4 km from downtown
    trip best TravelHotspot logoQixia Tourist Shuttle Bus Returns with Free Rides | Nov 29, 2025-Dec 28, 2025
    trip best small logoAchieved a 2-year streak on the annual lists
    Highlights:
    󱓊Famous for maple views (Autumn)
    󱨜Birthplace of Sanlun Sect of Buddhism
    󱨠Saved by 455 users󱨠4711 positive reviews
    4.7/5
    萝萝萝萝萝萝萝萝

    2025.11.27 I thought I had to wait for the beginning of December, but now the maple leaf 🍁 is very beautiful. The scenic spot is well planned, everyone can rush.

Best things to do in Nanjing (2025)

Looking for the ultimate experiences in Nanjing? From iconic landmarks to hidden gems, Nanjing offers an exceptional collection of activities and attractions that cater to every type of traveler.

Whether you’re here for sightseeing, adventure, or cultural exploration, these top-rated activities promise unforgettable memories.

Top-rated things to do in Nanjing

If you want to make the most of your trip, these activities deliver the full Nanjing experience. Expect popular attractions, unique local experiences, and must-see spots that capture the essence of the city.

Niushou Mountain Cultural Tourism Zone

• Nanjing.Niushou Mountain/Ginkgo Lake Park | 15.7 km from downtown

• : The Reclining Buddha statue wall in Usnisa Palace is breathtaking,Breathtaking Buddha statue wall

Nanjing Hongshan Forest Zoo

• Nanjing.Nanjing Railway Station/Hongshan Forest Zoo | 5.8 km from downtown

• : 37 exhibits & diverse animals,Close encounter with Dudu (Monk monkey)

Zhongshan Mountain National Park

• Nanjing.Zijin Mountain Scenic Area/Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum Area | 6.2 km from downtown

• : Unique astronomical observation experience,Overlooking Jongsan (Ropeway)

Things to do for unique experiences

These activities provide memorable experiences beyond the ordinary. Enjoy cultural tours, adventure sports, guided excursions, and immersive local experiences designed for all interests.

Things to do near Nanjing

If you want to explore attractions just outside Nanjing, there are plenty of activities that combine scenic surroundings with convenient access to the city, perfect for day trips or short excursions.

Each of these activities offers a unique escape within 1–3 hours of Nanjing, ideal for travelers who want to combine sightseeing with local experiences.

What makes things to do in Nanjing special

• Iconic landmarks: Visit must-see sights that define the city.
• Local experiences: Engage in culture, crafts, and unique activities.
• Accessible adventures: Easily reachable attractions for all travelers.
• Diverse options: From relaxing experiences to adventurous outings.

Tips for booking things to do in Nanjing

1. Plan ahead for popular attractions to avoid long queues.
2. Book early for guided tours or seasonal events.
3. Compare prices and packages on Trip.com for exclusive deals and bundled experiences.
4. Consider weekday visits for a quieter and more personalized experience.

Experience the best things to do in Nanjing

Ready to explore the best of Nanjing? Discover Trip.Best's curated list of things to do and experience adventure, culture, and unforgettable memories.

Book your perfect activities on Trip.com today, where excitement and discovery awaits.

What Best Things to Do are there in Nanjing?
These are all Best Things to Do in Nanjing:Niushou Mountain Cultural Tourism Zone, Nanjing Hongshan Forest Zoo, Zhongshan Mountain National Park, Grand Baoen Temple Heritage and Scenic Area, Fuzimiao (Confucius Temple) Qinhuai Scenic Area
What are some highly-rated Best Things to Do in Nanjing?
Some highly-rated Best Things to Do in Nanjing include:Niushou Mountain Cultural Tourism Zone:4.7, Nanjing Hongshan Forest Zoo:4.6, Zhongshan Mountain National Park:4.6, Grand Baoen Temple Heritage and Scenic Area:4.7, Fuzimiao (Confucius Temple) Qinhuai Scenic Area:4.7
At what locations in Nanjing can Best Things to Do in Nanjing be found?
The Best Things to Do in Nanjing are mainly located in:Niushou Mountain Cultural Tourism Zone:Nanjing, Nanjing Hongshan Forest Zoo:Nanjing, Zhongshan Mountain National Park:Nanjing, Grand Baoen Temple Heritage and Scenic Area:Nanjing, Fuzimiao (Confucius Temple) Qinhuai Scenic Area:Nanjing
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