Nanjing whispers stories. Beneath its modern skyline, dynasties linger in gilded temples, moonlit canals, and silent city walls. As China's ancient capital of six dynasties, it's where emperors plotted wars, poets drowned in wine, and revolutionaries ignited change.

Just a one-hour bullet train ride from Shanghai, Nanjing is the best choice to start a summer citywalk into Chinese art and history. Explore its stories through digital art scrolls, duck-scented alleys, and Republic-era boulevards with Fiona.

Nanjing at a glance

Nanjing, the capital of neighboring Jiangsu Province, is a city where history and modernity coexist harmoniously. Known for its pivotal role in Chinese history, Nanjing served as the capital during several dynasties, leaving a rich cultural legacy. The city is renowned for its culinary delights, including roasted duck and Jinling cuisine. With its blend of historical sites, artistic spaces, and natural beauty, Nanjing offers a unique and captivating experience for travelers.

9am: Deji Art Museum​

Begin at Deji Plaza, the world's top-selling single-store mall located at Xinjiekou, Nanjing's City Center. First stop is Deji Art Museum on the 8th floor, where history isn't behind glass – it embraces you.

Open later than any museum on Earth, Deji Art Museum redefines cultural accessibility. While others occasionally extend hours for special events, this avant-garde space operates until midnight 365 nights a year – making it the world's only permanent "Midnight Museum" and the longest-running art institution globally.

"An Era in Jinling" is an artwork where you walk in 12th-century Nanjing – Song Dynasty fishmongers shout prices, silk merchants unroll bolts of azure brocade, and your shadow mingles with animated scholars. This 110-meter digital scroll responds to your movements – lean close to hear lute music drift from a teahouse.

"Tales from a Synthetic Future" is NFT (non-fungible token) pioneer Beeple's dystopian animations exploding across screens. Don't miss "S.2122" – an imagination of the future.

If you go:

Opening hours: 2pm-12am (Tuesday); 10am-12am (Monday, Wednesday to Sunday)

Address: 8/F, Phase II, Deji Plaza, No. 18 Zhongshan Road

Admission: Free ("An Era in Jinling"); 50 yuan (Beeple: Tales from a Synthetic Future)

12pm: Restrooms of Deji Plaza

Many people say that when you visit Nanjing, there's really only one thing that you must do – and that's visit the restroom. But not just any restroom; the now-iconic 20-million-yuan restroom in Deji Plaza. But here's the thing: you don't come here to actually use the restroom, but for the photos and mood.

Deji Plaza has redefined what a "trip to the restroom" means and turned the most mundane daily routine into a visual adventure. With each level offering a restroom of a different theme, it's like walking through a gallery of artistic creations.

2pm: Changjiang Road

From the modern flair of Deji Plaza, take a short stroll into the pages of history. Stretching approximately 1,800 meters east-west through downtown Nanjing, Changjiang Road is a street with a history dating back to the Six Dynasties (AD 220-589) period, when it lay at the heart of the imperial palace.

However, due to historical upheavals – particularly after the Sui Dynasty (581-618) destroyed the Chen Dynasty (557-589), reducing Jiankang (ancient Nanjing) and its palaces to ruins – the road vanished for over 300 years. It wasn't until the Ming, Qing, and Republic of China eras that Changjiang Road regained its former vibrancy.

Today, it's a must-visit destination, famous for its dappled shadows of phoenix trees, the iconic Changjiang Road street sign, charming streetscapes, and well-preserved historic buildings. Along this road, unfold some of Nanjing's most significant cultural landmarks and historical memories, including the Six Dynasties Museum, the Presidential Palace, the 1912 District, the former National Assembly Hall, Nanjing Library, the National Art Museum, and Pilu Temple.

3pm: Former National Art Museum

Just steps away from this emblem of China's artistic heritage, another landmark on Changjiang Road beckons with a different yet equally profound narrative.

This building is one of the best-preserved buildings on Changjiang Road, still retaining the original decoration.

The art museum stands as China's first state-level art institution, with construction commencing in 1935 and completed in 1936, marking the formal inception of China's art museum enterprise. Renamed as the Jiangsu Art Museum Exhibition Hall in 1960, it has since hosted numerous influential exhibitions, including several National Fine Arts Exhibitions and specialized shows of traditional Chinese painting, oil painting, and printmaking.

If you go:

Opening hours: 9am-5pm, last admission at 4:30pm, Tuesday to Sunday (Closed on Mondays, except public holidays)

Address: 266 Changjiang Road

Admission: Free (Reservation is required)

4pm: Jiangning Imperial Silk Manufacturing Museum

It's the place to get a touch of cloud-patterned silk woven with 24k gold thread. Built on the historic site of the Jiangning Weaving Bureau from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), the museum showcases Yunjin brocade, once fit for emperors and now a UNESCO treasure.

A Dream in Red Mansions is one of China's four great classic novels. Its author, Cao Xueqin, was born during the Qing Dynasty and raised in the Jiangning Weaving Bureau's mansion. His family's rise and fall, along with Nanjing's social customs, deeply influenced his masterpiece.

If you go:

Opening hours: 9am-5pm (Closed on Mondays, except for national holidays.)

Address: 123 Changjiang Road

Admission: 30 yuan

6pm: Duck and potsticker

Golden-brown and glossy, with a firm, crispy "bottom" that shatters with each bite, and a tender, juicy "waist" soaked in savory meat juices – the filling and wrapper meld into one harmonious delight.

Li Ji's most authentic specialty is its beef potstickers – extra-large, golden and shaped like ingots. Though the wrapper isn't thin, it's wonderfully crisp. With the first bite, rich broth bursts forth, while the filling, generously studded with fragrant scallions, delivers irresistible flavor.

On the opposite end, Zhangyun Duck is a small takeout counter loved by local residents.

The signature roasted duck is celebrated for its lean, firm texture and minimal subcutaneous fat, paired with a uniquely sweet home-made broth, creating a distinctive flavor profile.

The salted duck follows traditional curing techniques, delivering dense, non-gamey meat with evenly distributed fat, perfectly embodying the authentic taste of Nanjing-style salted duck.

If you go:

Zhangyun Duck

Opening hours: 7am-7pm

Address: 208, Pingshi Street

Li Ji Restauant

Opening hours: 5:30am-7:30pm

Address: 1, Dading Lane, Pingshi Street (near Jianye Road)

8pm: Qinhuai River Cruise at Fuzi Temple

Nestled in the heart of Nanjing, the Fuzi (Confucius) Temple, along with the Qinhuai River area, is undoubtedly one of the city's most iconic attractions. The atmospheric streets are filled with traditional music, local delicacies, and bustling shops, creating a lively cultural experience. This area offers a glimpse into Nanjing's historical charm, blending ancient traditions with modern vibrancy, making it a highlight of any visit.

Taking a Qinhuai River Cruise at the pier is a Chinese tradition that spans 2,000 years. It is the same experience as the ancient poets watching performances and creating their lines.

If you go:

Opening hours: 9am-10pm

Address: Panchi Pier, Fuzi Temple

9pm: Jiangnan Gongyuan (Examination Hall)

The Jiangnan Examination Hall, China's largest testing ground, is now a museum showcasing the Chinese imperial examination system. The system has had a profound impact on the world's talent management system, and the civil service system adopted by Western countries today is a successful example of borrowing from the Chinese imperial examination system.

The Jiangnan Gongyuan was founded in the fourth year of the Qiandao reign of Emperor Xiaozong of the Southern Song Dynasty (1168), during the peak of the Ming and Qing dynasties, and could accommodate 20,644 candidates for exams.

If you go:

Opening hours: 9am-10pm

Address: No. 95, Gongyuan Street

Admission: 25 yuan

Day 2

10am: Nanjing Museum

Listed among the top 3 museums in China, Nanjing Museum was founded in 1933 and houses over ​430,000 Chinese antiquities and artworks.

A must-see is the Western Han Golden Beast. Discovered in 1982 in a humble Jiangsu village clay jar, the 2,100-year-old golden beast redefines ancient Chinese metallurgy. Weighing 9,100 grams, it reigns as China's heaviest ancient gold artifact ever unearthed.

Meanwhile, there is a hidden gem downstairs. An entire 1930s street of Nanjing, offering vintage things and photo service.

If you go:

Opening hours: 9am-5pm (Last entry at 16:00, closed on Mondays, Chinese New Year's Eve and the first day of the Lunar New Year.)

Address: 321 Zhongshan Rd E.

Admission: Free (Reservation is required)

1pm: Jinling cuisine

Jinling cuisine is deeply infused with the rich cultural heritage of Nanjing. With a theme inspired by "A Dream in Red Mansions," the restaurant draws inspiration from the novel, including grandmother Liu's eggplant and Baoyu's shrimp, showcasing Nanjing's profound literary legacy.

If you go:

Opening hours: 10:30am-9:30pm

Address: 27 Wubanqiao Rd

3pm: Citywalk

The best route for a Nanjing Citywalk is from Yihe Road to Jinyin Street.

The Yihe Road Historic Block is the largest, most densely concentrated, and best-preserved residential area from the Republic of China era in Nanjing.

Xiqiao is on the way to Jinyin Street, a spot offering the best view of Zifeng Tower, an icon of Nanjing's skyline.

Nestled next to Nanjing University, Jinyin Street blends Eastern and Western influences, dotted with quirky stalls, indie shops, graffiti walls (including the viral "We Love Nanjing So Much" mural), and vibrant street art – perfect for photos. It was once a government treasury for gold and silver during imperial times and it became Nanjing's earliest expat enclave, lined with Western-style buildings and a cosmopolitan vibe. Transformed into a hip youth art district, it is buzzing with cafes, bars, and boutique stores that attract students and travelers alike.

5pm: Librairie Avant-Garde Bookstore

Founded in 1996, Librairie Avant-Garde is one of China's most renowned independent academic bookstores and a cultural landmark of Nanjing. With multiple branches across the city, its flagship Wutaishan Store has been honored as one of the "World's Ten Best Bookstores."

At the postcard wall in the Wutaishan Store, visitors can pick a unique postcard and pen down their memories or blessings for Nanjing, leaving behind a personal travel memento. More than just a tree hole of literature, this bookstore is also a haven for emotions and connections.

If you go:

Opening hours: 10am-9pm (Monday to Friday), 9:30am-10pm (Weekends)

Address: 173, Guangzhou Rd.

6pm: Nanjing City Wall​

Stretching 35.3 kilometers around Nanjing like a slumbering dragon, this 650-year-old marvel is one of the longest surviving ancient city walls in the world.

Crafted from 350 million hand-fired bricks, each stamped with the maker's name for accountability, it's a UNESCO-honor-pending monument whispering tales of emperors, invaders, and rebirth.

It's the best spot to watch the sunset on Xuanwu Lake, the Imperial Garden lake from 2,000 years ago. The City Wall offers evening tickets with a light show.

If you go:

Jiefang Gate - Taiping Gate section

Daytime ticket: 15 yuan (8:30am-5pm)

Evening ticket: 15 yuan (5pm-9pm, last entry at 8:30pm)

Address: 8, Jiefang Gate, Jiming Temple Rd

How to Get There

High-speed trains between Shanghai and Nanjing take about one hour (the fastest,) with over 500 trips daily from 6:27am to 9:50pm. Second-class ticket prices range from 55 yuan to 212 yuan. Driving from Shanghai takes about three hours.

Where to stay

Housed within the Asia Pacific Business Building, Jinling Hotel anchors a premier mixed-use complex that combines a 5A-grade intelligent office tower built to international standards, a world-class five-star hotel, and a range of supporting commercial amenities. Soaring 242 meters, the development features a 57-story main tower, a four-story podium, and three underground levels.

Jinling Hotel

Address: 2 Hanzhong Rd

Room Price: Starting from 850 yuan

(Su Qianhui also contributed to this article)