Yangtze Delta · 4-5 Days

Nanjing & Yangzhou: Imperial Capital & Canal Cities

Nanjing\'s 600-year-old city walls, Sun Yat-sen\'s mountain-top mausoleum, and Yangzhou\'s Grand Canal morning tea culture — the Yangtze Delta\'s historic heart.

Route Overview

Duration
4-5 days
Route
Shanghai → Nanjing → Zhenjiang → Yangzhou → Shanghai
Budget
\$500-750/person

Nanjing (南京, \'Southern Capital\') was China\'s capital six times, most recently as the Republic of China\'s capital under Sun Yat-sen. It has Ming dynasty city walls (the longest surviving city walls in the world at 35 km), a mountain-top mausoleum, and a dark WWII history at the Nanjing Massacre Memorial. Yangzhou (扬州), 1 hour east, was one of China\'s wealthiest cities during the Tang dynasty thanks to its position on the Grand Canal. Today it is known for morning tea culture (早茶) — a leisurely dim sum ritual that rivals Guangzhou\'s.

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day 1: Shanghai → Nanjing

Take the 1-hour high-speed train from Shanghai to Nanjing South (¥140). Afternoon: walk the Nanjing City Wall (¥30) — the best section is from Xuanwu Gate to Taicheng, with views over Xuanwu Lake and Purple Mountain. Visit Jiming Temple (鸡鸣寺, ¥15), a 1,500-year-old Buddhist temple on the city wall. Evening: Fuzimiao (夫子庙, Confucius Temple) area — the pedestrian streets along the Qinhuai River are touristy but atmospheric at night with lanterns reflecting in the canal.

Local tip: The Nanjing City Wall section at Taicheng (台城) is the best-preserved section and has the classic view of Xuanwu Lake with the modern Nanjing skyline behind it. Go at sunset. The wall is wide enough to walk comfortably — it is up to 12m thick at the base.

Day 2: Nanjing

Morning: Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum (中山陵, free, book ahead) — a grand staircase of 392 steps leading up Purple Mountain to a blue-roofed memorial hall. The mausoleum is China's most important Republican-era monument. Walk to the nearby Ming Xiaoling Tomb (明孝陵, ¥70) — the burial site of the Hongwu Emperor, founder of the Ming dynasty, with a 1.8km 'Spirit Way' lined with stone animals. Afternoon: Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall (free, book ahead) — a somber, essential museum documenting the 1937 Japanese occupation. It is heavy but world-class.

Local tip: Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum requires a free reservation on WeChat (search 钟山风景区). Book 2-3 days ahead. The 392 steps are not as intimidating as they look — there are rest platforms. The Ming Xiaoling Spirit Way is most atmospheric in autumn when the maple trees turn red.

Day 3: Nanjing → Zhenjiang → Yangzhou

Morning: train from Nanjing to Zhenjiang (20 min, ¥30). Zhenjiang (镇江) is a small city on the Yangtze with three scenic hills. Visit Jinshan Temple (金山寺, ¥65) — a Buddhist temple on a hilltop island where legend says a white snake spirit was trapped under the pagoda. After lunch (Zhenjiang is famous for vinegar — try the vinegar-braised pork ribs), take the 30-minute bus across the Yangtze to Yangzhou. Afternoon: Slender West Lake (瘦西湖, ¥150) — a long, narrow lake with willow-lined banks, arched stone bridges, and Ming-Qing pavilions. It is West Lake's smaller, more refined cousin.

Local tip: Slender West Lake is ¥150 — expensive by Chinese standards. The ticket is worth it for the Five Pavilion Bridge and the White Dagoba. Walk the full length (3 km, about 2 hours) from south to north. The lake is most beautiful in March-April when the peach blossoms and willows are in full display — '烟花三月下扬州' as the Tang poem says.

Day 4: Yangzhou → Shanghai

Morning: Yangzhou morning tea (早茶) — this is the city's defining cultural experience. Go to Fuchun Tea House (富春茶社, est. 1885) or Yechun Tea House (冶春茶社) by 7:30am. Order san ding bao (三丁包, three-dice buns filled with chicken, pork, and bamboo shoots), crab roe soup dumplings (蟹黄汤包), and a pot of Biluochun green tea. The meal takes 1-2 hours — this is not fast food. Afternoon: visit Geyuan Garden (个园, ¥45), a Qing dynasty salt merchant's garden with bamboo groves and rockeries representing the four seasons. Then train back to Shanghai (2 hrs, ¥120).

Local tip: Yangzhou morning tea is a ritual, not a meal. It is leisurely — do not rush. The most famous dish is crab roe soup dumpling (蟹黄汤包) — you drink the soup through a straw before eating the wrapper. Fuchun Tea House fills up by 8am on weekends. Go on a weekday or arrive by 7am. The old Fuchun on Deshengqiao Road is the original.
Practical Info

Planning This Route

Getting There

Shanghai-Nanjing: high-speed train (1 hr, ¥140). Nanjing-Zhenjiang: train (20 min, ¥30). Zhenjiang-Yangzhou: bus across the Yangtze bridge (30 min, ¥20). Yangzhou-Shanghai: train (2 hrs, ¥120). The entire route is on the high-speed rail network.

Where to Stay

Nanjing: Xinjiekou area (city centre, $40-100/night) or near Fuzimiao for the river atmosphere. Yangzhou: near Slender West Lake or the old city ($30-80/night).

When to Go

March-April (spring blossoms, the classic 'going to Yangzhou in March' season) and October-November (autumn colours on Purple Mountain). Avoid July-August — Nanjing is one of China's 'Four Furnaces' and temperatures hit 38°C.

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Richard Du
Chinese native, based in the UK. 50+ trips back to China. I build tools to make sure your first 48 hours are magical, not a logistical nightmare.