Nanjing Tours — Six Dynasties Capital

Sun Yat-sen's tomb climbs the southern slope of Purple Mountain up 392 granite steps to a hemispherical-roofed hall, its layout said to echo a free-standing bell meant to wake a sleeping China. Designed by Lu Yanchi and completed in 1929, it anchors the Zhongshan scenic area, reached by a tree-lined Sacred Way. The climb is steep but cool under plane trees. Entry is free, but a real-name timed reservation is required; give 2–3 hours and come early to beat the tour groups.

The tomb of Hongwu, founder of the Ming dynasty (begun 1381) and the model for every imperial mausoleum that followed — UNESCO-listed since 2003. The classic walk is the Sacred Way's Stone Elephant Road, where twelve pairs of stone beasts and officials stand among plane and maple trees that turn amber and red by late November, before the square Minglou tower and the emperor's burial mound. Entry ¥70 within the Zhongshan area; about 2 hours, best on a clear autumn morning.

The largest surviving Chinese city wall, raised by Hongwu over 21 years from 1366 — Ming bricks still stamped with the kiln districts that fired them. The showpiece is Zhonghua Gate, a huge 'urn' gate with four vaulted chambers and loopholes built to trap attackers between its doors. Walk the grassy crest for views over the old quarter. Day ticket ¥50; give about an hour, more if you continue along the wall path.

A Confucian temple on the Qinhuai since the Song dynasty, whose vermilion Dacheng (Great Achievement) Hall — entered through a grove of stone stelae and past a bronze ding — anchors a lively pedestrian quarter. The streets themselves are free to wander and come alive at dusk with lanterns, food stalls, and the splash of pleasure boats on the river. Hall ticket ¥30; the lanes cost nothing. Come after dark, grab a Nanjing snack on the way, and allow an unhurried hour or two.

A layered compound of gardens and government halls — a Ming and Qing prince's residence, capital of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, then the nerve centre of Chiang Kai-shek's republic. Western office blocks sit behind a classical garden with a lake, pavilions, and a gate that has seen two dynasties; exhibitions trace 600 years from Zhu Di's palace to 1949. Entry ¥35; allow 1.5–2 hours, and finish at the cafés on nearby 1912 Street.

One of China's oldest and richest museums, tracing 6,000 years of Jiangsu culture through bronzes, jade, Ming goldwork and Buddhist relics, plus a recreated 1930s street of shopfronts you can walk through. Separate history, art and digital halls fill a whole day easily. Admission is free, but a real-name online reservation is compulsory and slots sell out days ahead; closed Mondays. Give 2–3 hours and start at the opening bell to see the imperial collections in peace.