Guide to Jiangsu Province Attractions

Jiangsu Province Attractions

Han Dynasty Tombs

Even the slightest of Chinese history enthusiasts will be engaged at these remarkably well preserved 2,000 year old tombs. The once Han Dynasty regional emperor Guang Ling (the origin of Yangzhou’s former name) had these wooden tombs constructed for he and his wife. The tombs were uncovered at an incredible 40 meters beneath the surface in the hills just north of Yangzhou. Discovered thirty years ago, the tombs were meticulously disassembled, moved to Yangzhou, and rebuilt within a museum.

Today, the museum sits on one of the few hills in Yangzhou and provides a rare elevated view of the city (on a smog-free day of course). The tombs themselves are composed of huge cuts of Chinese Nanmu wood, and include abundant displays explaining the symbolism behind their construction. Relics found with the tombs are also displayed here. A plus at this museum are the intelligible English captions alongside nearly every exhibit.

The tombs can be visited in about one hour, and as they are indoors, make for a worthwhile trip in any season. They are located around 1 km east of Da Ming Temple on Pingshan Tang road.

Tomb of Puhaddin (Hui Hui Tang)

Yangzhou saw an unprecedented amount of Arab traders during the Tang and Song Dynasties, and among them was the famous descendant of Muhammed named Puhaddin. While in Yangzhou he preached to fellow Islamic merchants, and he built the Xianhe (immortal crane) temple, which today is closed to non-Muslims. His tomb lies in a peaceful garden on a hill along the east bank of the old Grand Canal. The tomb features a unique blend of Muslim and Chinese influence. The graves of twenty other important Chinese Muslims, inscribed in both Chinese and Arabic, can also be found alongside Puhaddin's tomb. The tomb of Puhaddin is yet another reminder of Yangzhou's long standing international importance, and makes for a peaceful visit as well.

Castle Bar

Castle Bar is lively on weekends and can become packed during special events. However, during weekdays staff members often outnumber customers.

On a typical Friday or Saturday night Castle Bar sees a mix of Chinese bar-goers, foreign students and middl...

Castle Bar is lively on weekends and can become packed during special events. However, during weekdays staff members often outnumber customers.

On a typical Friday or Saturday night Castle Bar sees a mix of Chinese bar-goers, foreign students and middle-aged expats. Most come for a cheap place to drink and dance with a group of friends. A free VIP card grants access to ten yuan bottles of Qingdao and other drink specials. The pool table is always free but don’t expect perfectly straight cues.

How to get there: Castle Bar is right next to the Gulou Subway Station, adjacent to a McDonalds and almost within view of The Drum Tower (Gulou, 鼓楼). It is on the east side of Central Road (also known as Zhongyang Lu).

European Union Chamber of Commerce - China - Nanjing

Mingwa Alley

Mingwa Alley is one of the best little streets to find an assortment of xiaochi (snack, 小吃) vendors in Nanjing. There are so many xiaochi here that an adventurous person could make an entire meal out of a wide variety of little snacks. There are a few Muslim noodle joints,...

Side view of a Roujiamo

The Xinjiang meat on a stick vendor is one of the most popular in Nanjing, and there is also a stand on Hubei Road next to Hunan Road.

While there are a few good places to purchase roujiamo, the original and arguably most delicious roujiamo is served at the stall with the big red sign. This place is run by a woman from Xi’An (西安), the original home of roujiamo. A standard roujiamo is diced pork, herbs, and hot sauce stuffed into fresh bread that has been baked in a barrel-like oven.

One of the best roujiamo vendors. This one has been around for a long time.

Tip: Be forewarned that there is no guarantee that the snacks available at Mingwa Alley are sanitary. Use your own judgment. Watch how the food is handled and prepared as well as how the vendors handle their money.

How to Get There: Mingwa Alley is located behind the Bank of China (中国银行) next to Zhongshan Nan Road (中山南路) in Xinjiekou (新街口). It also runs perpendicular to Shigu Lu (石鼓路). The alley is only about one block long. Finding the alley is quite convenient as it is very close to the Xinjiekou Subway Station.

Peking Roast Duck Restaurant

Peking Roast Duck Restaurant offers an excellent special; buy one roasted duck for 38 yuan, and receive a coupon for a free duck which can be used upon your next visit. Besides the duck itself, it is an extra 8 yuan for each order of wraps, sauce and onions. Two orders should be enough. Guests can actually stand beside the chef to witness exactly how the duck is prepared. When you are about to finish the dish, the attendant will assist you by cooking the duck a second time with a different method. Have duck soup made for free or you can choose to pay an extra 5 yuan to have the remainder of the duck fried with salt and pepper. A variety of cold dishes and hot dishes are also available.

There is an English menu available but it is strangely much shorter than the Chinese menu. Nevertheless, the servers are sure to know you are there for the duck.

During supper hours consider yourself lucky if you can get a table without a wait.

Note: According to Peking Roast Duck Restaurant employees, some of the restaurants below are owned by different owners so prices may vary a bit. All locations have the "buy 1 now, get 1 free next time" deal but the coupon must be used at that same location.

Some of the Other Locations in Nanjing

No. 41 Youfu Xi Jie (游府西街42号)
+86 (0)25 8454 9348

No. 216 West Phoenix Street (Fenghuang Xi Jie, 凤凰西街216号)
+86 (0)25 8656 1012

No. 101 Hanzhongmen Dajie (汉中门大街101号)
+86 (0)25 8655 0888

No. 6 South Da Qiao Road (大桥南路6号) (Bus routes 31, 34, 100,1 6)
+86 (0)25 8342 2878

No. 113 Yudao Jie 113, Baixia District (百下区御道街113号)
+86 (0)25 8459 2982

Dong Quan Men Alley

Running parallel to the busy Wenchang Road is a quiet ancient back alley that contains a host of sites well worth visiting. The alley's main gate/entrance dates back to the Qing Dynasty. Small restaurants and craft shopss line the alley, yet it thankfully lacks any sense of commercialization. Other small alleys jet off to the sides, and wooden doors representing multiple eras of China's lengthy history serve as a backdrop to residents sitting on stools, smiling at passersby. Former Chinese president, and Yangzhou native, Jiang Zemin even has a residence in this alley.

Further down the alley lies one of the best preserved ancient residences in Yangzhou, that of the salt merchant Wang Shi (汪氏小苑). This residence and its nearby offshooting alleys allow for a unique opportunity to look into China's past and observe what has already been demolished in most other Chinese cities. The maze-like residence is a bit dusty and less renovated than other sights, which likely assist in making it feel as if you are walking on a piece of history.

Just east of this area is the Qiong Hua Temple (琼花观) and garden. The former temple, fronted by two 300 year old Gingko trees, is now an art gallery featuring rotating exhibitions of calligraphy and paintings by local artists. Behind the gallery is the quiet Qiong Hua garden which contains an abundance of Yangzhou’s city flower, the qiong hua. This flower was actually part of what drew emperors to Yangzhou for their spring tours.

Banana Night Club

Come here to dance. The dance floor bounces, lights up, and is always crowded. The club currently offers a buy one get one free deal on Budweiser bottles.

Cellar Bar

The current frontrunner in Yangzhou’s tiny pub scene is the welcoming Cellar Bar (赛乐酒吧) in the Ye Chun area. A great place to grab a drink (10 Yuan Becks for foreigners) or play pool, Cellar Bar has become a Yangzhou nightlife p...

Also, just across the street is July 5th Bar (七月五号酒吧) which has a pleasant atmosphere and nightly live music starting at around 9:30 or 10:00.

Grand Metropole Hotel

The Grand Metropole Hotel is probably the most upmarket hotel in the city, as it caters to most foreign business visitors. All of the expected services and amenities of a luxury hotel are provided, and the friendly staff can also help arrange tours. The restaurant is hard to beat as well with an nicely stocked buffet for only 80 Yuan. Room rates are also rather reasonable considering the plush atmosphere, starting at around 400 RMB a night.

Directions: The hotel is located at the intersection of Wenchang West Road (文昌路) and Daxue South Road (大学南路), just west of the old stone Shita pagoda. Visit the hotel’s (Chinese) website for a map.

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Top Jiangsu Province Tours

$80 Per Day

Relaxing Hot Spring Tour at Tangshan Area

Nanjing Tangshan is famous for the hot spring, hot spring is good for your skin and health, and relaxing your body and get rid of the press.

Maybe you don't like all the tourist attractions in the downtown, here would be one of another option.

This tour will be only visit 2 attractions and the rest will be spend the whole time in the hot spring. Or, if you prefer, you can only go for the spring.

Tour plan would be:

Hotel pick up -----> Yangshan Stele -----> Tangshan Ancient Ape Man Caves -----> Hot Spring -----> Send back to hotel.

Nanjing Tangshan is famous for the hot spring, hot spring is good for your skin and health, and relaxing your body and get rid of the press.

Maybe you don't like all the tourist attractions in the downtown, here would be one of another option.

This tour will be only visit 2 attractions and the rest will be spend the whole time in the hot spring. Or, if you prefer, you can only go for the spring.

Tour plan would be:

Hotel pick up -----> Yangshan Stele -----> Tangshan Ancient Ape Man Caves -----> Hot Spring -----> Send back to hotel.

Since Tangshan is a little town outside of Nanjing city and it`s quite far away, i would suggest to use a private car to drive there directly.

$40 Per Day

Nanjing nightlife tours - Bar crawling

In recent years Nanjing’s nightlife scene has undoubtedly changed for the better. The 1912 bar district is a common place to start a tour of Nanjing’s nightlife as it features Nanjing’s largest concentration of bars and clubs. Besides 1912, bars, pubs, clubs, karaokes, restaurants and not-so-mentionable locales are dispersed across the city, especially near Xinjiekou and close to the student population.

Nail Jazz Bar is a light bar with good Jazz muisc, live sometimes, they have over 50 kinds of imported beer from all over the World, the Draft beer Hoegaarden is with special roam and taste, for lady, here have over 100 cocktail to choose, lovely and enjoyable. The price here is quite as other bars, short cocktail for 28 Yuan, long drink cocktail for 38 Yuan. Hoegaarden draft beer, 38 for 0.3L and 68 for 0.5L.

Behind the Wall - A cozy atmosphere, decent food, live music and cheap margaritas make Behind the Wall a popular hang-out, especially with the foreign student population. Inside, Behind the Wall’s three rooms are linked by over-sized arched doorways, and provide seating for groups of two to ten. Mexican, Latin and Greek cuisine is served. The drink menu is varied and not too expensive by Nanjing standards - margaritas are served for only 15 Yuan from Sunday to Thursday.

Castle Bar - Castle Bar is lively on weekends and can become packed during special events. However, during weekdays staff members often outnumber customers. A good place if you like dancing.

Secco Restaurant and Bar - Great German restaurant and bar in Nanjing, they have a good rang and selection of cocktail made by a German, he is also the manager there, really strict to every cocktail he made, always bring you the best taste.

Finnegans Wake - A traditional Irish bar in Nanjing,offering Kilkenny, Guinness and strongbow cider on draught.

Please contact me for daily tour fees, i charge by per tour, not per person.

$50 Per Day

Nanjing Hiking tour with local tour guide Sam

It`s springtime, it`s hiking time!

This tailor-made tour is for people who like nature, history, and hiking!

Ming Tomb (Admission: FreeCNY) - Nanjing became the capital of China when Zhu Yuanzhang founded the Ming Dynasty in 1368. During his reign, Zhu Yuanzhang built the great city walls of Nanjing, the imperial palace, and his future tomb - the Ming Tomb in Nanjing. The Ming Tomb is a certified UNESCO World Heritage Site and is a must-see for travellers to Nanjing.

It`s springtime, it`s hiking time!

This tailor-made tour is for people who like nature, history, and hiking!

Xuanwu Lake (Admission: Free) - Close to the city center and featuring 368 hectares of water and 104 hectares of land, Xuanwu Lake Park is a favorite getaway for locals. Well before the sunrise and even after sunset, the park is bustling with visitors. Some come to walk, jog, or fly kites, others to practice Tai Chi, and many more just want to enjoy the scenery.

Nanjing Food Court - my favorite local Nanjing restaurant, Nanjing people like to go there with family. It`s a resultant with a lot of Nanjing local food and ancient style of decoration, at night they will have Kunqu playing, coolest restaurant ever.

City Wall (Admission: 45CNY) - Nanjing City Wall, constructed during the Yuan and Ming Dynasties between 1365 and 1386, originally stretched over 30km which made it the longest city wall in the world. Now, with about two thirds of the wall still intact it still remains the longest city wall in China. We could walk on the city wall and feel the history of Nanjing.

*Please contact me for daily tour fees, i charge by per tour, not per person.

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