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Jiangsu Province Attractions

Xinjiekou

Xinjiekou is the right in the heart of Nanjing city.  It is the center of commerce as well as the busiest shopping area in the city. 
 
For those who cannot resist shopping...
Xinjiekou is the right in the heart of Nanjing city.  It is the center of commerce as well as the busiest shopping area in the city. 
 
 
Xinjiekou is the third best area to eat in Nanjing. Hunan Road and Confucius Temple barely edge out Xinjiekou, relegating it to third place.  Still, being third in Nanjing says a lot.  Xinjiekou could take first place if it wasn’t for the lack of variety created by a lower density of restaurants. Western chain restaurants such as KFC and Pizza Hut don’t help Xinjiekou’s reputation either. However, on the border of Xinjiekou is Mingwa Alley, which is one of Nanjing’s best alleys to track down tasty snack vendors.
 
 
 
 


View of Xinjiekou from Yuhuatai - No, that is not much more pollution than the average Chinese city.

 

Getting To, From and Around Xinjiekou

 
The main intersection and subway station of Xinjiekou is situated between Zhongshan Road (中山路) from the north, Zhongshan Nan Road (中山南路) from the south, Hankou Road (汉口路) from the west and Zhongshan Dong Road (中山东路) from the east.  The bulk of the activity in Xinjiekou takes place within 300 meters to the east and west of Zhongshan Nan Road.
 
The subway always runs efficiently.  Xinjiekou sits along the middle of Subway Line 1 which runs on a north-south axis under Zhongshan Road and Zhongshan Nan Road. Within a few years Subway Line 2 will also run through Xinjiekou Subway Station.  All of Xinjiekou proper is located within walking distance of Xinjiekou Subway Station.
 
During rush hour above-ground traffic becomes much too crowded. Traffic on the main streets generally slows to a crawl and finding an empty taxi is difficult as well.   
 

Linggu Temple, Linggu Pagoda, Beamless Hall and Tomb of Tan Yankai

The Linggu Temple area contains the Linggu Temple, Linggu Pagoda, The Beamless Hall and the tomb of Tan Yankai.

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The Linggu Temple area contains the Linggu Temple, Linggu Pagoda, The Beamless Hall and the tomb of Tan Yankai.

          


Linggu Pagoda
 
The 60 meter high, 9 storey, Linggu Pagoda was completed in 1933.  The pagoda serves as a memorial for the Nationalist soldiers that died in the 1926-1928 revolution.  A spiral staircase  around the central pillar leads all the way to the top.  Looking out from the pagoda, you can see the Purple Mountain forest and Nanjing’s skyscrapers rising in the distance.
 
Linggu Temple
 
The Linggu Temple was built in memory of the monk Xuanzang. Xuanzang traveled to India to study Buddhism, and later he returned to China to translate a wealth of Buddhist scriptures into Chinese.  Walk into the temple and take a right to find the building that displays Xuanzang’s story.  The wooden carvings on the wall illustrate his beginnings as a monk in China and his trip to India while the statue in the middle depicts Xuanzang translating scriptures.  If you are lucky, you may come across a friendly monk that can explain the whole story in great detail.


Beamless Hall
This vaulted structure was built entirely with bricks, and has no beams, hence its name: The Beamless Hall.  This structure would be regarded as an extraordinary piece of architecture if it was built today. Considering it was built in 1381, it is that much more impressive.
 
The hall originally served as a place of worship, but now it serves as a place of remembrance.  Within the hall 110 stone tablets include the names of the 33224 deceased Nationalist officers and soldiers.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tomb of Tan Yankai



Tan Yankai was chairman of the Nationalist Government.  Upon his death in 1930, this tomb was built in his honor.

 
How To Get There
 
Both the 游1 (you 1) and 游2 (you 2) buses stop near the entrance to the Linggu Temple area.  These buses end daily service at 5:00pm and 5:45 pm respectively.
 
It is also possible to take a cab to Linggu Temple, however, legitimate cabs are not always readily available to take you back into the city.  There are usually people at the entrance that would love to charge much more than the normal rate to take you from the Linggu Temple into the city.
 
In the off chance you want to reach the Linggu Pagoda area from the top of the mountain see "Linggu Pagoda to The Mountain Peak" about 3/4 down the Purple Mountain article.



                              

Bella Napoli - Italian

Bella Napoli is the most authentic Italian cusine option in Nanjing.

Once inside, patrons often feel as if they have been transported out of China.  Bella Napoli serves  real Italian style pizza and pasta and the atmosphere is quiet...

Bella Napoli is the most authentic Italian cusine option in Nanjing.

Once inside, patrons often feel as if they have been transported out of China.  Bella Napoli serves  real Italian style pizza and pasta and the atmosphere is quiet and welcoming.  The ’generously proportioned’ Italian head chef is often seen roaming about the restaurant making sure guests are enjoying their meal.

The complimentary buns and toast are always fresh, sometimes so fresh that the inside of the buns are still moist and warm, the way they should be.

Dishes include pizza, pasta, steak, prawns, and the chef’s special Mezza-luna which is a half pizza half calzone.

For those in Nanjing craving some authentic Italian food, this author recommends Bella Napoli hands down. 

Bella Napoli is usually not completely crowded. However, if you desire a prime seat or plan on dining with more than 4 guests, it is recommended to make a reservation in advance.

How to Get There

Bella Napoli is on the corner of Zhongshan Dong Lu (中山东路) and Hongwu Bei Lu (洪武北路).  From the subway, get off at the Xinjiekou station and exit from the #7 exit.  Then walk one block to the east along Zhongshan Dong Lu.

Jiangsu Province Articles

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.

 

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.

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.