what to eat

Jinling Boiled Salted Duck: Jinling Boiled Salted Duck has a history of over 1000 years and has enjoyed an excellent reputation throughout this time. This dish is characterised by white and oily skin as well as moderately salty meat that is reddish, tender, fragrant and fresh. They are known as “Osmanthus flower ducks”, as the meat is endowed with the fragrance of osmanthus flower. It has become a famous dish to the south of the Yangyze River's lower reaches.

Pressed Duck

A legend goes that in China's Southern Dynasties (420 - 589) an emperor was besieged by enemies in the imperial city. Soldiers guarded the city and fought hard in bloody battles. Women made salted ducks and wrapped them with leaves to preserve the flavor. Ducks were packed into a large jar and delivered to the soldiers. When the soldiers unwrapped the ducks, they found the ducks pressed flat, thereby the name Pressed Duck.

The difference between Salted Soup and Pressed Duck is the taste. The duck meat of the first style tastes fresh and tender while the latter tastes tight and pliable. Therefore, if you buy the Salted Soup Duck, choose the one most recently prepared.

Dou Fu Nao (Tofu pudding)
This is a great breakfast-time soup dish made from tofu (bean curd), mushrooms, coriander and chilli. The best place to taste it is Liu Feng Ju.

what to buy

Rain Flower Stones (Yuhua shi)
These are said to come from the area of Yuhuatai (Flower Rain Terrace, a historical memorial place for Chinese martyrs in the city), Liuhe and Jiangpu in Nanjing. These hard polished stones when placed in water reveal colorful patterns. They are usually a kind of precious agate. Folk artists make them into ring covers, ear or necklace pendants or other fine jewelry. Put them into a fishbowl or a vase to make the patterns emerge. It is a popular gift for friends.

Cloud Brocade
Named for artistic cloud pattern weaves, Cloud Brocade is a traditional silk product originally from China's Southern Dynasties (420 - 589). In the Qing period (1644 - 1911), cloud brocade production reached its height when a brocade and embroidery production institute called "Jiangning Zhizao" was established in the city. Fantastic brocade clothes were produced for emperors and royal families. Today, cloud brocade products include costumes, ethnic clothes, cushions, quilt covers, carpets, wall hangings and other craftworks. Wall hangings with traditional Chinese patterns would be both a good choice for room decoration.

Imitation Ancient Ivory Carvings

Imitation Ancient Ivory Carvings are very popular in Nanjing. The most common pieces depict figures, animals and vessels. One masterpiece, "The Princess Wencheng Leaving for Tibet" was chosen as one of the nine best traditional handicrafts produced in China. Besides this, other pieces are also very popular including the "Duanwu Dragon Boat", "A Tang Person Hits his friend called Ju"(!!) and Dancing Figures from the Tang Dynasty. Look around the Confucius Temple area for pretty ivory carvings. Most of the big department stores also sell this kind of thing

what to see in the evening

Nanjing nightlife is nowhere near as varied as Shanghai's, but you can still find a mix of everything from karaoke joints to discos. There are also some remarkably Western bars, complete with draught beer and pub games such as darts and pool. The clientele in the places mentioned below is usually a mixture of Chinese and foreigners, and they can be excellent places to meet well-to-do locals. You'll find the bars are generally busy throughout the week, though dancing is usually reserved for Friday and Saturday nights. A night out can be relatively inexpensive, as there is no cover charge for foreigners at most bars and beers can be as cheap as ￥10 per bottle. Go-kart racing has recently caught on in a big way: Mini Grandprix Sport, several blocks south of Zhonghua Men at 201 Yuhuatai (at #5 Yuhua Building), has the best racing track (￥30 per ride).

Nanjing's cultural life. There are frequent acrobatics or Chinese opera performances somewhere in town. The lecturers and foreign students at the Nanjing University. Foreign Student's Residence are often in tune with the latest happenings. Upmarket hotels might also have the latest information on hand.

weather

Nanjing has a humid subtropical climate with plenty of rainfall. The four seasons are distinct in Nanjing, with hot summers and cold winters. The spring is warm and humid, and the rainy season falls on June and July. In summer, Nanjing becomes one of the three “furnace cities” along the Yangtze River, together with Wuhan and Chongqing. Autumn is a short but the most pleasant season. The best time to visit Nanjing is during autumn, when the weather is cool and dry. Osmanthus flowers are in full blossom in autumn, leaving sweet scents flowing all over. Though considered a southern city in China, Nanjing is cold in winter with occasional snow. Please have a look at our Nanjing Tours and choose your time of travel.

The average annual temperature is 16 C (61 F). The hottest month is July, with an average high of 32 C (90 F) and an average low of 25 C (77 F). The coldest month is January, with an average high of 7 C (45 F) and an average low of -1 C (30 F). The weather is overall humid in Nanjing, with about 117 rainy days yearly, and an annual average precipitation of 1106 millimeters (43.5 inches).