Returned from our Nanjing/Huangshan tour last week. (13 -24 October 2025).
We spent first 3 days (13-15) in Nanjing, then took rapid train to Huangshan (2 hours' trip) - spent 6 days there (16-21), before venturing back to Nanjing to visit tourist spots that were missed out in our first leg of travel. All in all, we spent 6 days in Nanjing (free and easy tour), and another 6 days in Huangshan (joined local tour group there).
We covered the major tourist attractions in Nanjing (except for the Nanjing Museum), and Huangshan.
It was raining for the two days when we were ascending/stay overnight in Huangshan - misty and foggy surrounding throughout our 2 days in Huangshan - could not see the stunning images captured by others. Of course, no sunset or sunrise to see! There was a lot of ascending/descending in Huangshan - so much so that our legs were trembling when walking down simple steps the next day after our return from Huangshan.
Things we learnt during our trip this time -
1. travelling in Metro / Ferry was a bliss with Alipay app.
2. we can buy things from Taobao and get them delivered to our hotel, free of shipping fees
3. booking Didi services was easy with Amap 高德 app (paid via Alipay) (alternatively one may use Didi services provided by WeChat).
4. Rapid train service 高铁· is indeed a very convenient and comfortable way to travel from cities to cities; and of course economical as well.
Nanjing, being an ancient capital of past dynasties, has many tourist attractions catering for various groups of people.
We covered the following places in Nanjing -
1. 老门东，夫子庙，秦淮河畔
2. 南京同胞大屠杀纪念馆 -》中山码头，长江大桥 -》先锋书局，百万元豪华厕所
3. 牛首山 -》 鸡鸣寺，南京城墙，玄武湖
4. 钟山景区 （梧桐树，美龄馆， 中山陵，音乐台）
5. 总统府 -》明故宫遗址 -》大报恩寺
8. 小食街：南京茶南农贸市场，科巷，三七八巷 (my wife's favorite is to see how the local buy their daily breakfast/food)
We have also bought/tried some local delicacies -
1. duck 咸水鸭， 烤鸭
2. dumpling, pastries 包子，糕点
In Huangshan, we covered the following tourist attractions (group tour) -
1. 婺源
2. 宏村，西递
3. 黄山 （2天1晚）
4. 徽州古镇
In Huangshan town itself, we visited the old towns - 屯溪老街，黎阳老街。
Huangshan 黄山景区 was a let down because of the weather. Nanjing was full of pleasant surprises.
Our travel itinerary:
Return flight from Singapore to Nanjing via Scoot -~SGD 804 for two passengers (including check in luggage for 2).
Travel via Metro from Lukou International Airport to Nanjing South Station 南京南站(~34 min ride)
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| Nanjing Airport |
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| metro station |
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| hotel |
Stayed in a hotel nearby (walking distance ~500meter) 石头集酒店@ 北广场出口处（about 400 人民币/晚）
First night:
After checking into our hotel, we went to 老门东，夫子庙，秦淮河; stopped at a random restaurant near 老门东 and took 鸭血米粉汤，蟹黄包 for dinner. The 鸭血米粉汤 turned out to be the most delicious we have tasted for our trip.
机缘巧合的在步行至老门东路上的一家餐馆吃晚餐。它的鸭血米粉汤蛮好吃。后来才发觉它是一家老字号的餐厅。
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| fortress at 老门东 |
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| 秦淮河 |
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| 科举考场 |
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| 夫子庙外面 |
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| 夫子庙入口 |
2nd day:
Took metro train to 南茶贸易市场，品尝了地道的早点，
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| 茶南大街 |
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| 乌饭 |
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| 早餐 |
then visited nearby 南京大屠杀纪念馆 (prebooked appointment，需要预约). 当时下着雨，幸好多数时间会呆在纪念馆内。虽然有预约，但还是得排队入场（等了大概15分钟左右）。纪念馆距离茶南早市蛮近。
After visiting the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall, we hailed a Didi (local Grab) to Zhongshan Pier 中山码头.
Took a ferry across Yangtze river to opposite bank, and visited some of the old buildings there, and the old train station made famous by 朱志清的背影 (the "oranges" were still left behind on the benches!).
据说，浦口码头（在中山码头对岸）是捕捉民国建筑物的好地方。哪里有个已经废弃的火车站，因为朱自清的背影而名流千古。
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| 背影，桔子 |
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| 长江大桥 |
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| 我们迷路了。 |
After that we took a bus - supposedly the bus would take us to view the iconic Yangtze bridge 长江大桥与玻璃桥 (the first bridge with drive way for cars and trains, the very first one built in China using local technologies and talents) - but alas the bus dropped us at a random traffic light junction; we had to call a Didi cab to drive us to our destination ( and there was some miscommunication with the Didi driver, who could not contact us to update us on the exact pick up point; but we eventually made it to our destination, after almost a half hour delay)...The 玻璃桥 was cordoned off.
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| 长江大桥100米外的入口，需沿着走步行过去 |
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| 玻璃桥（左边） |
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| 刚好有火车经过 |
Then we took a cab to a library 先锋书局( we went to a wrong branch, and had to book another cab to the actual one nearby);
先锋书局有几个分行。我们打车去了颐和路的书局，后来发现错了。再打车去五台山由防空洞改造的总店。颐和路据说也是一个蛮好玩的民初建筑群打卡点， 但当时我们可没有那种心思。
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| 先锋书局“防空洞”入口 |
after visiting the library, we took metro train to a high end mall which houses million-dollar restrooms at each level (level 1-6). It was an eye opener, to see how luxurious life for the rich can be! Many visitors go there for instagram shots.
先锋书局。。。万没想到连书局都能成为网红打卡点。发现逛书局者大多是年青人。找来找去就是不见那气派的“十字架”。后来在要走出书局时才发现原来它就摆在入口处，只有在步出书店时才能看到。
别误会，那十字架摆放处，不是教堂。它只是一个装饰。
在德基广场，寻找网红千万元打造的厕所。。。美其名为解忧所！开始我们还找不到呢！奢侈程度，它称第二，没人敢说第一。连在里边小解都觉得有点过分了。
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| level 6 toilet |
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| Level 5 toilet |
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| level 4 toilet |
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| Level 3 toilet |
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| Level 2 toilet |
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| level 1 toilet |
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| The Mall |
3rd day:
Took a Didi ride to 牛首山，another opulent Buddhist building. The decor in the style of ancient Buddhist mystic was indeed stunning.
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| 袈裟（左）卷发（右） |
After this visit, we took a Didi ride to 鸡鸣寺；
鸡鸣寺，历史悠久的古庙。经过好个次朝代更迭，毁了又重建。
following which we climbed up 南京明城墙 （就在鸡鸣寺的后面），
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| 从鸡鸣寺后院可看到明城墙 |
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| 玄武湖就在后方 |
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| 从城墙远眺鸡鸣寺 |
took a tram ride around玄武湖。
明城墙非常雄伟，把鸡鸣寺于玄武湖分开来。登上明城墙，居高临下，又是另一种滋味。
Took our dinner at the 南京大排档 near 南京南站 (where we stayed). The food in 南京大排档was indeed delicious - no wonder people have to queue for hours sometimes at busy branches.
4th day:
Took rapid train from 南京南站 to 黄山北站. The check in process and the ride was a brisk. We were picked up by local tour agency to our hotel. After checking into our hotel, we walked about 15 minutes to the old town 屯溪老街and 梨园老街nearby.
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| 高铁站等高铁 |
The rest of the trip in /around Huangshan area is taken care of by local tour agency 跟团游.
5th day:
Half day tour of 婺源。
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| 吊桥 |
原本婺源没有在我们行程的考虑范围里边，后来因为时间的约束，在斟酌九华山与婺源时，发现婺源其实蛮美，于是便选择包含婺源的跟团游。结果，婺源确实是不失所望。婺源篁城风景区在半山腰，需乘缆车上山，游客蛮多。它是一个古镇。晒秋，梯田是它的旅游招牌！因为人潮拥挤之故，玩的不够尽兴。不过村里的旧建筑物群，有些看头。离开主街，步上穿插于旧屋间的小道探索，也有另外一种味道。
6th day:
Day tour of 宏村，西递。
宏寸 - 卧虎藏龙曾经在此取景。当然，它也确实有一股古老又有内涵的气质。美中不足的是游客太多了。
西递 - 另外一个古镇。。。比宏村有点逊色。
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| 朱熹的“孝“字 |
7th day:
Venturing into Huangshan 黄山景区,
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| 等候接驳车 |
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| 缆车内，外面飘着细雨。。。 |
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| 雾气浓厚 |
 酒店外。。。 |
8th day:
Woke up at 5 am to catch a glimpse of sunrise - but no luck - it was misty the entire morning. There were a few tourists braving the cold weather to the "summit".
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| 七早八早抹黑上山，希望能观日出，结果只看到层层雾气。 |
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| 六点20分，没有日出。只好下上了。 |
Descending from Huangshan。
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| 迎客松 |
来都来了，不管天气如何不作美，还是得勇往向前。黄山很美，但因为下雨雾气弥漫，导致很多美景被淹没了。下山时爬上爬下的，蛮辛苦。。。 隔天脚都软了（尤其是下梯级的时候）。
9th Day:
Visiting 徽州古镇 (half day morning tour) - took lunch, and then departed for Nanjing at 1.45pm.
徽州古镇，虽然是5A景区，但没有太大的震撼力。在商业街步行，然后到博物馆参观。
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| 衙门府 |
Checked into another new hotel 桔子酒店 at 南京南站 （南广场出口处).
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| 黄山北站等高铁 |
10th day:
Tour of 钟山风景区 which covers 中山陵，梧桐树小道，美龄宫，明孝陵，音乐台，灵谷寺。
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| 梧桐小道 |
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| 明孝陵 |
原以为美龄宫没有什么看头，但再走近那座建筑物时，就被那雄伟的气势给震撼了。里面呈现的豪华待客厅，宽阔的卧室，旧式的厨房，洗涮间。。。把当年的气派完完整整的表露出来。
远眺灵谷寺。。。
11th day:
Tour of 总统府，
总统府，展示新中国成立时的奋斗史，还有清末洪秀才的书房，寝室。。。如果对这些历史，或民国建筑没有兴趣，也许不需到此报到。
明故宫遗址 (免费）- 它就好像是个公园。不过，午门城墙蛮有气派。
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| 展览厅 |
大报恩寺；
仿制的大报恩寺老实说是蛮丑的！
then walked towards 老门东，passsing by 中华门明城墙。Ate 无名老卤面 near 中华门。Bought 4 packets of duck from 徐家鸭子。
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| 中华门城墙 |
12th day:
Went to morning market at 三七八巷，bought 包子（菜包，肉包），烤鸭，糕点.
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| 大肠面 |
Departed from Nanjing airport at 5pm ->back to Singapore by 10.30pm.
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