Nanjing

Nanjing is the capital of Jiangsu province, China, and a former capital of several dynasties, with a heritage that ranges from the Six Dynasties through the early Ming to the Republican era. The Nanjing Museum at 321 Zhongshan East Road, Xuanwu District, is among the largest museums in China and holds collections that span jade, ceramics, bronzes and Ming and Qing art. The same side of the city includes the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum and Purple Mountain (Zijin Shan), the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, the Ming City Wall and the Confucius Temple area. The trip from Huai'an is a longer one: high-speed trains run from Huai'an East to Nanjing South in about 1 hour 35 minutes to 2 hours, with second-class fares of about ¥110-140 (about $15.50-19.50), bookable on 12306 or Trip.com. An express bus takes around three hours and costs about ¥180 (about $25). A realistic one-day arc takes an early train, spends the morning at the Nanjing Museum, which warrants about three hours, then continues by metro or taxi to the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum or the Ming City Wall in the afternoon. Lunch options include the Confucius Temple district, where Nanjing specialities such as duck blood and vermicelli soup, salted duck and tangbao dumplings are widely served. The best windows are March to May, when the plum and cherry blossoms appear, and October to November, when the plane trees and Purple Mountain turn colour. Summer is hot and humid, and winter is damp and cold. Because the city's sights are far apart, visitors usually choose a museum plus one outdoor site rather than attempting everything, and should book the return train in advance.