[Nanjing Spring Excursion Guide] 1-Day Cherry Blossom Season Itinerary

Instagrammable Spots Even on Cloudy Days 🌸Itinerary Map **7:30 Nanjing Railway Station Meet-up➜8:00 Xuanwu Lake Cherry Blossom Island➜10:30 Jiming Temple➜12:00 City Wall➜13:30 Lakeside Stroll➜15:00 Meiling Palace➜17:30 Ke Xiang Food Street** 🚇Transportation Guide ❶ Xuanwu Lake 📍Subway Line 3/4, Jiming Temple Station, Exit 5➜8-minute walk to Jiefang Gate ⚠️Recommended entry through "Qinglv Garden" for fewer crowds, Subway Line 3, Nanjing Forestry University·Xinzhuang Station, Exit 2 ❷ Jiming Temple→City Wall 🚶Time-saving route! Exit the north gate of the temple, turn left, and walk 100m to the City Wall ticket office. ❸ Meiling Palace Transfer 🚌Take the shuttle bus from Ming Xiaoling Tomb Gate 7 (one-way CNY 10/person) or 🚴cycle for 15 minutes. One-way is recommended; walk back and take photos along the way. Many people take photos under the plane trees—super photogenic. ❹ Ke Xiang Food Street 🚇Subway Line 2, Daxinggong Station, Exit 3. Shared bikes are recommended (plenty of parking spots). 💰Ticket Prices (March 2023) ✅Xuanwu Lake: Free (reservations required for Cherry Blossom Island/Liangzhou Island, scan the QR code on-site) ✅Jiming Temple: CNY 10 for flower viewing ticket (includes three incense sticks) ✅City Wall: CNY 30 for Taicheng section (half price for students, great for photos of Zifeng Tower juxtaposed with ancient architecture) ✅Meiling Palace: CNY 30 (Zhongshan Scenic Area combined ticket is more cost-effective) 🍦Creative Ice Cream: Jiming Temple cherry blossom flavor CNY 18/each 📍Step-by-Step Guide ⛩7:30-10:00 Xuanwu Lake Cherry Blossom Forecast ▪️Enter through "Qinglv Garden" to avoid tour groups. ▪️Cloudy Day Photography Tips: ① Wear light pink/pale yellow clothing to brighten skin tone. ② Squat down and shoot upwards to avoid the gray sky. ③ Bring a transparent umbrella as a prop (sold for CNY 25 in the scenic area, bringing your own is recommended). 🙏10:30-11:30 Jiming Temple Guide ▪️The Hall of Wealth is located on the right side of the Daxiong Hall, the highest point. You can purchase an 88 CNY gold foil peace charm. ▪️Hidden photo spot: The corridor on the east side of the Medicine Buddha Pagoda offers a cyberpunk view of Zifeng Tower. ▪️Ice cream is available at "Jiming Citcha" near the exit. The cherry blossom and white peach flavor is recommended. 🏯12:00-13:00 City Wall Exploration ▪️Walk 400m east from the Taicheng section to capture the perfect composition of Zifeng Tower + Xuanwu Lake + Jiming Temple. 💃13:30-15:00 Lakeside Walk ➤Qinglv Garden Windmill Lawn➜Shili Changdi Plane Tree Path➜Cedar Forest Oxygen Bar ⚠️If you're feeling tired, take the sightseeing train (CNY 30/person, hop-on hop-off). We powered through on foot. 🏛15:30-17:00 Meiling Palace: Republican Era Vibes ▪️The enamel chandeliers in the second-floor banquet hall are incredibly photogenic. ▪️The aerial view of the "Plane Tree Necklace" is from the viewing platform on the southeast side of the palace. 🍜Ke Xiang Food Guide (17:30-19:00) ❶ Lao Mi Ji Wine Brew Shop (red bean tangyuan is a must-try) ❷ Tao Ji Authentic Dezhou Braised Chicken (the lotus root cake is even better than the chicken) ❸ Freshly Made Egg Cakes (glutinous rice filling is amazing) ❹ Aunt Xu's Rice Cake Shop (salted egg yolk and pork floss qingtuan, limited to 5 per person) 💡Tips from Experience 1️⃣ Don't drive during cherry blossom season! Traffic control is in effect around Jiming Temple on weekends. 2️⃣ The City Wall is backlit in the afternoon; choose the morning for portraits. 3️⃣ Ticket sales for Meiling Palace stop at 16:30, so plan your time accordingly. 4️⃣ The longest lines at Ke Xiang are for lotus root cake, qingtuan, and egg cakes. Split up to queue for different items. 📸Best Photo Spots 🥇Jiming Temple Cherry Blossom Avenue (arrive before 7:30) 🥈Taicheng Section City Wall S-curve (use a telephoto lens to compress the sense of space) 🥉Meiling Palace Blue Glazed Tiles (wearing a cheongsam adds to the aesthetic) 🌸Reflections Under the Cherry Blossoms As the bell of Jiming Temple startled a falling cherry blossom, And I discovered a six-hundred-year-old inscription in the cracks of the Taicheng bricks, I suddenly understood what Jiang Xun meant: "The beauty of Nanjing is the heartbeat of intertwined time and space."