[2024 Nanjing Attraction] Travel Guide for Xuanwu Lake Scenic Area (Updated Nov)

Nanjing's top ginkgo spot, and it's free!

🍂 When the autumn breeze blows, Nanjing transforms into the ancient city of Jinling 🍂 When the ginkgo leaves on Liangzhou Island in Xuanwu Lake turn golden, the autumn scenery of Nanjing unfolds. The breeze blows, and the ginkgo leaves dance like golden butterflies, scattering all over the ground. The sunlight shines through the sparse branches and leaves, casting mottled shadows on the golden ground. It's a breathtaking sight. 📍 Travel tips: • Location: Liangzhou Island in Xuanwu Lake. This is the top ginkgo spot in Nanjing, and it's free! • Transportation: Take Metro Line 1 to Xuanwumen Station, Exit 3. It's convenient and direct. • Tickets: No tickets are required. Enjoy this gift from nature. 📸 Best photo spot: The end of the ginkgo avenue, Lansheng Tower, is the best place to capture the beauty of autumn. 🍂 Morning and evening: • In the morning, when the first rays of sunlight shine on the ginkgo forest, the whole world seems to be bathed in a soft golden glow. There are few tourists at this time, making it a paradise for photography enthusiasts. • In the afternoon, although there are more people, the tranquility amidst the hustle and bustle and the lively swaying of the ginkgo leaves in the wind are equally captivating. 🍁 Nanjing, the autumn of this city: • Nanjing is not just a city. It carries a rich history and culture, and in autumn, it becomes even more poetic and romantic. • Xuanwu Lake, a shining pearl of Nanjing, is made even more beautiful by the ginkgo leaves on Liangzhou Island. 🍂 Blessings: • May you find your own peace and beauty in the autumn of Nanjing. • May the ginkgo leaves on Liangzhou Island in Xuanwu Lake bring you endless warmth and memories. • Nanjing is a place worth visiting countless times. May you encounter the most beautiful scenery on every trip.

The guide to seven photo check-in spots in Nanjing is here

The guide to seven photo check-in spots in Nanjing is here.✅ 【Route Recommendation】 P1: Jiming Temple and Xuanwu Lake in the same frame The shooting location is inside a nearby building. Another check-in spot is on the Ming City Wall 200 meters ahead when you turn left at the exit of Jiming Temple. Transportation: Exit from Jiming Temple Station on Subway Line 3, about 1 kilometer walk. P2: Sunset of Xuanwu Lake There is a viewing platform 50 meters ahead after entering from the Lovers' Garden. This is a better place to watch the sunset and evening glow of Xuanwu Lake. Transportation: Exit from Nanjing Forestry University Station on Subway Line 3, about 500 meters walk. P3: Zifeng Tower and the streets and lanes in the same frame Located in Nanjing West Bridge, navigate to the north gate of Ninghai Middle School. Transportation: Exit from Yunnan Road Station on Subway Line 4, about 800 meters walk. P4: Nanjing Wutong Avenue Located on Lingyuan Road, Wutong Avenue is very long, with two main check-in points, one is the Lingyuan Road section, and the other is on the overpass to Ming Xiaoling, enter from the south gate of Ming Xiaoling, walk to the 5th gate, tickets are required. Transportation: Exit from Muxuyuan Station on Subway Line 2, turn left and walk to see Wutong Avenue. P5: Nanjing Yihe Road Beautiful in all seasons, the fallen leaves of Wutong in autumn blend with the ancient buildings, creating a better atmosphere. Transportation: Exit from Yunnan Road Station on Subway Line 4, walk and navigate. P6/P7: Confucius Temple and Qinhuai River The camera position in the picture is in the central location of the Confucius Temple scenic area, and you can see it after walking for a few minutes in the scenic area. Transportation: Exit from Confucius Temple Station on Subway Line 3. P8: Zifeng Tower The horticultural landscape of Gulou Square and Zifeng Tower are in the same frame. Transportation: Exit from Gulou Station on Subway Line 1, about 200 meters walk.

Nanjing: New Arc Brunch & Bistro

New Arc Brunch & Bistro, just a short stroll from Xuanwu Lake, left a lasting impression on my family and I. The staff's friendliness and accommodation made our visit special, and the swift arrival of our delicious food only added to the experience. Among the standout dishes, the steamed fish was a definite highlight—so good that we forgot to capture it in a photo. It's a must-try when you visit. The restaurant's location is a major plus, with a nearby metro station and various transport options, making it easily accessible. After savoring a delightful brunch, we took a leisurely walk around Xuanwu Lake, and the views were absolutely breathtaking. A perfect combination of great food and a beautiful setting. #nanjing #NewArcBrunch #Xuanwu Lake #restaurant #food #china

Hula Shave Ice: Xuanwu Lake

Went to Xuanwu Lake in Nanjing with my family and stumbled upon Hula Shave Ice. The lady who helped us was really nice, and the service was excellent. We decided to try a few things, and out of everything, I absolutely loved the rainbow shave ice – it's a flavor explosion! Definitely recommend trying it if you're in the area. Besides the delicious shave ice, there are also lots of shops around, and the lake itself is beautiful to explore. It's a perfect place to spend a relaxing day, enjoying tasty treats and the lovely surroundings. #nanjing #HulaShaveIce #Xuanwu Lake

Lured by Xuanwu Lake

#timetotravel A peaceful oasis moments from Nanjing's heart, greeted us with open shores. 🍃 🧺 Our morning unfolded with a serene picnic by the lakeside, the tranquil waters reflecting the sky's calm. While our leisurely walk revealed amusement parks, cafes, and inviting restaurants, we chose to save boat rides and city tour buses for another day. 🎡 ☕️ Although we left some stones unturned, our time at Xuanwu Lake gifted us a morning of tranquility and cherished memories. 💕 📍 No.1 Xuanwu Road, Xuanwu District, Nanjing 210042, Jiangsu, China 🚘 Just a few minutes' drive from downtown and the train stations. 🛍️ Explore nearby shopping options. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #nanjing #xuanwulake #watersidecharm #parkandlakelife

Peaceful Park in Nanjing

Getting There: Xuanwu Subway Station, 2 stops from Nanjing Railway Station. Attractions: Lake and Park. Food and Restaurants: Various restaurants in Splendor Mall which is about 10 minutes away from the park. You can take a walk around the park for free or pay for the tour bus ride around the park. You can also enjoy other attractions, such as taking a boat ride on the lake. Great place to relax and have a picnic. #urbanexplorer #nanjingtravel #xuanwulake

The View from Nanjing Wall

#tripblazers #couplestrip #nanjing There are lots of things to in the Xuanwu Lake Scenic Area. Whilst this place is usually a quiet place for a walk and contemplation, during March, or Sakura season, it is bustling with activity as people come from all over the country to view they beautiful blossoms. I really enjoyed taking a stroll on the old Nanjing wall within the scenic area. There we could see a view over the whole lake, as well as nearby Jiming temple. A really great family activity on a warm afternoon.

Xuanwu Lake - @ Night View

A nice place to go specifically on night which you can see the beauty of Lightning reflected on Lake. For those who like photography this place is a must to visit when you stay Nanjing. Xuanwu Lake is located in Xuanwu District, Nanjing, adjacent to the city wall in the east, Nanjing Station in the north and Zhoushan in the south. Recommended also to explore during Day time. Local People are walking around and other tourist from different places.

City Center Lake!

Location: Xuan Wu Hu (Xuan Wu Lake) in Nanjing, Jiangsu province. Getting there: Take the metro or get a didi. It's in the center of the city. The lake is huge and part of the city wall of Nanjing surrounds it. A super place for an afternoon picnic. You can also sail a boat in the lake and enjoy the scenery. We enjoyed walking around it at sunset time to take wonderful photos of the classic Nanjing skyline. #nanjing #jiangsu #xuanwulake

Boating in Xuanwu Lake | Nanjing destination

Located in Xuanwu district near Jiming temple, Xuanwu lake is the perfect Saturday date! The lake is surrounded by a beautiful park filled with people playing outdoor sports, skating, and having picnics but most importantly you can rent the cute boats and have a romantic ride in the sunset. Getting There - You can take a cab or the subway as the station is not too far. Attractions - Canoeing, boats, temples, the City Wall of Nanjing, Ziiin Mountain and pop up stores. Hotels - you can find hotels in the city and nearby. Food & Restaurants - there’s plenty of food available and of course a KFC and McDonalds for the fast food lovers.

Xuanwu Lake @ Night

No matter which time you visit the lake, it's always magnifecent. The lake is spacious enough, a lot of people are jogging mostly in late afternoon till evening. Views are nice with lots of tress and different flowers. You can even hear the birds chirping. It's a peaceful place good to calm your mind. Picnic is recommended too, I even see people singing , bringing their own Karaoke. Definitely one of the nice places you should visit in Nanjing. The place is free of charge. A whole day stay with friends and family is worthwhile. 📍Location : No. 1 Xuanwu Lane, Xuanwu District, Nanjing #awesomepic #naturalwonders #themepark #lakes

Xuanwu Lake In Spring Time

Weather's just perfect today, I went to the lake and spent the whole day there. Though a lot of peole but the lake is spacious for the crowd. The beauty of this lake is timeless. Every season has something to be proud of. Now's spring time, different flowers are all over the lake. You'd expect to see cherry blossoms, tulips, roses, and many more. There are small motor powered boats that you can rent 140rmb/hour + 500 deposit, can accommodate 6 people. The are a lot of shops too where you can buy snacks and souvenirs. KFC/McDonalds and other snack bars are present. And the place is free of charge. Good for a picnic, sightseeing, taking photos, hangout with friends and family. Definitely worth your time~

Have a great day on the lake

Xuanwu lake is located in Xuanwu District, Nanjing. It is near to Ji Ming Temple and Nanjing Railway station. The lake is pretty huge, the 444 hectare lake is 15 kilometers in circumference. 📍No entrance fee 📍A lot of shops where you can buy snacks and souvenirs. There is the KFC and McDonald's too. There are many places you can rent small motor powered boats on the lake for 140 RMB an hour + 500 RMB deposit , good for 4 to 6 people. The duck and swan boats were nice because you can have 4 to 5 people seated facing each other but the bird head will block the beautiful view. At Xuanwu lake, you can spend the whole day by walking and resting for a while.

Xuanwu Lake Nanjing

#summervacation One of the famous lakes in Nanjing. It is located in Xuanwu District. You can take subway Line 1 and get off at Xuanwu station. take exit 3 and walk few metres you can see the entrance gate. It is free to get in the lake. Usually you can different species of plants in this park. There is also a boating area. You can take the shuttle bus to tour you around the area and it cost 10rmb.

Train Ride

Xuanwe lake area is so big so that it's difficult to cover in one day. If you're visiting this city 🏙 for short days it's better to go for the train so that you can easily cover a part of the park 📸. This is one of the beautiful lake Park in Nanjing and the main highlight is there is no entrance fee 💴. Still they maintained the park so clean and beautiful. #summervacation#urbanexplorer

Seasonal Beauty 🌺 Every time when I go to xuanwu lake I am so excited to explore the new seasonal flowers 🌹🌺🌷 which is adding an extra beauty to the park as well as our hearts 💕. A nice place for an evening stroll and relaxation. The nearest metro station to this scenic spot is Nanjing forestry university (exit 2). 🚇 #summervacation#hikingtrails#urbanexplorer

Fresh scented air

Seasonal flowers give xuanwu lake an added beauty 🌷🌺🌻. This is a place were both adults and kids enjoy equally. Kids playing with kites , bubbles and bicycles 🚴🏻 are a very common view during summer 🌞. This area of the lake is near Nanjing exhibition Centre and can easily reach from the metro station Nanjing forestry university (exit 2). 🚇 #summervacation#hikingtrails#urbanexplorer

Food Booth

After a long walk through xuanwu lake this area (entrance to kids park) have a very beautiful food booth 🍱🍖. Before it was only for the ones coming to the park but now they opened it for every one. They have some ready to eat foods, some Chinese cuisine and drinks shop. 🍤🍲🌯🌭🍳🍧🍡. Sunset time is the best time to spend there to get an aesthetic ambiance. 🌄 #summervacation#hikingtrails#urbanexplorer

Scenic beauty

Xuanwu lake is a place which never fails to impress.🌟 It's a big area and maintained very beautifully. Each time it's of different beauty. With seasons it's beauty is also changing. Walking in this park with bird's chirping is a feeling. Good place for relaxation as well as walking. 🌞🌿🎍🌺 #summervacation#hikingtrails#urbanexplorer

Stress less & Enjoy best, Nanjing

📍 Getting There -  Nearest subway station is NFU/XINZHUANG. Take exit 2 and walk to the destination (around 500m) 🚝 📍 Hotels -  Lot of hotels nearby and some of them have the lake view. 🏨 📍 Food & Restaurants -  Small snack shops can seen while walking. KFC and. McDonald's are also inside but bit away from entrance. 🍧🍡🍔🍟 📍 Shopping -  Kites, bubbles, fishing nets for kids can buy from inside stalls. 🎈🛍 #summervacation#hikingtrails#urbanexplorer

Spring

The best time to visit Nanjing is the spring time.🌺🌷🌹🌸💐 Starting from March last to may First ❤️ These are some pictures that I took in Xuanwu lake 🌅 I am not sure how many entrances this lake have. I have lived in 3 areas of Nanjing and from all these areas it has entrances . it's a big lake and they maintained each area very beautifully. ✨ Bus number 304 can take you to this area where I click these pictures. 🚌 #xuanwulake #springblossoms #spring #lake #jiangsu #nanjingtravel #urbanexplorer

Cherry blossom by Xuanwu Lake

Visited Nanjing around the end of March, which is the best timing for cherry blossom viewing, we headed to the most famous site for such and it didn’t let us down. XuanWu Lake (玄武湖) used to be the largest royal garden lake and it’s still a very important leisure spot for people who live in the city. It’s free to walk around the lakeside and islands on the lake. Be noted that there are only a few designated entrance to the park and it can be quite a walk if you started from a wrong spot (that’s what happened to me, walked for like 30mins to find the entrance). Cherry trees were blooming all over the park, very pleasant to enjoy the color of spring. #urbanexplorer #nanjing #nationalpark

Meanwhile in Nanjing, China.😘🥰🤩 #holidayvacation#merryxmas

spring 2020

Xuanwu lake is the bestest place to choose if you like for a long walk. The main attraction is how they maintained the park. it's so neat and clean. They also have lot of areas to relax. you can also bring your tent and relax. They also have a park for kids inside. which we have to pay. but it's worth for kids. #triplocal

Something local and great to do in Nanjing! I love to go to Xuanwu Lake with friends to enjoy a walk during sunset. It is really an amazing place to just relax and enjoy something cold on a hot day - We LOVE getting on the little peddle boats - #triplocal #triplocal

Such a great day to just relax and enjoy the nature, fresh air and good company ... 😊☺️🌾🦋🍂💐 btw... its all me (cant find the pictures of my friends lol) 😂 opsss 😆😂 #dayoffbelike #nature #xuanwulake

Nanjing's new autumn favorite: Xuanwu Lake Park, a place of breathtaking beauty.

🍂 Nanjing Xuanwu Lake: Ginkgo leaves turn yellow, chrysanthemums bloom, and you can enjoy the autumn feast! 🌼✨ With the cool autumn breeze, the ginkgo trees at Nanjing Xuanwu Lake have quietly turned yellow. In a week, it will be the best time to enjoy the view! 🍃🌞 During this golden autumn season, the chrysanthemum exhibition in the Jinling Bonsai Garden on Liangzhou Island is in full swing. Various chrysanthemums are blooming, and many buds are waiting for the moment to bloom. The chrysanthemums here are the stars of autumn, colorful and unique, and will definitely be a feast for your eyes! 🌈🥳 📅 Chrysanthemum Exhibition Dates: October 25, 2024 to November 25, 2024 📍 Location: Nanjing Xuanwu Lake Park 🚇 Transportation: Take Metro Line 1 to Xuanwumen Station, exit from Exit 3, and walk about 1.5 km to reach the sea of chrysanthemums! Bring your family and friends, come and enjoy the charming golden ginkgo leaves and the colorful chrysanthemums! This autumn, Nanjing Xuanwu Lake is waiting for you! 🌟💛

The sunset at Xuanwu Lake.

After visiting Jiming Temple, I went to Xuanwu Lake nearby. There were still many people at Xuanwu Lake in the evening. Boats were floating on the lake, and the slightly humid and hot weather combined with the water vapor created a misty atmosphere. After the sunset, the light red sky turned orange, slowly coating the lake with a golden hue, attracting many people to stop and take photos.

Autumn at Houhu Lake.

🌿 Houhu Lake is Xuanwu Lake. ✅ Jinling has had two lakes since ancient times: Yanquan Lake and Xuanwu Lake. These two lakes are separated by Zijin Mountain (Zhong Mountain). Yanquan Lake is south of Zhong Mountain and is also called Qianhu Lake, while Xuanwu Lake is west of Zhong Mountain and is also called Houhu Lake. ✅ Xuanwu Lake is beautiful in all four seasons. Now that it's fall, people come here to walk around the lake and enjoy the fall scenery. ✅ Xuanwu Lake has five small islands, called the "Five Continents"—Huan Island, Ying Island, Ling Island, Liang Island, and Cui Island. Liang Island has the most historical sites and was the first island to be developed. The name Liang Island comes from the Liang Dynasty's Prince Zhaoming, Xiao Tong. ✅ Liang Island has a ginkgo avenue. Under the warm autumn sun, the lake breeze is refreshing and elegant. In two weeks, when the fall colors are at their peak, people will flock here to enjoy the fall scenery. ✅ In fact, you can enjoy the fall scenery not only on Liang Island. Xuanwu Lake has many beautiful views. Walk around and enjoy the light and dark clouds and the waves of the autumn water. ✅ The temperature is just right, and your mood will be much better. You can't help but sigh, "Jiangnan is a beautiful place, and Jinling is the capital of emperors."