Nanjing

Nanjing rewards travellers who read its layers in place rather than reducing six dynasties, the Ming period and the twentieth century to a single hurried checklist. On the wooded slopes of Purple Mountain, the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum, Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum and Linggu area reveal different relationships between architecture, landscape and memory. Back in the city, the walls and Qinhuai waterways help explain the old capital's shape, while museums and ordinary neighbourhoods bring the story into the present. Give the mountain a day of its own and use another for the old city.

Follow the formal paths at Purple Mountain and pay attention to the transitions between stone approaches, broad stairs and shaded woodland. In town, choose one accessible stretch of wall to understand the streets and waterways below instead of driving between distant gates simply to collect photographs. Summer can be hot and humid, while exposed walls feel very different in colder weather. Plan outdoor sections around the forecast and your walking pace.

Nanjing's history also includes profound loss. If you visit the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders, set aside quiet, unhurried time and follow the museum's rules. It should never be treated as a quick entertainment stop. A local meal of duck dishes, soup dumplings or seasonal snacks can make a gentler close to a day in the old streets; check individual businesses directly.