Just got back from Nanjing, let me share some hard truths... Sisters planning to visit, take note!

Hard truths: Duck blood vermicelli soup at Fuzimiao costs 38 yuan/bowl, climbing the steps at Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum will leave your legs weak, and those Republican-era style photos at the Presidential Palace rely entirely on filters. Itinerary: - Day 1: Fuzimiao (arrive at 7am to avoid crowds, eat potstickers at Li Ji Halal Restaurant) → Qinhuai River boat ride (choose daytime cruise for 80 yuan/person, night view costs 140 yuan) → Laomendong (try Lu's Plum Blossom Cake for 5 yuan each) - Day 2: Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum (free with reservation, avoid tour groups after 10am) → Music Terrace (10 yuan to feed pigeons) → Meiling Palace (30 yuan to see a Republican-era villa) - Day 3: Nanjing Museum (reserve 3 days in advance, see the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove brick paintings) → Yihe Road (take artistic photos in the Republican-era mansion district) Tips to avoid tourist traps: The main street at Fuzimiao is full of cheap Yiwu merchandise, go through small alleys to find Lao Da's sugar porridge with lotus root; audio guides at the Presidential Palace cost 30 yuan/hour, better to rent a smart guide headset.