Independent travel guide
Xuanwu Lake Park
玄武湖公园Xuanwuhu Gongyuan
A large central lake park of islands, causeways and skyline views beneath the city wall. The listed 2–3 hours suits an easy-paced visit. Start from the named entrance and keep the return connection in view.
Free public access · Checked 2026-08-12
Verified ticket prices
Official pricesThe cited official scope supports free ordinary public access; separately ticketed sub-products are excluded.
Ordinary public access
Free public access in the cited scope; separately ticketed buildings and activities are excludedHyun-woo Lake Park.
Free.- Checked on 2026-08-02. Official price conclusion is limited to the cited venue or government source.
- Platform checks are kept separate from the official price conclusion; no third-party price was used as an official price.
- Free; Nanjing's largest city park, including five islets.
Imported official ticket note
Free; Nanjing's largest city park, including five islets.
Research checked 2026-08-12No reservation
How to book
Use the park's current official notice for gate closures, events or local controls; ordinary park access is not shown as reservation-required.
The cited government report gives no advance-booking requirement for ordinary park access.
Booking steps
- 1
Check the official park notice for the exact gate and any event-specific reservation.
- 2
For a normal walk, use the open public entrance; do not create a paid reservation from an unofficial listing.
- 3
If visiting a museum, boat or festival inside the park, follow that component's separate official rule.
Ordinary public-park entry is not documented as passport-controlled; special venues or events may set separate rules.
If the official page shows no current product, contact the venue or use its staffed service point; do not substitute an OTA as evidence.
Imported official reservation note
Public park, no booking needed (removed from the unified real-name booking list).
Research checked 2026-08-122–3 hours
How to visit
Xuanwu Gate, Xuanwu District (Xuanwu Lake Gate Station, Metro Line 1).
After Xuanwu Lake Park's blue-hour or night view, leave toward the signed transport side before the last wave; recheck the transport note: Use public transport where possible and confirm the exact gate, weather and return connection.
- 1Stop 1Xuanwu Gate
Xuanwu Gate.
- 2Stop 2Huanzhou Islet
Huanzhou Islet.
- 3Stop 3Yingzhou (Cherry) Islet
Yingzhou (Cherry) Islet.
- 4Stop 4Liangzhou Islet
Liangzhou Islet.
- 5Stop 5Cuizhou (Emerald) Islet
Cuizhou (Emerald) Islet.
- 6Stop 6Lingzhou (Water-Chestnut) Islet
Lingzhou (Water-Chestnut) Islet.
Best time
Spring and autumn.
Imported official opening note
This operational detail was not confirmed in the available source set; recheck the official venue notice before departure.
Research checked 2026-08-12Foreigner notes
Use the full Chinese name and address for Xuanwu Lake Park, then check the final walk from the drop-off point to the gate.
Keep the official notice and any confirmation; the current Chinese-phone requirement is unknown.
The quiet window listed for Xuanwu Lake Park can shift with events and weather. Recheck the official notice before committing the route.
No fixed gate hours are recorded. The lakeside ring is accessible 24 hours; the Five Continents and Lovers' Garden areas normally operate 06:00–22:00 from April to October.
Save 玄武湖景区 and 玄武门路1号钟山风景名胜区西侧 before leaving; the last walk is easier when the gate is already marked.
Avoid these mistakes
The map centre for Xuanwu Lake Park may not be the visitor gate; use the named entrance in the record.
Check the date and source on any old price or hours screenshot before using it for Xuanwu Lake Park.
Keep a return buffer after Xuanwu Lake Park; queues and internal transfers can consume it.
A city-level booking page may not cover every boat, show or cableway at Xuanwu Lake Park; check paid sub-entries separately when relevant.
Continue nearby
Jiming Temple1 hourPresidential PalaceAbout 2-3 hours (about 1 hour per route; the three routes can be combined)Six Dynasties Museum1–3 hoursNanjing seasonal itinerary guideNanjing itinerary and seasonal travel guide for a 2–3 days first visit.Nanjing food guideIncludes spice, ingredient, allergen and ordering notes for independent travelers.Nanjing Travel Guide & MapNanjing travel guide and interactive map for independent travelers.
Sources and evidence
Published by China Trip Primer · Read the editorial and verification methodology
Official
OfficialNanjing scenic-area reservation reform reportPublisher · Nanjing Municipal People's Government
Used forReports that Xuanwu Lake visitors entered without the former reservation scan after the city stopped universal reservation for most scenic spots.
Verified 2026-08-02Official南京市政府门户Publisher · Official or venue publisherUsed forOfficial visitor context or venue information; confirm that the page names this venue before relying on it for booking
Verified 2026-08-02OfficialOfficial or venue referencePublisher · Official or venue publisherUsed forOfficial visitor context or venue information; confirm that the page names this venue before relying on it for booking
Verified 2026-08-02OfficialNanjing municipal government portalPublisher · Nanjing Municipal GovernmentUsed forUsed to verify the imported ticketing, booking, opening-hours or visitor-guidance fields.
Verified 2026-08-12Venue-specific official pages are used where available. City-level official references provide context and are not booking confirmation; editorial and community sources are used only for route choices, pacing and first-hand experience.
玄武湖景区玄武门路1号钟山风景名胜区西侧