Plan at a glance
An open lake area
Xuanwu Lake is an open lake area with several entrances and five islets rather than one single ticketed attraction. The ring road is open 24 hours. The Five Islets area usually opens 06:00–22:00 from April to October and 06:00–21:00 from November through March.
Allow 2–3 hours for a core route through Xuanwu Gate, Huanzhou, Yingzhou and Liangzhou. A wider islet walk, sunset or night route takes 3–6 hours. Boat rides and sightseeing cars are separate activities with their own hours and charges.
The entrance shapes the route
Xuanwu Gate is the easiest city entrance and is opposite Exit 3 of Xuanwumen Station on Metro Line 1. Jiefang Gate is near Jiming Temple and the Taicheng section of Nanjing City Wall. Lovers’ Gate and the Ten-Mile Causeway suit sunset, while Cuizhou Gate is near Nanjing Forestry University–Xinzhuang Station.
Choose the entrance according to whether you want lake views, Jiming Temple, the wall or sunset. Xuanwu Lake is large, and the walking distance between entrances affects the return trip.
Tickets and visit details
View visit options for this attraction and confirm the visit date and current arrangements before you go.
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Choosing among the five islets
Huanzhou is good for the lakefront and city buildings, Yingzhou has covered corridors, Liangzhou has more historical and garden scenery, Lingzhou offers broader lake views and Cuizhou is quieter. First-time visitors can start with Xuanwu Gate, Huanzhou, Yingzhou and Liangzhou, then decide whether to continue to Lingzhou.
The Ten-Mile Causeway is a good sunset position, with Purple Mountain, Zifeng Tower and the lake in the same view. For a quieter walk, move deeper towards Liangzhou, Cuizhou or Lovers’ Park rather than staying around the main gate.
Combining the wall and Jiming Temple
Jiefang Gate allows you to combine Xuanwu Lake, Jiming Temple and the Taicheng section of Nanjing City Wall. The wall gives a higher view over the lake, pagoda and skyline, while the park provides flatter walking before or after the climb.
Families who want an easy outing can choose the lakefront and one or two islets. Visitors looking for a city-culture route can enter near Jiming Temple or Jiefang Gate and move towards Xuanwu Gate.
Build your day
A 2–3 hour core route
Enter through Xuanwu Gate, walk through Huanzhou, Yingzhou and Liangzhou, then return the same way or leave through Jiefang Gate for Jiming Temple or the city wall. This route links the main lake scenery with nearby historic sites and suits first-time visitors.
The paths are gentle, but the bridges, islets and waterfront sections still involve a lot of walking. If you rent a boat or take a sightseeing car, confirm where you must return or get off before continuing to the next islet.
A 3–4 hour Five Islets route
Enter through Xuanwu Gate, follow Huanzhou, Yingzhou, Liangzhou and Lingzhou, then leave through Jiefang Gate or Lovers’ Park. Choosing the exit in advance can reduce backtracking.
This route suits visitors who can walk longer and want more of the lake area. A sightseeing car costs about CNY 30 per person and usually runs around 09:00–17:00; use it as a supplement rather than assuming a seat will always be available.
A 4–6 hour sunset and night route
Enter through Lovers’ Gate or the Ten-Mile Causeway in the late afternoon, watch the sunset, then follow the ring road for an evening walk along the lake. The ring road is open all day, but the Five Islets area still follows its seasonal hours.
With older relatives or children, decide in advance where you will finish and leave time to walk from the lake to the metro or pick-up point after dark.
Get there
Metro to the main entrances
For Xuanwu Gate, take Metro Line 1 to Xuanwumen Station, Exit 3, and walk directly to the gate. For Jiefang Gate, take Metro Line 3 or 4 to Jiming Temple Station, Exit 5, then walk about 5–10 minutes along Beijing East Road.
Lovers’ Gate and the Ten-Mile Causeway are near Gangzicun Station on Metro Line 4. Cuizhou Gate is near Nanjing Forestry University–Xinzhuang Station on Metro Line 3. The entrance should serve your route rather than defaulting to Xuanwu Gate every time.
Parking, bicycles and boats
Traffic controls and parking pressure are common around the lake during holidays, so the metro is preferable. Shared bicycles generally cannot enter the Five Islets area on weekends and are limited to the ring road; walking is the main way to move inside.
Boat rides usually run around 08:30–17:00 and may extend to 19:00 or 20:00 during holidays and summer. Renting a boat requires a deposit of about CNY 500, and you must return it to the original dock; remember the return point and latest time before setting off.
Know before you go
Project hours and physical effort
The ring road is open 24 hours, but the Five Islets area has seasonal hours and boats and sightseeing cars operate on their own schedules. Plan each activity separately instead of applying one opening time to the whole park.
Xuanwu Lake is large and tiring to walk in full. Wear comfortable shoes and carry water, sun protection and a light layer for the cooler air after sunset.
Noise, food and nearby routes
The area around Xuanwu Gate may have local singing or dancing in the morning and evening. If you want more quiet, head towards Liangzhou, Cuizhou or Lovers’ Park. There are Huaiyang restaurants near Lovers’ Park, while the Suojincun area has soup dumplings and duck-blood vermicelli soup.
From Jiefang Gate, continue to Jiming Temple and the Taicheng section of Nanjing City Wall. If you plan to complete the lake, temple and wall in one day, decide your final exit and return route before you start crossing the park.