Purple Mountain is a full day on foot — start at the top and walk down

The mausoleum, the Ming tomb and the spirit path with its stone animals sit on one wooded hillside, linked by paths and a shuttle bus. People underestimate it and end up marching a tired afternoon.

Take a taxi or the metro to the eastern side, do the mausoleum first, then walk down through Ming Xiaoling and the spirit path in the shade. The cable car and the sightseeing bus are both worth the fare when your legs have finished.