The free sights on Purple Mountain still need booking, and close on Mondays

Sun Yat-sen's mausoleum costs nothing and still requires a real-name reservation on its official account, with a timed slot. The Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall works the same way. Both are closed on Mondays, which catches out a lot of weekend visitors.

Book them the day before, bring the passport you booked with, and put the mausoleum first: 392 steps are easier in the morning, and the view back down over the city is worth arriving early for.