Laomendong Historic Quarter

'East of the Old Gate': the grid of lanes between Zhonghua Gate and the Qinhuai, rebuilt from 2010 as the model of how Nanjing would conserve its old south city. The lane pattern is old — Sanjiaoying, Zhongying, Bianying, Shangjiang Kaopeng — and so are a handful of Qing houses, the largest being the Jiang Shoushan ('Millionaire Jiang') mansion; much of the rest is new building in grey brick, fitted in between them and let to cafés, snack shops, craft studios and small museums. Free to walk, and a little calmer than Fuzimiao a kilometre north.