Librairie Avant-Garde

Top choice in Nanjing


Housed in a disused parking lot under Wutaishan Stadium, this astonishingly vast indie bookshop has very few foreign-language books, but the left-field ambience and comfortable seating make it a must for bibliophiles. With miles of books and a cavernous concrete floor, it's a Nanjing cultural landmark, loved by students and literati for its sizeable collection of social science and humanities books.

It's a 15-minute walk from Shanghai Lu metro station.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Nanjing attractions

1. Nanjing Normal University

0.19 MILES

Established in 1902 and located in the centre of town; the lovely campus is well worth an exploration.

2. Nanjing University

0.48 MILES

This delightfully historic campus is worth a stroll to appreciate its traditional architecture, lovely trees and green spaces.

3. Presidential Palace

1.47 MILES

After the Taiping took over Nanjing, they built the Mansion of the Heavenly King (天王府, Tiānwáng Fǔ) on the foundations of a former Ming-dynasty palace…

4. Jiming Temple

1.48 MILES

The most active temple in Nanjing, Jiming Temple was first built in AD 527 during the Three Kingdoms period and has been rebuilt many times since.

5. Jiefang Gate

1.63 MILES

One of the original 13 Ming city gates, which allows access to the walls.

7. Jiuhuashan Park

2.08 MILES

This underrated park, just south of Xuanwu Lake, has a peaceful world-away feel and a delightful array of statues dotted around its leafy hills. The park…

8. Xuanwu Lake Park

2.08 MILES

The glassy lake in this lovely, verdant 530-hectare park – backing onto the towering city wall – is studded with five interconnected isles scattered with…