In the heart of Zhenjiang is an atmospheric warren of ancient streets, with old buildings ranging in age from turn of the century to over 700 years old. The oldest structures are at the crest of a hill, and date from the Yuan Dynasty, around 1200 AD.A small pagoda is built over the narrow alleyway, so that passersby actually walk beneath it. Around the corner is the former British Consulate, whose beautiful 19th century architecture has been preserved as Zhenjiang's city museum. The tree shaded streets around this area are lined with a fascinating melange of neo-European and traditional Chinese buildings. Unlike some historic districts, Zhenjiang's old street is still alive with the rhythms of its citizen's daily lives - crates of beer nestle between the crumbling pillars of an old trading firm, while laundry women duck into narrow gate of a centuries old clan hall.

The neighborhood also has some interesting shops, especially around the former British Consulate. The consulate is a group of buildings on the side of a low hill - their gray stone walls and highlighted with red brick doorways and window frames a reminder of the days Western style architecture was new in China, brought in on the heels of gunboats and merchants. Around the consulate many small stores and street side vendors sell odd collections of curios. Some are genuinely old, some are more or less convincing fakes, but poking around you're sure to come across some interesting and memorable things.