CN
Beijing
The City of Emperors and Dynasties
The City of Emperors and Dynasties
The Forbidden City (Palace Museum; ¥60; pm.org.cn) is the largest surviving palace complex in the world — 980 buildings across 72 hectares, enclosed within 10-metre walls and a 52-metre moat. Built 1406–1420 under the Yongle Emperor, it served 24 emperors until 1912. Allow 3–4 hours; book tickets online at least 3 days ahead in peak season.
💡 Arrive at 8:30am opening — the first hour is noticeably quieter. Walk the full central axis, then detour west into the less-visited palaces of the concubines for a crowd-free experience.
Mutianyu (90 minutes from Beijing; cable car ¥140) is the finest restored section: dramatic watchtowers on forested ridges. Jinshanling (3 hours; ¥65) is wilder and far less visited — original Ming-era towers in various stages of noble decay. Both offer genuinely magnificent scenery; neither requires a guide.
💡 Avoid Badaling (1h from Beijing) — it receives 100,000+ visitors daily in summer. Take the toboggan down at Mutianyu (¥60) for the finest fast descent in northern China.
The Temple of Heaven (Tiantan Park; ¥10 park + ¥20 buildings; 6am–9pm) is where emperors performed annual ceremonies to ensure good harvests. The circular Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is one of China’s finest architectural achievements. Tiananmen Square (free; ID required at security; 5am–10pm) is the world’s largest public square at 440,000m².
💡 Go to Temple of Heaven at 6am before the ticket offices open (¥2 park entry only). The park fills with locals practising sword tai chi, ballroom dancing, Peking opera, and kite-flying — one of Beijing’s finest free sights.
The Summer Palace (Yi He Yuan; ¥30; northwest Beijing; Metro Line 4 to Xinjiangongmen) is an 18th-century imperial park of lakes, gardens, and pavilions covering 2.9km². The hutongs (historic alleyways) of Nanluoguxiang and Wudaoying offer the finest glimpse of traditional Beijing residential life — 300-year-old courtyard houses behind narrow lanes.
💡 Rent a bicycle to explore the hutongs without a plan. The Drum and Bell Towers (¥20 each) in Dongcheng are the finest viewpoints in old Beijing, and the surrounding streets are largely tourist-free.
Beijing food is anchored in Peking duck — try Quanjude (the imperial standard; est. 1864; full duck ¥298) or the sleeker Da Dong (crispy-skin style; ¥200 per person; book ahead). Street breakfast is defined by jianbing: a crispy egg crêpe with coriander, chilli paste, and pickles, made on a griddle for ¥8. Zhajiangmian (wheat noodles with fermented soybean paste and shredded cucumber; ¥25) is the quintessential Beijing noodle. For the finest xiaochi (small eats) without tourist markup, head to the side streets of Wangfujing or the Guomao neighbourhood east of the 3rd Ring Road.
Metro Line 1 to Tiananmen East; arrive at 8:30am opening. Walk the Forbidden City central axis south to north (3h; ¥60). Cross to Jingshan Park (¥2) for the rooftop panorama. Lunch in the Dongcheng hutongs. Afternoon: explore Nanluoguxiang alley on foot or by bike. Evening: Drum Tower neighbourhood restaurants and roof bars.
Temple of Heaven at 8am; park and buildings (¥30; 2h). Metro Line 4 northwest to the Summer Palace (¥30; 2–3h: walk the Long Corridor and Kunming Lake). Wangfujing pedestrian street for afternoon snacks. Peking duck dinner at Da Dong (book 2 days ahead; around ¥200 per person) or Quanjude in Qianmen.
Tourist bus from Dongzhimen at 8am (90 mins). Up by cable car (¥100); walk watchtowers 6 to 20 (1.5h). Down by toboggan (¥60). Lunch at the village restaurants below. Back in Beijing by 4pm. Evening: Sanlitun bar district for cocktails or Houhai Lake for drinks at a lakeside pavilion bar.
Download ExpressVPN or Astrill and test it before arrival. Once in China, VPN apps cannot be downloaded from the App Store.
Link a foreign Visa or Mastercard to WeChat Pay (the international version now accepts foreign cards) before arrival.
The Yikatong gives a 10% discount on Metro fares and works on most buses. The Beijing Metro is extensive (22 lines), clean, and inexpensive (from ¥3).
Forbidden City tickets at pm.org.cn sell out 3–7 days ahead in July and August.
Beijing’s AQI can swing from 20 (clean) to 300+ (hazardous) within the same week. Download AQI app.
Temple of Heaven at 6am has hundreds of locals doing sword tai chi, Peking opera, badminton, and ballroom dancing simultaneously.
Essential for accessing Google Maps, WhatsApp, Instagram, and all Western services in China. Download, install, and test it before you land — the App Store is geofenced once you arrive.
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China’s all-in-one app for messaging, maps, and mobile payments. Create an account before departure (requires phone verification). WeChat Pay (linked to a foreign card via the international version) is the primary payment method in Beijing.
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China’s dominant ride-hailing app — safer and more reliable than street taxis, with in-app translation for your destination. Set up your account and link your card before arriving. Available in English.
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Real-time Beijing air quality monitoring. Checks pollution levels hourly so you can plan outdoor activities on clean-air days. Also shows hourly AQI forecasts 48 hours ahead.
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Explore China’s most extraordinary cities — from Shanghai’s ultramodern waterfront to the ancient streets of Xi’an where the Silk Road began.