Imperial palaces, hutongs and the Great Wall.
Beijing is China's capital and its imperial heart, with the Forbidden City, grand temples and old hutong lanes. The Great Wall is within easy reach. It suits history lovers and first-time visitors to China.
Tap a card to open it. Day trips are marked.
A restored section of the Great Wall with watchtowers and a cable car. It is less crowded than Badaling. The section lies about 70 kilometres northeast of the city and has restored watchtowers.
Entry plus optional cable car and toboggan; price varies by season.
The vast imperial palace of the Ming and Qing emperors. It holds the Palace Museum. It was the imperial palace for Ming and Qing emperors and is now the Palace Museum.
Standard entry ticket; extra tickets for some halls and exhibits. Check the official site for current prices.
A huge square at the heart of the city. Security checks apply. It is one of the largest public squares in the world and is bordered by key government buildings.
2026 general admission is free; optional activities and purchases are extra.
A Ming temple where emperors prayed for harvests. Locals exercise in the park. The complex was built in the 1400s for imperial rituals and prayers for good harvests.
Park entry is cheap; a combined ticket covers the main halls.
A lake and hills with imperial pavilions. It is a UNESCO site. It was a royal retreat for Qing emperors and has Kunming Lake and a long covered corridor.
Gate ticket is cheaper than the combined ticket with halls and the tower.
A hill behind the Forbidden City with views over its roofs. It is great at sunset. It rises north of the Forbidden City and gives a classic view over its roofs.
Low entry fee.
Old lanes of courtyard houses. Nanluoguxiang is the busiest. These old alleys with courtyard homes are best explored on foot or by bicycle.
2026 general admission is free; optional activities and purchases are extra.
A Tibetan Buddhist temple with a giant sandalwood Buddha. It is active and colourful. It was a palace before becoming a lamasery in the 1700s and remains an active temple.
Small entry fee; incense is sold at the gate.
Home to the Bird's Nest and Water Cube. It is lit up at night. It was built for the 2008 Olympics and has the Bird's Nest and Water Cube.
Check the official site for current prices.
Former factories turned galleries. It is the city's arts hub. It occupies former factory buildings and has galleries and studios.
The area is free; some galleries charge entry.
Everything above is open to read. A Hodolog account lets you build the trip around it.
Choose how many days you have.
Day one center, day two the Great Wall, day three Temple of Heaven and Summer Palace.
Imperial tombs.
31 mi · Bus or car, about 1 hour
Imperial summer resort.
143 mi · High speed train, about 1 hour
A longer, wilder stretch of wall with fewer crowds.
78 mi · Tour van or private car, about 2.5h each way
A developed water-town destination sits below another Great Wall section, making it a substantial excursion.
Arrange a car or confirm a current tourist-bus connection to Miyun; no checked 2026 journey-time range has been entered.
Historic coastal treaty port city featuring five European concession districts, Italian-style villas, and the Tianjin Eye ferris wheel.
75 mi · Direct C-series high-speed intercity train from Beijing South Station in just 30 minutes.
Preserved Ming and Qing Dynasty stone mountain village built into hillside terraces, featuring traditional courtyard architecture.
56 mi · Bus line 929 from Pingguoyuan or private driver in about 2 hours.
Best: April to May and September to October. Clear, mild weather.
Daily high and average, by month
Typical inches per month
Quiet season. Lower prices, fewer crowds.
Climate normals: NASA POWER (public domain). For your own dates, a trip's Plan tab shows the forecast and the usual weather.
January or February
Fairs at Ditan and other parks.
October 1
Golden Week with big crowds.
January or February, dates vary
Temple fairs and fireworks, but many businesses close for several days.
September or early October, dates vary
Families share mooncakes and watch the full moon.
April
A film event with screenings around the city.
Lunar New Year period, usually January or February
Parks and cultural sites host seasonal markets and performances; the 2026 municipal program included Ditan and other temple-fair venues, with dates varying by year.
January or February
Major cultural holiday featuring traditional temple fairs with acrobatics, dragon dances, and street food at Ditan Park.
June
Traditional holiday featuring dragon boat racing regattas on Houhai Lake and eating savory zongzi sticky rice parcels.
The US State Department rates China Level 2, exercise increased caution, citing arbitrary enforcement of local laws; street crime in Beijing is low, though tea house scams target tourists.
Central sights are walkable, but the city is vast with wide roads.
An extensive metro; pay by QR code in Alipay or WeChat or a transit card.
Sources disagree on: scores.
The neighborhoods that suit most first visits.
Best for: first-timers
Near the Forbidden City.
Best for: budget, culture
Old lanes with character.
Best for: nightlife
Bars and restaurants.
Best for: first-timers, history fans, couples
Close to the Forbidden City, with courtyard hotels and many restaurants.
Best for: couples, nightlife
A lakeside hutong area with bars, boutique guesthouses and evening strolls.
Best for: budget, sightseeing
Handy for the square, the Temple of Heaven and the metro, with cheap hostels.
| Main airport | Beijing Capital International (PEK), 16 mi from the center |
| To the center | The Airport Express reaches Dongzhimen from Terminal 3 in about 20 minutes (2026). |
| Around town | Use the metro and DiDi. Expect security checks at stations. |
| Ride apps | DiDi, Didi (integrated into Alipay app), Licensed metered taxis |
Roasted duck with pancakes.
Noodles with bean sauce.
Savoury crepe for breakfast.
Mutton hotpot in winter.
Candied hawthorn berries on a stick, a winter street snack.
Roasted duck is served with thin pancakes and accompaniments.
A sweet local pancake is highlighted in the municipal food guide as a traditional dining choice.
Crispy-skinned roast duck carved tableside, wrapped in thin steamed pancakes with scallions, cucumber, and sweet bean sauce.
Paper-thin slices of tender mutton cooked tableside in a traditional copper chimney hotpot over charcoal broth, dipped in sesame sauce.
Handmade dough parcels stuffed with minced pork and Chinese chives, boiled and eaten with dark black rice vinegar and garlic.
| Plugs | Type A, C and I, 220 V |
| Tap water | Use bottled water |
| Tipping | Tipping is not customary. |
| Payments | Mobile payments dominate. |
| Etiquette | Bring your passport for entry to major sights. |
Beijing has been a capital for most of the past 800 years, under the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. The Ming built the Forbidden City in the early 1400s. The People's Republic was proclaimed at Tiananmen in 1949, and the city hosted the Olympics in 2008 and 2022. Beijing became the capital under the Yuan dynasty and has been the capital of the People's Republic since 1949.
Researched 2026-10-12. Check official sources and recent changes before you go.