Beijing is quintessential China. If you can only visit one place in the country, Beijing should be it. The city is chockful of landmarks, history, and culture. Here all all of the places you must visit in Beijing.
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Forbidden City (Palace Museum)
Beijing has served as China’s political center since the 13th century. The Forbidden City is the imperial palace complex that was the home to 24 emperors from 1420-1912. It’s called the Forbidden City because commoners were not allowed inside the massive complex. Today, it is open for visitors as the Palace Museum.
Walk through the main ceremonial path of the palace complex, exploring grand halls where coronations, banquets, and ceremonies occurred. There are three main halls you must see – the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Central Harmony, and the Hall of Preserving Harmony. Inside these halls, you’ll find art and artifacts like jade, ceramics, and paintings. In the inner court, you will see where the emperors lived with their families. The complex is huge, so consider taking a guided tour.
Tiananmen Square
Directly south of the Forbidden City is Tiananmen Square. This iconic public square is probably best known as the site of the 1989 pro-democracy protests. These protests led to the deaths of many students and others when the government sent in the People’s Liberation Army to shut them down. Today the square serves as a space for celebrations and parades. The large photo in the square is a portrait of Mao Zedong, the first chairman of the People’s Republic of China.
Jingsham Park
For a panoramic view of the Forbidden City, go to Jingshan Park. It is across the street from the northern exit of the Forbidden City. It’s particularly beautiful right as the sun is setting. The park is also a great place to see locals engaging in Tai Chi, singing, dancing, or playing traditional instruments.
Great Wall of China
One of the things you must do while you are in Beijing is not located in the city. A day trip to see the Great Wall of China is definitely in order! The Great Wall is a 13,000 mile fortification built over 2,000 years to protect China from northern invaders. Obviously you can see the Great Wall from many different locations, but some of the best are located just a few hours away from Beijing.
The easiest option is to take a day trip to Badaling. This section of the Great Wall is about 1-1.5 hours away from Beijing. But it’s pretty touristy and overrun with crowds. A better option is a day trip to Mutianyu. The section of the wall is restored and offers a cable car ride up and the option to toboggan ride down. It’s about 1.5 hours away from Beijing and is less crowded than Badaling usually is.
Summer Palace
The Summer Palace was built in the mid-18th century and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It originally was the summer residence for the Qing Dynasty rulers. Today the huge complex is open to the public and is a testament to Chinese landscape architecture.
Start your visit by walking the Long Corridor, a covered walkway spanning more than 2,000 feet. Make sure to admire the thousands of paintings of Chinese history, landscapes, and mythology. Then climb up Longevity Hill to see panoramic views of the palace grounds and Kunming Lake. Along the way, you will see the Tower of Buddhist Incense. This three-story octagonal building houses a giant golden Buddha statue with a thousand hands.
Other must-see sites in the Summer Palace is the Seventeen-Arch Bridge and the Marble Boat. You can also spend time wandering through the gardens, or taking a boat ride on Kunming Lake. It’s a peaceful and beautiful place to spend a few hours in nature.
Temple of Heaven
The Temple of Heaven is yet another huge and striking complex in Beijing. Dating from 1420, it was built as a sacred site for emperors to visit three times per year. The first visit was on the 8th day of the first lunar month to pray for a good harvest. The second visit was at the summer solstice to pray for rain. The final visit was during the winter solstice to give thanks.
Go early in the morning for fewer crowds. This will also be when more locals are there practicing Tai Chi, playing songs, singing, dancing, playing games, or exercising. In fact, this was my favorite part of visiting the Temple of Heaven.
The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is a highlight of the complex. It is striking both outside and inside. There’s also an echo wall at the Imperial Vault of Heaven you can test out. And make sure to walk along the Danbi Bridge, a raised pathway linking the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests and the Imperial Vault of Heaven.
Beijing Hutongs
The Beijing hutongs are historic narrow alleys built around courtyard houses that can be as old as 700-800 years. Some may still be homes, but it is more likely that these now house cafes, bars, and shops.
The hutongs are in several different areas in Beijing. The most popular area is Nanluoguxiang. This area can be touristy and crowded, but it offers a great mix of old alleys and shops, cafes, and street food options. For a less touristy experience, visit Wudaoying Hutong. It offers boutiques, coffee shops, and hidden courtyards. Another area is Yandai Xie Street, the oldest commercial street in Beijing. It’s near Lake Houhai and is beautiful at sunset. And Qianmen hutongs is near the major sights, so easy to fit in if you have a tight itinerary.
The best way to visit the hutongs is by taking a guided walking tour, bike tour, or a rickshaw tour. The rickshaw tour even offers a chance to go inside a traditional home and meet with a local family.
Lama Temple
Lama Temple is a Tibetan Buddhist temple in Beijing. It was originally built in 1694 as a palace and converted to a temple in 1744. Inside you will find ornately decorated halls and the rich scent of incense. It’s an active place of worship, so you will see monks chanting and people praying for good fortune.
There are five main halls to visit, including the Hall of Heavenly Kings, Hall of Harmony and Peace, Hall of Everlasting Protection, Hall of the Wheel of Law, and the Pavilion of Ten Thousand Happiness. There’s a giant Buddha statue carved from a single piece of Tibetan sandalwood to admire. There’s also a sculpture made of gold, silver, copper, iron, and tin called the 500-Arhat-Hill.
798 Art Zone
Now that we’ve fully exhausted the list of major historical sites in Beijing, let’s move on to the more modern offerings of the city! First up is the 798 Art Zone. Old factories now house trendy art galleries, cafes, and street art. There are more than 250 galleries to explore featuring contemporary Chinese art in many forms.
Beijing National Stadium
The Beijing National Stadium, also known as the Bird’s Nest, was built for the 2008 Olympics. You can take a stadium tour to see the seating areas, field, and exhibits about the 2008 Summer Olympics. There are also shops selling Olympic memorabilia. Even if you don’t want to tour the stadium, make sure to go by and see it. It’s especially great at night when it is beautifully lit.
What’s at the top of your Beijing itinerary?
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