Top places to visit in Beijing

• Forbidden City (Palace Museum)

  imperial palace · 4.6 rating · about 3 h · entry ¥60 (≈ ₹850)

  The vast imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties — 980 buildings behind vermilion walls, the world's largest surviving palace complex and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Book timed entry in advance.

• Tiananmen Square

  civic square · 4.4 rating · about 1 h · check the fee at the gate

  One of the world's largest public squares, flanked by the Great Hall of the People and the National Museum, with Mao's Mausoleum at its centre. Passport and security screening required to enter.

• Temple of Heaven

  imperial altar · 4.6 rating · about 2 h · entry ¥15 (≈ ₹210)

  A masterpiece of Ming architecture where emperors prayed for good harvests; the circular Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests sits in a park full of morning tai chi and music. UNESCO listed.

• National Museum of China

  history museum · 4.4 rating · about 2 h · check the fee at the gate

  On the east side of Tiananmen Square, one of the world's largest museums, tracing Chinese civilisation from prehistory to the present. Free with passport booking.

• Jingshan Park

  hill park · 4.6 rating · about 1 h · entry ¥2 (≈ ₹28)

  A hill-top park built from the earth dug for the palace moat, offering the classic panorama over the golden roofs of the Forbidden City. Best at sunset.

• Beihai Park

  imperial garden · 4.5 rating · about 1.5 h · entry ¥10 (≈ ₹140)

  A former imperial garden centred on a lake and the White Dagoba, with pavilions, lotus ponds and rowing boats in summer.

• Summer Palace

  imperial garden · 4.6 rating · about 3 h · entry ¥30 (≈ ₹430)

  The Qing imperial garden-retreat around Kunming Lake, with Longevity Hill, the Long Corridor and the Marble Boat — a UNESCO-listed masterpiece of Chinese landscape design.

• Great Wall at Badaling

  great wall · 4.6 rating · about 4 h · entry ¥40 (≈ ₹570)

  The most famous and accessible restored section of the Great Wall, ~70 km northwest of the city, with cable cars and steep watchtower climbs. Extremely busy on weekends and holidays.

• Great Wall at Mutianyu

  great wall · 4.8 rating · about 4 h · entry ¥45 (≈ ₹640)

  A beautifully restored, less-crowded Great Wall section wrapped in forested hills, with a cable car up and a toboggan ride down — a favourite for families and photographers.

• Lama Temple (Yonghe)

  tibetan buddhist · 4.7 rating · about 1.3 h · entry ¥25 (≈ ₹360)

  Beijing's grandest Tibetan Buddhist monastery, home to an 18 m sandalwood Maitreya Buddha carved from a single trunk. Incense fills the courtyards.

• Ming Tombs (Changling)

  imperial tomb · 4.4 rating · about 2 h · entry ¥45 (≈ ₹640)

  The monumental mausoleums of thirteen Ming emperors set against the northern hills, approached along the statue-lined Sacred Way. UNESCO listed.

• Houhai & Shichahai Lakes

  lakeside district · 4.4 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  A ring of connected lakes lined with willow trees, hutong lanes, bars and courtyard cafés — sleepy by day, lively by night.

Things to do

• Great Wall at Mutianyu Day Tour Tour · 8 h · from CNY 550 per person
• Hutong Rickshaw & Courtyard Tour Cultural · 2 h · from CNY 180 per person
• Forbidden City & Tiananmen Guided Walk Tour · 4 h · from CNY 350 per person
• Peking Duck Dinner & Kung Fu Show Show · 3.5 h · from CNY 400 per person
• Temple of Heaven Tai Chi Morning Wellness · 2 h · from CNY 150 per person
• Beijing Night Food Tour (Ghost Street) Food · 3 h · from CNY 300 per person

Day trips and tours

• Great Wall & Ming Tombs Full-Day Tour 9 h · from CNY 620
• Imperial Beijing City Day Tour 8 h · from CNY 480

Where to stay in Beijing

• Dongcheng (Wangfujing / Forbidden City) about CNY 900 per night

  Walkable historic core within reach of the Forbidden City, Tiananmen and Wangfujing shopping — best for first-time sightseers.

• Qianmen & Dashilan about CNY 700 per night

  Restored Qing-era pedestrian streets and hutongs south of Tiananmen, packed with snack streets and old shops.

• Sanlitun (Chaoyang) about CNY 1,100 per night

  Beijing's nightlife, dining and embassy district with international hotels and bars.

Hotels

• The Peninsula Beijing 5-star · CNY 3,200 to CNY 6,500 per night
• Novotel Beijing Peace 4-star · CNY 650 to CNY 1,100 per night
• Red Wall Garden Hotel 4-star · CNY 900 to CNY 1,600 per night
• Beijing Downtown Backpackers 2-star · CNY 90 to CNY 320 per night
• Rosewood Beijing 5-star · CNY 2,600 to CNY 5,200 per night

Where to eat

• Quanjude Roast Duck (Qianmen) Chinese, Beijing, Peking Duck · about CNY 180 per person
• Da Dong Roast Duck Chinese, Beijing, Peking Duck · about CNY 300 per person
• Siji Minfu (Forbidden City) Chinese, Beijing, Peking Duck · about CNY 150 per person
• Haidilao Hot Pot (Wangfujing) Chinese, Hotpot, Sichuan · about CNY 150 per person
• Jubaoyuan Hotpot (Niujie) Chinese, Hotpot, Halal · about CNY 130 per person
• Yaoji Chaogan (Gui Jie) Chinese, Beijing, Street Food · about CNY 60 per person
• Mr Shi's Dumplings (Houhai) Chinese, Dumplings · about CNY 70 per person

Getting to Beijing

Airport: Beijing (PEK), Beijing (PKX)

How visitors arrive in Beijing

• Flight to Capital or Daxing airport By air from Overseas and China · common

  Beijing has two international airports, Capital and the newer Daxing. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

• High-speed train By train from Chinese cities · common

  Beijing West and Beijing South are the main high-speed hubs; rail covers most destinations. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

• Long-distance bus By road from Northern Hebei · possible

  Nine intercity bus stations exist, mostly needed for places rail does not reach. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

From the airport to the centre

• Capital Airport Express (PEK) unconfirmed

  The Airport Express runs from T2 and T3 to Dongzhimen via Sanyuanqiao, with subway links to line 10 at Sanyuanqiao and lines 2 and 13 at Dongzhimen. Tickets are bought separately at station machines. Source: worldtravelguide.net

• Daxing Airport Express (PKX)

  The Daxing Airport Express runs from Daxing Airport to Caoqiao, where you change to subway line 10. Ticket machines may not accept foreign passports, so use a staffed counter. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

• Official airport taxi line

  Official taxis queue at designated lines at both airports. Use only the official line and insist on the meter. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

• Show your destination written in Chinese to the driver and watch for touts and unofficial cabs outside arrivals. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

From the railway station to the centre

• Subway from the main rail stations unconfirmed

  Beijing South is the main high-speed hub, with subway lines 4 and 14 below it; intercity C trains also use it. Beijing West is reached via line 4 then line 7 at Caishikou. Source: chinahighlights.com

Getting around

• Bus useful for some trips

  Buses suit short trips, especially where a subway station is far from your destination, though stop signs and route information are mostly in Chinese.

  Beijing Public Transport

• Metro

  The Beijing Subway has many lines across the city, with dedicated express lines running to both Capital and Daxing airports.

• Ride Hail

  DiDi is widely used in Beijing to hail taxis and private cars, and visitors can reach it through mini-apps in Alipay or WeChat.

• Taxi

  Official taxis run on the meter, and having your destination written in Chinese helps because most drivers speak little English.

• Walking

Paying

• Alipay and WeChat are the most practical payment options; DiDi ride-hailing works through them. Some subway machines need a Chinese ID. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

Safety and scams to avoid

• Tea House / Tea Ceremony Scam

  Wangfujing, Tiananmen area, tourist streets

  Friendly English-speaking 'students' approach you, suggest a traditional tea ceremony nearby, then present a bill of hundreds or thousands of yuan for a few small cups, with heavies at the door.

  How to avoid it: Politely decline invitations from strangers to visit a specific teahouse or bar. Choose your own venue and check prices before ordering.

• Art Student Gallery Scam

  Wangfujing, museums, Forbidden City exits

  Well-dressed 'art students' invite you to a private exhibition of their work, then use high-pressure sales tactics to sell mass-produced paintings at hugely inflated prices.

  How to avoid it: Decline the invitation. Genuine galleries do not recruit customers off the street.

• Hutong Rickshaw Price Switch

  Houhai, Nanluoguxiang hutongs

  A pedicab quotes a cheap ride (e.g. '3'), then at the end demands 300 yuan, claiming the price was per person or per minute.

  How to avoid it: Agree the full total price in writing or on a calculator before boarding, and take a photo of it. Prefer licensed tour pedicabs.

Best time to visit Beijing

• Jan 3°C
• Feb 7°C
• Mar 13°C
• Apr 21°C
• May 28°C
• Jun 31°C
• Jul 32°C
• Aug 31°C
• Sep 27°C
• Oct 20°C
• Nov 11°C
• Dec 4°C

More in China

• Shanghai
• Guangzhou
• Hangzhou
• Xi'an
• Chengdu
• Suzhou

Frequently asked questions about Beijing

How many days do you need in Beijing?

A typical trip to Beijing is 3-5 days.

What are the top-rated places to visit in Beijing?

The highest-rated places in our Beijing guide are Great Wall at Mutianyu, Lama Temple (Yonghe), Forbidden City (Palace Museum), Temple of Heaven, Jingshan Park.

Where should I stay in Beijing?

Our guide covers these areas to stay in Beijing: Dongcheng (Wangfujing / Forbidden City), Qianmen & Dashilan, Sanlitun (Chaoyang).

How do I get around Beijing?

Ways to get around Beijing covered in our guide: City bus, Metro, Ride-hailing app, Taxi.

What scams should I watch out for in Beijing?

Scams reported to us for Beijing include Tea House / Tea Ceremony Scam; Art Student Gallery Scam; Hutong Rickshaw Price Switch. Each is explained in the guide, with how to avoid it.

What is the weather like in Beijing?

Average daytime highs in Beijing run from 3°C in Jan to 32°C in Jul.

Which airport is nearest to Beijing?

The nearest airport to Beijing has the code BJS.