Things to do & places to visit in Beijing, China

Welcome to a capital city whose story goes back at least 3000 years. In Beijing, you'll find a wealth of history, both ancient (the Hall of Preserving Harmony, Summer Palace, Forbidden City) and more recent (Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, Tiananmen Square). For the best market experience, choose the Dirt Market over the touristy Silk Market. A visit to the Great Wall, the longest manmade structure in the world, is absolutely essential.

Beijing #2 destination in China 2023. The average rating score is 4.53 based on 124.6k traveler reviews, of 30 attractions. Timezone: Asia/Shanghai, current date and time: Monday, April 29, 2024, 21:24.

Beijing Weather Statistics view more »

General weather summary in April

71°F - 42°F

Temperature Highs - Lows

Moderately chilly with a gentle breeze

Feels like

12%

Chance of rain

35.0 millimeters

Amount

13.9 mph

Wind speed

35%

Humidity

13.2

Daylight length

5:38 AM

Sunrise

6:51 PM

Sunset

64%

Cloud cover

Sweater

What to wear

Top things to do (22)

Top places to visit (30 attractions) view more »

5.0 Mutianyu Great Wall (23.8k reviews)
- Don't Miss this! Ride the Slide!
Monday: 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM Spent More than 3 hours Ancient Ruins • Points of Interest & Landmarks • Hiking Trails

The Great Wall is an icon of China and is a must-visit. There are many parts of the wall you can opt to visit, but I recommend the Mutianyu area. Great views. You have the option to climb up to the wall via stairs or ride a cable-car for a fee. Climbing up is a great experience I highly recommend, but it is indeed very tiring. This is one thing you must consider. It was winter when I visited, with temperatures less than 5 degrees celsius, but I ended up sweaty when I arrived at the wall! Don't regret it, though! Going down you also have the option to walk, ride the cable car, or whiz down by toboggan slide. I chose to ride the slide, which was a bit expensive, but was very, very thrilling. The views while riding were amazing, and although the speed is a bit fast, you would never feel unsafe. If you can, ride the slide! I believe it's only available at the Mutianyu Great Wall! See more..
5.0 Mutianyu Great Wall (23.8k reviews)
- Don't Miss this! Ride the Slide!
Monday: 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM Spent More than 3 hours Ancient Ruins • Points of Interest & Landmarks • Hiking Trails

The Great Wall is an icon of China and is a must-visit. There are many parts of the wall you can opt to visit, but I recommend the Mutianyu area. Great views. You have the option to climb up to the wall via stairs or ride a cable-car for a fee. Climbing up is a great experience I highly recommend, but it is indeed very tiring. This is one thing you must consider. It was winter when I visited, with temperatures less than 5 degrees celsius, but I ended up sweaty when I arrived at the wall! Don't regret it, though! Going down you also have the option to walk, ride the cable car, or whiz down by toboggan slide. I chose to ride the slide, which was a bit expensive, but was very, very thrilling. The views while riding were amazing, and although the speed is a bit fast, you would never feel unsafe. If you can, ride the slide! I believe it's only available at the Mutianyu Great Wall! See more..
4.5 Summer Palace (Yiheyuan) (15.0k reviews)
- Cool December Visit
Monday: 6:30 AM - 6:00 PM Spent More than 3 hours Points of Interest & Landmarks • Historic Walking Areas • Architectural Buildings

The Summer Palace is the summer resort for the Qing dynasty's royal family.It is covered 3/4 with the water,the rest are hills and palaces.The Long corridor is the longest corridor in the world.From the eastern end ,Moon invited gate you can see it is like straight line ,then it's twisting and turning like in the wonderland.On the right side of the Long corridor ,it is a beautiful lake . See more..
4.5 Forbidden City-The Palace Museum (14.1k reviews) from $9.03
- Definitely a place to visit
Monday: Spent 2-3 hours Speciality Museums • Architectural Buildings • History Museums

Consisting of more than 9,000 rooms and spread over 250 acres, this huge palace complex was built in the 15th century and later extensively renovated and restored during the Qing Dynasty in the 18th century See more..
4.5 Temple of Heaven (12.2k reviews) from $4.00
- Awesome architecture
Monday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Historic Sites • Architectural Buildings • Parks • Religious Sites • Government Buildings

Built in 1420 with a total area of 270 acres, this is the largest building for religious worship in China, which was originally used by the Ming and Qing emperors to pay homage to Heaven and to pray for a year of rich harvest. See more..
4.5 The Great Wall at Badaling (11.1k reviews) from $11.00
- Take the bus 877 from Jishitan station on LIne 10!
Ancient Ruins • Architectural Buildings

The Great Wall of China is considered to be the only man-made project visible from the moon. Although it was once thought to have been built entirely during the Qin Dynasty between 221 and 238 BC, it is now believed to have been started earlier.Stretching more than 6,400 kilometers in length. See more..
4.5 Lama Temple (Yonghegong) (4.203 reviews)
- Absolutely gorgeous
Monday: 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM Spent 1-2 hours History Museums

A series of beautiful pavilions comprise this Mongolian-Tibetan yellow-sect temple, which features an impressive fifty-four-foot high Buddha carved from one piece of Tibetan sandalwood. See more..
4.5 Long Corridor at the Summer Palace (3.393 reviews)
- Nice Walk
Points of Interest & Landmarks

The Long Corridor goes a good length of the Summer Palace complex with the buildings on one side and the lake on the other. I would recommend starting at the East Gate and making your way to the marble boat. Entrance to the summer palace is 20 RMB and the temple in the middle is closed on Mondays. Have your green health code ready! See more..
4.5 Jingshan Park (Jingshan Gongyuan) (2.953 reviews) from $95.00
- Visit this park in the evening
Monday: 6:30 AM - 9:00 PM Spent < 1 hour Points of Interest & Landmarks • Lookouts • Parks

Located on the highest point in Beijing City, this park was built in 1179 during the Jin Dynasty and today provides visitors with sweeping views of the Forbidden City located below. See more..
4.5 Juyong Pass of Great Wall (2.553 reviews)
- Very beautiful
Historic Sites • Military Bases & Facilities

12 miles north of Changping and 37 miles north of Beijing. Apparently closest portion of Great Wall to Beijing. See more..
4.5 798 Art Zone (2.377 reviews)
- Unique and interesting
Spent 1-2 hours Art Galleries • Neighborhoods

This bustling area is a hub for contemporary Chinese art with a wide array of different styles. This old factory compound has been perfectly converted to house numerous galleries and bookshops & cafes. See more..
4.5 Tian'anmen (2.369 reviews)
- Brilliant even in a cold winter night
Monday: 5:00 AM - 10:00 PM Historic Sites • Architectural Buildings

Tiananmen on a cold winter’s night is so much better with far less crowds. The Gate of Heavenly Peace and the surrounding architectures are brilliantly illuminated at night. Officials checks ID of all who enters the area so foreigners will need to show their passports and the Chinese VISAs( sometimes). See more..
4.5 Beihai Park (Beihai Gongyuan) (2.356 reviews) from $3.90
- Good for Sunday Stroll or Tourist Stop (entrance fee required to enter park, additional fee to enter White Pagoda)
Spent < 1 hour Bodies of Water • Points of Interest & Landmarks • Parks

Kubla Khan in 1260 took up residence in this palace, which today is a 168-acre park filled with historic buildings, restaurants and a lake. See more..
4.5 The Imperial Garden of The Palace Museum (2.043 reviews)
- Wowing Imperial Garden
Monday: Parks

Some of the trees and plants, and the rock formations, are very exotic and in a nice way, unusual. For the palace inhabitants it was probably a peaceful and tranquil haven. During my visit, it was loaded with sightseers and a little noisy. It was also a hot 37C, so I bought myself a mango drink in a Palace Shop. See more..
4.5 Back Lakes (Hou Hai) (1.456 reviews)
- The Nightlife of Beijing
Spent 1-2 hours Bodies of Water • Neighborhoods

This area of Beijing contains some of the most extensive old hutong neighborhoods and the three lakes of Xihai, Houhai and Oianhai. See more..
4.5 Chaoyang Theater (1.330 reviews) from $36.00
- Great show, well worth seeing
Monday: 3:00 PM - 8:00 PM Spent 2-3 hours Theaters

Acrobats & gymnasts from throughout China perform at this theatre – breathtaking routines of flexibility involving chairs, bikes, jumping hoops,spinning plates & human strength. 2 performances daily. See more..
4.5 Great Wall at Huanghuacheng (1.192 reviews)
- best part of the great wall!
Monday: 6:00 AM - 6:00 PM Points of Interest & Landmarks

Huanghuacheng Great wall is a wild section which is located near a lake and a reservoir, this part of the Wall is called Yellow Flower Fortress and is a good place for hiking.Huanghuacheng Section of the Great Wall is a resort with mountains, lakes and theancient Great Wall. There are very few people to be found here, but it is becomingpopular with hikers.There is a lake and a crescent shaped reservoir nearby. And the lake breaks this sectionof the Great Wall into three segments naturally. Part of the wall is under water and becomes submerged at high tide. So the Huanghuacheng Great Wall is nicknamed "Water Great Wall".The scenery here is unique and will surprise you. See more..
4.5 Hall of Great Harmony (Taihe Dian) (1.187 reviews)
- tip for visiting the forbidden city
Architectural Buildings

I've been to the Forbidden city at least 5 times (1st time in 1997, most recently in 2009), I really enjoy the place - but I know a lot of the history from my studies. There are bookstores in there where you can find books about the place. Most of the main halls along the central axis of the city have almost nothing in them and can be super crowded so it's hard to even get a peek of what little is there (you aren't allowed to actually enter the main halls). Make sure you wander around the halls on the east and west sides of the place, that's where all the interesting stuff is. If you do it right, it should take you more than 3 hours to get through the place - I've spent 4-5 hours at times. After you visit the Forbidden City, go to Jingshan park directly to the north (small charge). Climb the hill, you'll get a great view of the entire Forbidden City, barring smog. Like any historical place, if you can get a decent tour guide it's definitely worth it. See more..
4.5 Meridian Gate (Wu Men) (988 reviews) from $9.03
- Entrance to the Forbidden City
Monday: 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM Historic Sites • Architectural Buildings

Very emotional place to visit but has wonderful ancient Chinese architecture which makes this site well worth a visit if you are in Beijing See more..
4.5 The Great wall of Jiankou (960 reviews)
- Wow!!!
Historic Sites

It was a great moment for me camazinglimbing the Great Wall of China. A dream came true. Impressive and beautiful. You can climb to the point where you can but it's worth it to try a little and climb much more because the experience and the view is amazing. See more..
4.5 Happy Valley of Beijing (773 reviews) from $25.65
- An "american" amusement park at Chinese prices.
Monday: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Amusement & Theme Parks

Our kids had a blast, and it didn't break the bank. And the headliner coaster there was by far the scariest we'd ever seen, Disney, Universal, Flags included. Don't go on a weekend, though, lines are extremely long. See more..
4.5 National Center for the Performing Arts (753 reviews) from $6.45
- Awesomely magnificent structure & unique stage
Monday: 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM Architectural Buildings • Theaters

This is my third visit in 2018 to this beautiful titanium-accented glass dome theatre of the performing arts (aka, The Giant Egg). Over my past two visits, I’ve watched a performance and toured the National Grand Theatre. Although I didn't see Lang Lang himself, I did get to see his handprints. It is an incredibly beautiful venue for seeing performances, and likely the nicest in the world. See more..
4.5 Simatai Great Wall (484 reviews)
- Atmospheric night time Great Wall
Monday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent More than 3 hours State Parks • Ancient Ruins

Simatai, a section of the Great Wall of China located in the north of Miyun County, 120 km northeast of Beijing, holds the access to Gubeikou, a strategic pass in the eastern part of the Great Wall. It's one of the most untouched section of the Great Wall which will surely become the highlight of your trip to China! See more..
4.5 Gubei Water Town (328 reviews)
- Quaint town that comes alive at night
Historic Walking Areas

This water town is about 2 hours drive from Beijing city. For those who have been to Wuzhen (in outskirts of Shanghai), there is a heavy resemblance as I'm told that this place is modeled after the latter. There is plenty to do inside. The bonus of going in winter is that the streams are frozen and converted to skating rinks. There are also ice sculptures at various parts of the town. The other advantage of visiting this town is that it is linked to the Simatai leg of the Great Wall. It is best to stay until evening time as the lights of the town and the Great Wall are magnificent. See more..
4.5 Summer Palace (Yiheyuan) (15.0k reviews)
- Cool December Visit
Monday: 6:30 AM - 6:00 PM Spent More than 3 hours Points of Interest & Landmarks • Historic Walking Areas • Architectural Buildings

The Summer Palace is the summer resort for the Qing dynasty's royal family.It is covered 3/4 with the water,the rest are hills and palaces.The Long corridor is the longest corridor in the world.From the eastern end ,Moon invited gate you can see it is like straight line ,then it's twisting and turning like in the wonderland.On the right side of the Long corridor ,it is a beautiful lake . See more..
4.5 Forbidden City-The Palace Museum (14.1k reviews) from $9.03
- Definitely a place to visit
Monday: Spent 2-3 hours Speciality Museums • Architectural Buildings • History Museums

Consisting of more than 9,000 rooms and spread over 250 acres, this huge palace complex was built in the 15th century and later extensively renovated and restored during the Qing Dynasty in the 18th century See more..
4.5 Temple of Heaven (12.2k reviews) from $4.00
- Awesome architecture
Monday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Historic Sites • Architectural Buildings • Parks • Religious Sites • Government Buildings

Built in 1420 with a total area of 270 acres, this is the largest building for religious worship in China, which was originally used by the Ming and Qing emperors to pay homage to Heaven and to pray for a year of rich harvest. See more..
4.5 The Great Wall at Badaling (11.1k reviews) from $11.00
- Take the bus 877 from Jishitan station on LIne 10!
Ancient Ruins • Architectural Buildings

The Great Wall of China is considered to be the only man-made project visible from the moon. Although it was once thought to have been built entirely during the Qin Dynasty between 221 and 238 BC, it is now believed to have been started earlier.Stretching more than 6,400 kilometers in length. See more..
4.5 Lama Temple (Yonghegong) (4.203 reviews)
- Absolutely gorgeous
Monday: 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM Spent 1-2 hours History Museums

A series of beautiful pavilions comprise this Mongolian-Tibetan yellow-sect temple, which features an impressive fifty-four-foot high Buddha carved from one piece of Tibetan sandalwood. See more..
4.5 Long Corridor at the Summer Palace (3.393 reviews)
- Nice Walk
Points of Interest & Landmarks

The Long Corridor goes a good length of the Summer Palace complex with the buildings on one side and the lake on the other. I would recommend starting at the East Gate and making your way to the marble boat. Entrance to the summer palace is 20 RMB and the temple in the middle is closed on Mondays. Have your green health code ready! See more..