Beijing 北京
Imperial, enormous, and more fun than its serious face suggests
- Best time
- Apr–May, Sep–Oct
- Stay
- 4–5 days
- Getting here
- ~5h by train from Shanghai
Know before you go
- 💡“Forbidden City tickets drop 7 days ahead at 8pm Beijing time — set an alarm, weekend slots go in minutes.”
- 🎟Top sights need booking up to 7 days ahead
- ✓Your passport is your ticket — carry it every day
- ¥Mid-range ~¥450–650/day
- 👥Avoid Oct 1–7 Golden Week
What’s here
32 places & tips in Beijing
Forbidden City (Palace Museum)Worth it
🎟 Book up to 7 days ahead
Locals say the central axis is a conveyor belt of tour groups.
🎟 Tip Bring your physical passport; photos are not accepted.
★ Filmed here: The Last Emperor (1987)
Mutianyu Great WallWorth it
🎟 Book a day ahead
Our pick for a first visit: steep, scenic and far calmer than Badaling.
🚇 Tip Book a return DiDi or join a small-group shuttle — taxis are scarce for the trip back.
Lama Temple (Yonghe Temple)Worth it
🎟 Book up to 7 days ahead
An active temple, and busy on weekends with young locals praying for exam and career luck.
⚠ Tip Skip the “fortune tellers” and incense sellers on Yonghegong Street. Free incense is handed out with your ticket inside.
★ Lama Temple “lucky bracelets”
National Museum of ChinaWorth it
🎟 Book up to 7 days ahead
Free but booked out at weekends — set an alarm.
🎟 Tip Free slots open 7 days ahead and weekend slots often go within the hour — book the same evening they release.
Summer PalaceWorth it
🎟 Book up to 7 days ahead
It’s big — pick one route and stick to it.
🚇 Tip Enter at the North Palace Gate (Beigongmen, Line 4) and leave by the East Gate: it’s downhill all the way and ends by the buses back to town.
Temple of HeavenWorth it
🎟 Book up to 7 days ahead
Come early.
🕘 Tip The park is open from 6am but the halls close around 5pm — arrive after 4pm and you’ll only see gardens.
- Guijie (Ghost Street)Worth it Go hungry and go late. 🍜 Tip Crayfish is sold by the jin (500 g). One jin per person is plenty once you add sides.
Jingshan ParkWorth it
Climb to Wanchun Pavilion for the whole golden-roof sweep of the Forbidden City.
📷 Tip For the classic golden-roof photo, climb to Wanchun Pavilion 30–40 minutes before sunset. It gets crowded on clear evenings.
Jubaoyuan copper-pot hotpot (Niujie)Worth it
Classic shuan yangrou: clear broth, paper-thin hand-sliced mutton, sesame dipping sauce — not spicy at all.
🍜 Tip Order the hand-cut fresh mutton (手切鲜羊肉) and sesame sauce. This is clear-broth hotpot — ask for chilli oil if you want heat.
Shichahai & Houhai hutongsWorth it
Skip Nanluoguxiang and wander here instead: Yandai Xiejie to Yinding Bridge, then lose yourself in the quiet lanes around Prince Gong’s Mansion.
⚠ Tip Decline the rickshaw “hutong tours” that approach you — prices often balloon at the end.
Siji Minfu Roast Duck (Forbidden City branch)Worth it
Locals pick it over the big historic names: crisp duck at fair prices and no tourist markup.
⏱ Tip Take a queue number in the Dianping app before you leave your hotel; dinner waits of 1–2 hours are normal.
★ Hype check Worth it
The Forbidden City Corner Tower at sunset
The most-posted Beijing photo on RedNote. Is it worth the crowd? Yes — if you get the timing right.
Quickest from Beijing
About Beijing
Beijing is two cities at once: the imperial showpiece of palaces, temples and the Great Wall, and a surprisingly easygoing town of hutong lanes, parks full of dancing retirees and late-night crayfish streets. The big sights run on advance booking with your passport, so plan the first three days before you fly — then leave room to wander.