Top Attractions You Cant Miss In Beijing

There are some things you just can’t miss when visiting Beijing. Here are the Chinese capital’s most impressive attractions.

1. The Great Wall of China

Architectural Landmark

Great Wall of China at the Jinshanling section

The Great Wall is one of the most popular attractions in all of China, receiving more than 10 million tourists each year. It has undergone several fortifications since its original construction in 771, increasingly built up to keep out enemies. The 21-kilometre-long structure has remained impressively intact, with only a handful of sections fixed up for tourists. The most popular spots to hike along the wall are Badaling and Mutianyu, which tend to get pretty crowded. If you decide to hike up at Mutianyu, you have the option of hopping into a roller-coaster cart to whizz down the valley. They don’t call it “great” for nothing.

2. Summer Palace

Building

Once upon a time, this breathtaking estate was used as a royal getaway to escape the scorching Beijing summer. Today, it is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the city’s most scenic attractions. The Summer Palace is a bit out of the way for visitors, sitting beyond the northwest corner of the sixth ring. But it’s worth the effort. The pavilions and palace are beautiful, with sprawling nature including the picturesque Kunming Lake and the very tidy landscaped gardens, making the Summer Palace an oasis of calm.

3. Temple of Heaven

Building, Hindu Temple, Park, Historical Landmark, Architectural Landmark

Beijing, China at the historic Temple of Heaven.

Built during the Ming Dynasty, the Temple of Heaven is a beautiful and elegant piece of Chinese architecture. Emperors once came here to pray to the heavens for a good harvest. There are many different parts of the temple, each with their own significance and purpose. Highlights include the Hall of Prayer, Danbi Bridge and the Imperial Vault of Heaven. We recommend shouting at the Echo Wall – your voice will bounce back!

5. Tiananmen Square

Park, Building

Guard on duty at the Gate of Heavenly Peace, Tiananmen Square, which serves as entrance to the Forbidden City in central Beijin

Tiananmen Square is located right beside the Forbidden City, known for its incredible political significance. This huge space is home to the Monument to the People’s Heroes, the Great Hall of the People and the National Museum of China, but the highlight is undoubtedly the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong, which houses the former leader’s embalmed body in its crystal coffin. Admission is free (though bear in mind no bags or cameras are permitted inside), but long queues form very quickly each day, so aim to get there early.

6. Panjiayuan Antique Market

Market, Shop

If you only have time to visit one market in Beijing, make it this. Panjiayuan Antique Market is the biggest and most famous in all of China, covers 48,500 square metres with more than 3,000 antiques dealers setting up shop. Selling everything from calligraphy brushes to wooden furniture, porcelain vases and jade jewellery, this is a souvenir gold mine. You can easily spend an entire day here, meandering through the endless rows of crafts, collectibles and other Chinese treasures.

7. Nanluoguxiang

Architectural Landmark

Nanluoguxiang is one of the most well-restored hutongs in Beijing. Even with the sea of tourists flooding its narrow alleyways, the area has still managed to preserve its old-school charms. The main walking path is lined with hundreds of bars, restaurants, clothing stores and souvenir shops. Culture Trip recommends branching off to check out some of the quieter alleys to discover pockets of local culture.

8. Wudaoying

Market

Shop until you drop (or at least until you get hungry) in Wudaoying Hutong. This area is a well-known shopping strip, sprinkled with charming restaurants, designer boutiques and eclectic vintage shops. The street itself isn’t very large or long, but it’s packed to the max with stuff to see, do and eat. For a caffeine top-up, check out Barista Coffee Roasters.

9. Wangfujing Snack Street

Market, Chinese

The stalls on Wangfujing Snack Street sell food such as scorpions, silkworms and wasp larvae

This bustling street stretches across 2,000 square metres, offering over 500 different types of snacks from all over China. Some are sweet (candied hawthorns), others are savoury (deep-fried spiralled potato on a stick), and others appeal to tourists’ sense of shock value (snakes on a stick, spiders, starfish). Lots of small restaurants and stalls are also here for bigger, sit-down meals.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

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