City: Beijing
Top Things to do in Beijing
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10 Things to do in Beijing That You Shouldn't Miss
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.
Restaurants in Beijing
1. The Great Wall at Badaling
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 11,049 reviews
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.
Reviewed By raniil - Santiago, Chile
The Great Wall is one of the seven wonders, so you have to visit it if you’re in Beijing. We booked a tour to get there because it’s outside the city. We went in winter so it was very cold. In spite of this, we really enjoyed the view. We were amazed by the construction.
2. Temple of Heaven
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 12,200 reviews
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.
Reviewed By abchester - Chester, United Kingdom
A fascinating place to visit and marvel at the woodwork and painting, all set in beautiful grounds with locals happily playing cards, exercising or knitting.
3. Lama Temple (Yonghegong)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4,205 reviews
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.
Reviewed By PBlyth - Tampa, United States
This is one of the finest examples of a functioning Buddhist temple you will find in China. You will see many monks and worshippers burning incense to Buddha and get to walk in and through a number of buildings that the Emperor actually lived in during the 1750's AD. There are many different Buddhist statutes but the most impressive of all is a 50 ft tall wooden Buddha carved from a single sandlewood tree trunk. It is so big that the building had to be built around the Buddha after it had been moved into pace. Worth a look.
4. Beihai Park (Beihai Gongyuan)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,353 reviews
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.
Reviewed By jacksonleungcs - Singapore, Singapore
The park was built as part of the Imperial City of Yuan's new capital Dadu during the reign of Kublai Khan. I will recommend you make this as part of the Forbidden city tour. So when you exit 紫禁城, you get across to Jingshan Park via the underground connect and take a bird eye view of both the Forbidden city and the white tower of Beihai park before you get out from the east exit of Jiang Shan park and then walk 10 mins on foot to get to the Beihai park. While you are in the park, do take time to visit the Kuaixuetang Calligraphy Museum which built in 1775 with two halls in its courtyard. The structures was connected by painted verandas, on the eastern and western sides of which over 100 pieces of handwritings of 20 calligrapher living between the forth to the fourteenth century are showed ( see pix attached)..
5. Jingshan Park (Jingshan Gongyuan)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,956 reviews
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.
Reviewed By G6426FManthonys - Brisbane, Australia
At 45 metres high it is about the highest point in Beijing and worth the short climb to be able to see the gleaming roofs of the Forbidden City below.
6. Great Wall at Huanghuacheng
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,191 reviews
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.
Reviewed By 516bobt - LaSalle, United States
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 and I was able to spend 4 hours and not see another person on the wall. 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.
7. Juyong Pass of Great Wall
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,553 reviews
12 miles north of Changping and 37 miles north of Beijing. Apparently closest portion of Great Wall to Beijing.
Reviewed By terryc223 - Modbury, Australia
We returned a week ago from visiting the Juyong Pass of the Great Wall with our Wendy Wu Tour. It was amazing. A bucket list thing to do. We arrived early, about 8.45 am, thus beating the crowds. It was a little foggy when we first arrived but this soon lifted giving us incredible views. This part of the wall is very steep and the steps are quite uneven and it is a climb rather than a walk. A certain amount of fitness is needed but if you go at your own pace and take frequent breaks it is not too bad. It doesn’t matter how far you go because the views are fantastic from all towers, and you can say you’ve walked on the Great Wall of China. To know it is 2,300 yrs old is incredible. I managed to get to fortress 12, as far as you can go on that section of the wall, in just over an hour and it took about 30 mins to go down ( I’m 65). There is a souvenir shop at fortress 9 where you can purchase a medal with your name engraved for 35 yuan. I must mention my legs were very sore for the next 2 days, but it was worth it!
8. Beijing
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 .
Reviewed By Salito1 - Vancouver, Canada
A visit to the huge and beautiful Summer Palace is just a must, the emperors in China lived an amazing lavish lifestyle with luxurious excesses and this magnificent gardens with its huge lake and palace are amazingly beautiful. I just wished pollution wasn’t as bad as it is and the clouds in all tourist and historical attractions was a bit smaller, both of these things are unavoidable in beautiful and magnificent Beijing.
9. Beijing
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
Reviewed By ConnoisseurGal - Calgary, Canada
Best approached by Tiananmen West station. Nothing prepared me for how massive this palace and its surroundings are. Built to impress, this colossal palace within a palace and city, within a city is a must-see. We spent the whole day there, and it wasn’t enough. Unlike most tourists who simply walk from south gate to north and exit, we meandered to the north-east side (the Clock, and Imperial Treasures Museums) and surroundings, and to the Imperial Gardens, nine-dragon wall, bought beautiful artwork and Imperial Washi tapes from the museum galleries, ambled along the North wall, west areas, Empress Cixi’s quarters, the Emperor’s are closed to public scrutiny, and walked along the upper walls. We saw the well where a beloved concubine was starved to death because she angered the Empress Dowager. The gardens are magnificent, and all over the place are my rooftop “friends”, the little mythical creatures adorning roof ends. Must return in all seasons, the beauty of some ancient flowering trees is a must see.
10. Mutianyu Great Wall
In 1368 AD, Mutianyu Great Wall was built by Xu Da who is the main general for Zhuyuanzhang in the Great Wall ruins of Northern Qi Dynasty. Linked to Gubeikou in the east and Juyongguan in the west,the section of the Great Wall is the military hub defensing of the capitalsince ancient times. There are several famous watchtowers such as Zhengguantai, Dajiaolou, Yingfeidaoyang,Jiankou and Beijingjie, which has profound historical and cultural values. Surrounded by the mountains, the Greening rate of the Great Wall reaches 98%, and its scenery is beautiful. Known for its gorgeous scenery, Mutianyu is one of the essence in the Great Wall of Ming Dynasty. Mutianyuhas the characteristics of the fresh air, sided embrasure, peculiar guards, intensive watchtowers, the strong feeling of three-dimensional and the existing of the inside and outside branch. The Closed Tram, Speed slide, the China dream stone sity, the Great Wall hotel, Yisonglou restaurant are constructed inthe tourist area, so its facilities and function are perfect.The tourist area was added to the national 5A scenic spot list by the National Tourism Administration of China in 2011. In June 28, 2014,the Mutianyu Great Wallintegrated tourism service area put into use. The integrated tourism service area, having service functions including a visitor center, the Great Wall Culture Exhibition Center, and catering and tourism souvenirs street,covers an area of 20 acres.In this way, Mutianyu Great Wall will provide a better travel experience for visitors.
Reviewed By ClaudiaR6097
Best spot to experience the Great Wall!!! About 30-45min drive by car from Beijing. Park in parking structure, (tons of souvenir shops there too), take shuttle bus to the “ski“ lift (fabulous views!!!!) and you’re up there!!!! Trees, panoramic views, such a cool experience!!! Take your time taking it all in & make sure to wear good shoes - lots of uneven/cobble stone steps up & down. But THE BEST part is taking the tobaggon/slide on the way down!!!!!!!!! Unforgettable!!!! You can go as slow or as fast as you’d like!
