Top 5 Things to Do in Beijing

1. Forbidden City

The Forbidden City, now also know as Palace Museum, was once the imperial palace for the last two successive dynasties in China - Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) and Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911) for about 500 years. For many first time visitors to Beijing, this is the first must see attraction in Beijing. With the major artifacts from the former palaces having been shipped to Taiwan in 1949, people mainly come here to look at the massive palace itself and its spectacular architectures.

2. Tiananmen Square

Tiananmen Square is located in the heart of Beijing, the largest city square of this kind around the world, 880 meters from north to south, 500 meters from east to west, accommodating about a rally of one million people.

3. Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China is the iconic landmark in China. It attracts millions of the Great Wall admirers flocking to Beijing from both home and abroad each year. The Great Wall of China around Beijing are open to visitors all year round with its different sections. The most popular sections include Mutianyu Great Wall, Badaling Great Wall, Jinshanling Great Wall, Simatai Great Wall, Gubeikou Great Wall and Jiankou Great Wall.

4. Summer Palace

The Summer Palace was once a summer park in the later Qing Dynasty where emperors would come here to escape the hot and sticky weather downtown Beijing. It was actually more than a summer resort, it was also a working place where emperors would manage state affairs, meet officials from other provinces and foreign envoys as well.

5. Temple of Heaven

The Temple of Heaven used to the place where the emperors in Ming and Qing dynasties would come here for a religious ceremony for praying for harvest. Today the most important legacy of the temple lies its splendid architectures and its century old cypresses.

Now the Temple of Heaven is a huge park rather than a temple as its name suggests. It is a paradise for retirees, doing all kinds of exercises, singing, dancing,  flying kites, playing chess and many more in the morning.

Tip: Hassle-free Beijing Guided Tours

If you don’t want to go the do-it-yourself route and prefer the hassle-free escorted tours,  here are some options for Beijing guided tours:

Further Readings

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