By rail
Beijing South, high-speed trains to Shanghai, ~4.5 h
East Asia · China
Beijing, China
Imperial palaces and hutong lanes
Getting there
By air
Beijing Capital (PEK) or Daxing (PKX), ~30 km and ~45 km
Best time to visit
April to May and September to October — mild and clear
Don't miss
The Forbidden City
The Temple of Heaven
The Summer Palace
Tiananmen Square
Things to do
The Great Wall at Mutianyu
Hutong cycling
Peking duck
A Beijing opera
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: N509FZ · CC BY-SA 4.0
What to pack
Layers, comfortable shoes, your passport (needed at many sights)
A quieter corner
The Temple of Heaven at dawn, when locals practise tai chi
Questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Beijing?
April to May or September to October, when it's mild and clear. Whatever the month, see the Temple of Heaven at dawn, when locals practise tai chi.
Which airport is closer to Beijing?
Beijing Capital (PEK), at about 30 km; Daxing (PKX) is roughly 45 km out. High-speed trains from Beijing South reach Shanghai in around 4.5 hours.
Do I need my passport while sightseeing in Beijing?
Yes — it's needed at many sights, so carry it along with layers and comfortable shoes.
What should I eat in Beijing?
Peking duck, jianbing and a round of dumplings in the hutong dumpling shops.
About Beijing
- Inland
Where it is
Beijing, the capital of China, lies at the northern edge of the North China Plain, sheltered by mountains to the north and west, with the port city of Tianjin to the south-east towards the Bohai Sea.
History
A city has stood here for some three thousand years, and Beijing was a capital of northern dynasties from the 10th century, becoming Khanbaliq under the Mongol Yuan dynasty. The Ming emperor Yongle rebuilt it in the early 15th century with the Forbidden City at its heart, and it remained the imperial capital until the end of the Qing dynasty in 1912. It became the capital again in 1949, when the People's Republic of China was proclaimed there.
People
Beijingers speak Mandarin in the city's own accent, which adds an r sound to the end of many words, and the old hutong neighbourhoods keep courtyard homes and street snacks such as jianbing pancakes. Peking opera, cloisonné enamel and the temple fairs of the Spring Festival are part of the city's heritage.
Known for
- The Forbidden City
- The Temple of Heaven
- The Summer Palace
- Peking duck
- Hutong lanes and courtyard homes
Did you know?
The Forbidden City was home to 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties over some five centuries, and it is one of the largest palace complexes in the world.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.