Beijing wears six centuries of imperial weight on its shoulders and somehow still feels like the future. The Forbidden City sits at the dead-center of a 22-million-person megacity that's reinvented itself as China's tech capital. You'll need at least three days here. Five is better — there's a lifetime of hutong alleys to get lost in.
The neighborhoods that matter.
Wangfujing / Forbidden City area
Imperial, central, walkable to all the major sights. Great for first-time visitors.
See hotels here on Booking.comSanlitun
Bars, restaurants, embassies, and Beijing's best modern food scene. Stay here if you want nightlife.
See hotels here on Booking.comGulou / Houhai
Old hutong alleys around the Drum and Bell Towers. The most photogenic and quiet — boutique guesthouses, lake views.
See hotels here on Booking.comThe shortlist — what's actually worth your time.
Forbidden City (故宫)
500 years of imperial residence. Plan a half-day; book online 7+ days ahead because tickets are capped. Enter from the south (Tian'anmen) gate, exit north — don't double back.
Great Wall — Mutianyu section
Yes, you should go. Mutianyu is the right call for first-time visitors: less restored than Badaling, less remote than Jinshanling. 1.5h drive from city; cable car up, toboggan down. Half-day group tours from $40–80.
Temple of Heaven (天坛)
Often more memorable than the Forbidden City. The acoustics inside the Hall of Prayer are remarkable. Go at sunrise to see locals doing tai chi in the surrounding park.
Hutong walking tour
Get lost on purpose in the Gulou area. Stop at courtyard cafés, find an old gentleman flying a kite, buy a 5-yuan ice lolly. This is the real Beijing.
798 Art District
Decommissioned munitions factory turned contemporary-art zone. Galleries, indie cafés, oddly good street food. Half a day, easy taxi from center.
Summer Palace (颐和园)
Imperial lake retreat in the northwest of the city. Take the boat across Kunming Lake at golden hour. Easy half-day trip via metro line 4.
Four dishes you don't leave without.
How to actually move.
Subway is excellent — 26 lines, English signage, ~¥3–8 per ride. Use Apple Pay for tap-to-ride on iPhone (download the Beijing transit card in Wallet). DiDi works for taxis if metro isn't direct. Distances are huge — Beijing is enormous, plan 30+ minutes between sights.
Things they don't tell you.
- Air quality varies — check AQI in the morning. Pack an N95 if traveling Nov–Mar.
- Avoid 'tea ceremony' invitations from young women in Wangfujing — well-known scam.