Beijing Travel Guide — Drop Everything And Go

East Asia · China

Why visit Beijing?

Beijing is where China's history is most legible. The Forbidden City alone is 178 acres — the world's best-preserved collection of Ming and Qing dynasty architecture. The Great Wall stretches over forested ridges to the north. The hutong alley neighbourhoods are a complete medieval city hiding within a modern one.

Prepare before you arrive: download a VPN (Google and WhatsApp are blocked), set up WeChat Pay and carry cash. Beijing rewards the preparation and is one of the truly great world cities.

Key Info

Chinese Yuan (CNY/RMB)MandarinType A/IDrive Right

Tipping not customary — WeChat Pay or cash for everything

Weather

Best: Apr–May, Sep–Oct

Golden Week (Oct 1–7) — avoid, hundreds of millions travel domestically

Spring and autumn are ideal. Summer is hot and smoggy. Winter is cold but clear.

Health

⚠️Do not drink tap water — use bottled or filtered throughout China

No vaccines required

Transport

MetroDidi (rideshare)WeChat Pay

✈️ PEK (Airport Express train, 20 min) / PKX Daxing (high-speed train)

Metro is excellent, cheap and well-signed in English. Didi (Chinese Uber) for taxis.

Emergency

👮 Police110

🚑 Ambulance120

🔥 Fire119

Who It's Perfect For

🏯

History Lovers

The Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace and the Great Wall — the greatest concentration of imperial Chinese history anywhere.

🥢

Food Travellers

Peking duck ritual, Sichuan hotpot, dim sum — Beijing has the full range of China's extraordinary regional cuisines.

🎨

Art & Culture

The 798 Art District is China's most important contemporary art space. The National Museum of China is the world's most visited museum.

The Highlights

Things to Do & See

01

Book the Forbidden City online (dpm.org.cn) — they sell out days ahead, arrive at 8:30am opening

02

Great Wall at Mutianyu — cable car up, walk the restored section, toboggan run down. 90 min from Beijing

03

Hutong alley walk in Nanluoguxiang — bicycle rickshaw tours are traditional, getting lost is better

04

Temple of Heaven at dawn — elderly residents practising tai chi, calligraphy and ballroom dancing

05

798 Art District — the munitions factory complex converted to contemporary art galleries and studios

06

Peking duck ritual — Da Dong or Quanjude for the tableside carving ceremony with pancakes and hoisin

07

Summer Palace — the imperial garden retreat on Kunming Lake, extraordinary in autumn colours

08

Take the high-speed train to Shanghai — 4.5 hours, faster than flying and an experience in itself

Where to Stay

Base Yourself in Beijing

🏯

Dongcheng — Imperial Core

History, hutongs, temples

The historic centre — Forbidden City, hutong alleys, Bell and Drum Towers. Most atmospheric area.

🎨

Sanlitun & Chaoyang

International food, art, nightlife

The international district — 798 Art District, best restaurants with English menus.

🦆

Wangfujing

Food, shopping, night market

Main commercial street — Peking duck restaurants, night market and best street food.

Insider Knowledge

What Most Guides Don't Tell You About Beijing

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Download a VPN before entering China — Google, WhatsApp, Instagram all blocked. ExpressVPN and NordVPN work well
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WeChat Pay is essential — link a foreign Visa/Mastercard before arrival. Cash as backup
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Forbidden City must be booked online — limited daily visitors, sell out days ahead in peak season
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Air quality can be poor in winter — check AQI and carry an N95 mask if over 150
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The Great Wall at Mutianyu is far less crowded than Badaling — and has a toboggan run back down