The Very Best Things To Do In Beijing, China

Beijing is an important city in China and a place that is well-known for its history and energy. It is one of the largest global megacities and has a population of more than 21 million in the greater metropolitan area, and there is so much to do. Holding historical records that go back over 3000 years as the royal city of a succession of dynasties and emperors, Beijing combines both the mega-structures and elevated transportation system of a cosmopolitan global city in the twenty-first century with palaces and temples, and long, narrow streets of small shops selling foods and other goods. 

Visit the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square.

These two historical sites could not be more associated with both the imperial China of old as well as modern history of the twentieth century. The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming to the Qing dynasty and is the largest ancient palace ever constructed. With 999 buildings and 9092 rooms, it seems almost overwhelming to try and take it all in. Stroll around the palace together and walk into many exhibition halls, all the while pretending to be an emperor, empress, official, or imperial guard. Next door is Tiananmen – Beijing’s principal city center square which also has the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall and a fairly impressive museum of Beijing history. When one is standing in Tiananmen Square, with the entrance to The Forbidden City and the picture of Mao looming over you, it gives one a sense of history being made at that specific spot. Do not forget to visit the place in the morning for the honor guard to raise the flag because they perform it here.

Hiking And Sightseeing The Great Wall of China at Mutianyu

The Great Wall is one of the most iconic tourist attractions in China and Beijing and any tour to China or Beijing cannot be complete without a visit to this great architectural marvel. This is a series of walls constructed from stone and/or brick that runs for more than 13,000 miles across northern China, whose purpose was to guard against nomadic people from the northern regions. Gore notes that many sections allow public access not too far from Beijing. The most accessible of these for tourists is Mutianyu which gives superb and stunning views as this goes on like a dragon and climbs over mountains and descends into valleys. Again the cable car and chairlift to the lookout points are very accessible but hiking gives you peace even around the lookout towers. The Great Wall of China is a cultural asset that is a must-visit place for anyone who is planning to visit China.

Discover the traditional Beijing Hutongs by Bicycle or Tuktuk.

Between Beijing’s ultra-modern tall and glassy business towers and the colossal 1950s socialist-style official structures, there are the hutong districts, the intricate labyrinths of narrow alleyways, and compact courtyard houses of the 13th century Yuan dynasty. It is recommended to walk these medieval streets and enjoy the vibrant local life through a guided pedicab or motorized tuk-tuk tour. It is therefore recommended to visit the local Beijing courtyard houses to assess how local Beijing families have lived for generations concerning this central part of Beijing’s history. Also, make sure to see parts of the more traditional Beijing that include the traditional tea houses and small ancient temples within the hutongs to give you the best of the old Beijing that is opposite to the new modern city.

Experience Cultural Heritage: Summer Palace-Museum

Located to the northwest of Beijing proper and taking a half day to get there, Summer Palace was originally the warm weather palace and retreat for emperors and court officials of the Chinese Qing dynasty; present day it is a beautiful park complex comprising several buildings, Buddhist temples, pavilions, and even museums. Dressing up in traditional Chinese dress and taking a leisurely walk through the miles of covered corridors and pathways over the water of the lake is like walking into one of the famous Chinese paintings. Alternatively, stroll along the beautiful Long Corridor with over 10,000 paintings or simply marvel at the height of the Buddha Fragrance Pagoda which is 200 feet tall and extends beyond the treeline. The Summer Palace is a magnificent place for visiting because it is a vast territory, which consists of gardens, forests, and structures.

Lama Temple oldest and most culturally significant Buddhist temple located in China.

If you want to have a real taste of a Chinese Buddhist temple then it would be advisable to pay a visit to Yonghe Temple also known as the Lama Temple, therefore making it easier to get a befitting feel of this real working Buddhist monastery that used by the devotees and tourists alike. As there are five main grand halls and spacious courtyards, topped with ornate architecture, towering steeples, and beautiful decorative gates and arches, the scale and level of detail make the Lama Temple look impressive. Despite this, the atmosphere has been maintained well with areas of calm traces of spirituality, which can be seen from the 300 residing monks who are still practicing here you can also perform the same practices of incense burning, chanting, and offerings as were performed 350 years back when this was a palace of the Emperor’s lama priest. 

National Museum of China and be amazed at the historical heritage of China.

This national institution alone has taken me years of multiple visits to navigate, starting with early Chinese relics from 1.7 million years ago and moving up to Chinese prehistory, all ancient dynasties, and even the contemporary era. See lifelike bronze figures of peasants, superstitious figures, and animals moving in a series of dioramas portraying village life across the dynasties, and understand how bronze casting and jade working evolved through the dynasties. Visit intricate temple accessories and follow them with an impressive painting of silk and delicious porcelain. The inventions Chinese pride in are things like earthquake simulators, traditional Chinese medicine, ivory puzzle balls, and an ancient Chinese astronomical observatory bronze. 

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