Beijing, the capital of China, is a municipality of more than 21 million people on the northern edge of the North China Plain. Mountains rise to its west and north. It has been the country's political centre for most of the past eight centuries, and the imperial city laid out by the Ming dynasty still shapes its heart.
Visitors come for the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven, for the Summer Palace and the Great Wall in the hills beyond, and for the hutong lanes of courtyard houses that survive between broad modern avenues. Beijing has eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites within its boundaries, from imperial palaces to the Ming Tombs. Courtyard-house stays in the old lanes, apartments in Chaoyang's towers and family homes near the parks and universities in the north-west give a choice for every kind of trip, from a long weekend to a month of study or work.
Dongcheng, the eastern half of the old city, is the classic base for sightseeing: the Forbidden City, Wangfujing, the Lama Temple and the hutongs around Nanluoguxiang and the Drum Tower are all close. Courtyard houses converted into guest rooms and small apartments here suit couples and first-time visitors who want the old city on their doorstep.
Xicheng, to the west, holds the Shichahai lakes, including Houhai with its lakeside lanes, and Beihai Park, a quieter choice with easy walks. The streets around Qianmen, south of Tiananmen Square, are handy for the Temple of Heaven. Chaoyang, east of the second ring road, has the business district, the embassy area, Sanlitun's restaurants and nightlife and many modern apartment towers, and is closer to Beijing Capital airport. Haidian, in the north-west, is home to the universities and the Summer Palace and suits longer academic stays.
Every stay by a foreign guest must be registered with the police, as described below.
The Forbidden City, built between 1406 and 1420, was the palace of 24 Ming and Qing emperors until 1924 and has been the Palace Museum since 1925. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987. To its south lie Tiananmen and the great square in front of it, with the National Museum of China on its eastern side; to its north, Jingshan Park's hill gives the classic view over the palace roofs.
These sites belong to the Beijing Central Axis, a line about 7.8 kilometres long from the Bell and Drum Towers in the north to Yongdingmen Gate in the south, inscribed by UNESCO in July 2024. The Temple of Heaven, where emperors prayed for good harvests, stands in a large park in the south-east of the centre and has been on the World Heritage List since 1998. Plan for crowds and book popular sites ahead with your passport.
People have lived here for a very long time: the caves at Zhoukoudian, in the south-west of the municipality, are where the fossils of Peking Man were found. Under Kublai Khan the city was rebuilt as Dadu, the Yuan capital, and the Ming renamed it Beijing, the "Northern Capital", in 1403, making it the capital in 1420. The Qing kept it as their seat until the last emperor abdicated in 1912. The capital moved to Nanjing in 1928, and Mao Zedong proclaimed the People's Republic at Tiananmen on 1 October 1949.
The hutongs, narrow lanes lined with siheyuan courtyard houses, first took shape under the Yuan and spread under the Ming and Qing. Many were demolished in the second half of the 20th century, but numerous areas are now protected, and wandering them, ideally on foot or by bicycle, is one of the best ways to see daily life. In 2022 Beijing became the first city to host both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games.
Several restored sections of the Great Wall lie within reach for a day out. Mutianyu, in Huairou district about 70 kilometres north-east of the centre, is well restored, with forested ridges, a chairlift and a gondola. Badaling, about 80 kilometres north-west, was the first section opened to tourism, in 1957, and is the easiest to reach by train, but it is also the busiest. Wilder walks are found at Jinshanling, about 125 kilometres away across the border in Hebei, and Simatai in Miyun district.
Closer in, the Summer Palace, an imperial garden of lakes, halls and Longevity Hill in the north-west, was sacked in 1860, rebuilt and renamed in 1888, and listed by UNESCO in 1998. The ruins of the Old Summer Palace are nearby. The Ming Tombs, the burial valley of thirteen Ming emperors, lie about 42 kilometres north-north-west of the centre, and can be combined with Badaling or Mutianyu.
Beijing has two main airports. Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) is about 32 kilometres north-east of downtown and linked by the Capital Airport Express metro line, buses and taxis. Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX), opened in 2019, is about 46 kilometres south of the city and connected by the Daxing Airport Express line and an intercity railway. High-speed trains to Shanghai, Tianjin, Xi'an and many other cities leave from several stations, notably Beijing South and Beijing West.
The subway now has more than 900 kilometres of lines and is the quickest way to cross the city. Buses, taxis and ride-hailing apps cover the rest, and shared bicycles suit the flat old city and the hutongs. Distances are large and traffic is heavy at peak times, so choose a base near a subway station. Driving is not practical for visitors; a Chinese licence is required.
Beijing has a continental monsoon climate with sharp seasons. Autumn, roughly September to October, is short but often clear, dry and mild, and is many travellers' favourite time for the city and the Great Wall. Spring, from about late March to May, is pleasant too, though warm and windy days can bring dust storms blowing in from the deserts to the north-west.
Summers are hot and humid, and most of the year's rain falls in short, heavy summer storms. Winters, from about November to March, are cold and dry, with temperatures often below freezing, clear skies and few crowds at the sights. Air quality has improved markedly since the early 2010s, but some winter days can still be hazy, so check air-quality readings if you are sensitive.
Avoid the Chinese New Year and the National Day holiday in the first week of October if you can, as trains and sights are then at their busiest.
Article 39 of China's Exit and Entry Administration Law requires that foreign visitors' accommodation be registered with the local public security bureau. Hotels register guests at check-in. In a private home, a rented apartment or a courtyard guesthouse without a hotel licence, the guest or the host must register with the local police within 24 hours of arrival, at a police station or online: the National Immigration Administration's online option, piloted in seven provinces from March 2026, has been available nationwide since September 2026. Agree with your host who will do it, and check the current rules.
Some nationalities can visit visa-free for short stays and the 240-hour visa-free transit policy covers eligible travellers heading on to a third country, but both are revised from time to time, so check the National Immigration Administration before booking. Carry your passport, which is needed for trains and many sights.
Autumn, roughly September to October, is usually the most pleasant, with clear, mild days ideal for the Great Wall. Spring is good too but can be windy and dusty. Summer is hot and humid, and winter is cold and dry but quiet. Avoid the Chinese New Year and early October holidays if possible.
Dongcheng, near the Forbidden City and the hutongs around Nanluoguxiang, is the classic sightseeing base. Xicheng suits those who want the lakes and Beihai Park, Chaoyang offers modern apartments, nightlife and quick access to Beijing Capital airport, and Haidian, near the Summer Palace and universities, works for longer stays.
Mutianyu is about 70 kilometres north-east of the centre and Badaling about 80 kilometres north-west, so each makes a comfortable day trip. Badaling is easiest by train but busiest; Mutianyu is quieter and well restored. Jinshanling, about 125 kilometres away in Hebei, suits keen walkers.
Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK), about 32 kilometres north-east of downtown, is the closer of the two and handy for Chaoyang and Dongcheng. Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX), opened in 2019, lies about 46 kilometres south and is linked by its own express metro line and an intercity railway.
Yes. Hotels register foreign guests for you. If you stay in a private home or apartment, you or your host must register with the local police within 24 hours of arrival, either at a police station or online through the National Immigration Administration, nationwide since September 2026.
Four days covers the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace, a hutong walk and one day at the Great Wall. A week lets you add the Ming Tombs, a second section of the Wall, the Lama Temple and the lakes at a gentler pace.
Yes. Parks such as Beihai, Jingshan and the Temple of Heaven give children space, the Great Wall at Mutianyu has a chairlift and gondola, and the subway is easy with a pushchair. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons, and an apartment with a kitchen helps on longer trips.
Beijing is known for its imperial heritage, including the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven and the Summer Palace, for nearby sections of the Great Wall, and for its hutong lanes of courtyard houses. It is also famous for Peking roast duck and for hosting the 2008 Summer and 2022 Winter Olympic Games.
Researched and written with AI assistance, then fact-checked against the sources below. Last checked .