Must-visit · UNESCO
Forbidden City (Palace Museum)
Imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties — 9,999½ rooms, UNESCO-listed since 1987. Capacity is capped at 40,000 visitors per day.
Beijing Attractions — Ticket Booking Guide
From the 600-year-old Forbidden City to the windswept ramparts of the Mutianyu Great Wall, from boating on Kunming Lake at the Summer Palace to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Beijing — this city holds 7 UNESCO World Heritage sites. You don't need a checklist, you need a plan that gets the order right.
Top 5 Must-Visit Attractions in Beijing
If you've only got 3 days, lock in these 5 first and spend the leftover hours wandering the hutongs. Three of them are UNESCO World Heritage sites, one is Asia's largest Universal park, and one is the masterwork of Qing-dynasty imperial garden design.
Must-visit · UNESCO
Mutianyu Great Wall Day Tour
Half the crowds of Badaling, the most intact watchtowers, and outrageous red maples in autumn. Round-trip coach included.
Imperial garden · UNESCO
Summer Palace (Combo Ticket)
Empress Dowager Cixi's "Summer Palace": Kunming Lake, the Long Corridor, the Tower of Buddhist Incense and the Seventeen-Arch Bridge — all on one ticket.
UNESCO
Temple of Heaven (Combo Ticket)
Where Ming and Qing emperors prayed for good harvests. The blue circular roof of the Hall of Prayer is one of Beijing's most photographed buildings.
Theme park
Universal Studios Beijing
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Transformers, Minion Land — the largest Universal park in Asia.
Classic 3-Day Itinerary
| Day | Morning | Afternoon | Evening |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Forbidden City (enter at the Meridian Gate, exit at the Gate of Divine Prowess) | Jingshan Park for the panoramic view of the Forbidden City → Beihai Park | Dinner in the Shichahai / Nanluoguxiang hutongs |
| Day 2 | Mutianyu Great Wall (round-trip coach, ~5 hours) | Return → Bird's Nest / Water Cube exteriors | Sanlitun bar street, or old-Beijing snacks at Dazhalan |
| Day 3 | Summer Palace (Kunming Lake + Long Corridor + Tower of Buddhist Incense) | Old Summer Palace ruins (walking distance) | 798 Art District |
Have a 4th or 5th day? Add Universal Studios Beijing (1–2 days), the Temple of Heaven, the Lama Temple, and the National Museum.
When to go
- Spring (Mar–May): 10–22 °C, crabapple blossom in the Forbidden City and peach blossom at the Summer Palace — the most pleasant season.
- Autumn (Sep–Nov): Beijing's best two months. By late October the maples blaze red on Mutianyu and the ginkgoes turn gold inside the Forbidden City.
- Winter (Dec–Feb): Smaller crowds, higher hotel prices, and a snow-dusted Forbidden City that's hard to beat. Beijing typically gets 2–3 snowfalls per winter.
- Summer (Jun–Aug): 35 °C+, school-holiday crowds, and afternoon thunderstorms. Skip it — unless you're here for Universal.
Getting to Beijing
Beijing has two international airports (Capital, PEK; and Daxing, PKX) and two major high-speed rail stations (Beijing South, Beijing West). Airport-to-city options:
- Capital Airport (PEK): Airport Express ¥25 → transfer at Sanyuanqiao to Subway Line 10 — about 35 minutes to Sanlitun / Guomao. Taxi ¥120–150.
- Daxing Airport (PKX): Daxing Airport Express ¥35 → transfer at Caoqiao to Line 10 — about 50 minutes to the city centre. Taxi ¥200+.
From Hong Kong, Shanghai or Guangzhou, the high-speed train is the best bet: Beijing–Shanghai about 4.5 hours, Beijing–Guangzhou about 8 hours (overnight sleeper trains are an even more comfortable option).
Beijing travel tips (from someone who lives here)
- All major attractions require a real-name reservation in advance. The Forbidden City, the Great Wall, the Summer Palace, the Temple of Heaven — weekends and holidays sell out 7 days ahead. Book before you fly.
- Get the "Beijing Yikatong" app — three times faster than buying single subway tickets. Or just tap in with Alipay or WeChat NFC.
- Don't only go to Nanluoguxiang for hutongs. Try Wudaoying, Fangjia, Guozijian or Yandai Xiejie — quieter and far less commercialised.
- Skip Wangfujing for old-Beijing snacks. Locals eat at Huguosi Street, Hufangqiao and Niujie — cheaper, better, no tourist trap.
- Book Universal Studios at least a week ahead, and grab the Express Pass. Otherwise individual rides hit 90-minute waits easily.
All Beijing activities
This city page only lists the top 5. See all 7 Beijing activities here →