Beijing in photos
What the city actually looks like
From the imperial halls of the Forbidden City to the Great Wall in the hills and steaming street food — this is the atmosphere you'll really find in Beijing.
The Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square · the Great Wall in the hills · the Temple of Heaven · the Summer Palace · the Lama Temple · Wangfujing · the Houhai hutongs · Sanlitun nightlife · and Peking duck
Beijing is China's thousand-year capital and the seat of its emperors — a city where the vast Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square sit at the centre, the Great Wall climbs the hills to the north, and glass towers rise over the CBD and Sanlitun. Walk the Temple of Heaven and the Summer Palace · light incense at the Lama Temple · wander the old hutong lanes around Houhai · shop the Wangfujing street · feast on Peking duck · and get around easily on more than 20 subway lines plus the Capital Airport Express.
From the imperial halls of the Forbidden City to the Great Wall in the hills and steaming street food — this is the atmosphere you'll really find in Beijing.
The full Beijing travel guide is growing piece by piece · choose a tab below to start planning each part of your trip — Stay · Eat · See · Plan · Prep
Forbidden City · Tiananmen · Temple of Heaven · Summer Palace · Lama Temple · Houhai — see where everything sits so you can plan your route more easily.
Pick by budget — compare prices across all 3 sites before you book · Trip.com has the most complete China inventory
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Wangfujing & Dongcheng puts you within walking distance of the Forbidden City; the CBD and Sanlitun are best for nightlife and business; Houhai and the hutongs are the most atmospheric. Pick your area first, then choose a hotel below.
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🎨🆕🍳🏠👴♿🧱🎢🐾☪️⛩️🛫A great trip isn't limited to one city — here are 3 destinations near Beijing that you can reach by high-speed rail or by road for a day trip or an overnight stay.
Beijing is China's thousand-year capital and its political and cultural heart — a city that pairs the imperial grandeur of the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square with the soaring towers of the CBD and Sanlitun. It has the Temple of Heaven and the Summer Palace · the incense-filled Lama Temple · the old hutong lanes around Houhai · and the Great Wall of China, which climbs the hills a short drive to the north.
You can visit Beijing on any budget — backpackers around ฿1,200–2,200/day · mid-range ฿3,000–5,000/day (excluding flights) · get into town from Capital Airport (PEK) on the Airport Express subway line, or from Daxing Airport (PKX) on its own express line · in town, ride the 20-plus-line subway, which is extensive and cheap · the best times to visit are September–October and April–May, when the skies are clear and the weather is mild · and don't forget to set up a VPN · eSIM · Alipay/WeChat Pay before you go.
The Wherebest team is steadily adding in-depth Beijing hotel reviews and travel guides — neighborhoods to stay in · sights · food · and the best way to do the Great Wall. Start planning your trip with the full China travel guide →
Begin with the China travel guide, then take in Beijing one corner at a time