Beijing Travel Guide

Tourist Guide

Forbidden City featuring a fountain
Forbidden City featuring a square or plaza and heritage architecture
Beijing showing heritage elements and a monument as well as a large group of people
Olympic Park featuring modern architecture
Dongcheng - Wangfujing featuring heritage elements and a statue or sculpture
The capital of China combines the ornate delights of traditional culture with the vibrant life of a modern global city.

Beijing has been at the heart of Chinese culture and society for many centuries, and the combination of its ancient past and the developing “New China” is sure to excite and fascinate. 20 million people live here, with a further 125 million visitors coming every single year, making it one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.Begin your visit in the traditional heart of the city. The imperial gardens at Jingshan Park offer wonderful views over central Beijing, including the fantastic Forbidden City, which is a must-see attraction. After you've seen all there is to see here, head for the famous Tiananmen Square where you can enjoy two extensive repositories of culture and history, the National Museum of China and the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall. The Front Gate (Qianmen Gate) looms over the southern end of the square, an impressive reminder of the old fortifications which used to protect the city.Escape the hustle and bustle of the city centre with a visit to the opulent Summer Palace of the hugely powerful and wealthy Chinese emperors, or gaze on the stunning and historic Marco Polo Bridge. Or for a more serene, spiritual experience, the Lama Temple is hard to beat.Beijing is also a startlingly contemporary city, full of cutting-edge architecture, chic eateries and bustling shopping centres. The 2008 Olympic Games gave the city’s development a huge boost, and you can see the centre of it all at Olympic Park.The hip artistic scene of modern China can be experienced at 798 Space, while you can pick up some mementoes of your visit along Wangfujing Street. When you get hungry, make sure to try the authentic local Peking duck with noodles or rice. Later in the evening, head for a karaoke bar or a nightclub to experience what the capital's nightlife has to offer.Beijing is in the northeast of China and, despite being many thousands of miles away from the capitals of the West, is served by a well-connected modern international airport. The city is very flat, so it’s a pleasure to cycle around, and the public transport system is top-notch, with plenty of signs in English to help orientate the visitor. Getting around by car can be significantly more difficult, particularly if you don’t have a good command of Mandarin, so be warned.

Where to stay in Beijing

Temple of Heaven showing heritage architecture, religious elements and a temple or place of worship

Downtown Beijing

Historical sites, museums and art galleries highlight some notable features of Downtown Beijing. Make a stop by Peninsula Beijing Shopping Arcade or Wangfujing Paleolithic Museum while you're visiting, and jump aboard the metro at Jinyu Hutong Station or Dengshikou Station to get around town.

Downtown Beijing
National Museum of China showing signage

Wangfujing Shopping Area

Historical sites, art galleries and museums highlight some notable features of Wangfujing Shopping Area. Make a stop by Wangfujing Street or Peninsula Beijing Shopping Arcade while you're visiting, and jump aboard the metro at Dengshikou Station or Dongsi Station to get around town.

Wangfujing Shopping Area
Dongcheng - Wangfujing

Dongcheng

4.5/5(124 area reviews)

Enjoy the popular shops in Dongcheng. Beijing Duan Qirui Residential is a worthwhile stop, and you can jump on the metro at Zhangzizhonglu Station or Dongsi Station to see more of Beijing.

Dongcheng
Default Image

Chaoyang

Museums, art galleries and cocktail bars highlight some notable features of Chaoyang. Make a stop by Alien's Street Trade Market or Temple of the Sun while you're visiting, and jump aboard the metro at Dongdaqiao Station or Chaoyangmen Station to get around town.

Chaoyang
Summer Palace featuring heritage elements and a river or creek

Haidian

4.5/5(4 area reviews)

Haidian is well liked for its museums and monuments. If you're hoping to get in some sightseeing, Spacious Pavilion and Summer Palace are top spots, and you can jump on the metro at Xibeiwang Station or Malianwa Station to get around.

Haidian
Houhai Lake which includes heritage elements and a lake or waterhole

Xicheng

4.5/5(11 area reviews)

Historical sites, museums and theatres highlight some notable features of Xicheng. Make a stop by Xidan Shopping Center or XiDan Shopping District while you're visiting, and jump aboard the metro at Lingjing Hutong Station or Xidan Station to get around town.

Xicheng
Four Seasons Hotel Beijing
Four Seasons Hotel Beijing
5 out of 5
48 Liang Ma Qiao Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing
The price is AU$323 per night from 19 July to 20 July
AU$323
19 July - 20 July
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 5-star luxury hotel in Beijing. Enjoy free WiFi, a full-service spa, and 3 restaurants. Our guests praise the helpful staff in our reviews. Popular ...
9.6/10 Exceptional! (462 reviews)
"Nice staff, very friendly and helpful. Amazing pool. Rooms are old and outdated and on the smaller side. Overall 4 out of 5"

Reviewed on 18 Jun. 2025

Four Seasons Hotel Beijing
Sunworld Hotel Beijing Wangfujing
Sunworld Hotel Beijing Wangfujing
4 out of 5
No.88 Dengshikou Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing, Beijing
The price is AU$124 per night from 5 Aug to 6 Aug
AU$124
5 Aug - 6 Aug
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 4-star business-friendly hotel in Beijing. Enjoy free WiFi, 2 restaurants, and breakfast (surcharge). Our guests praise the helpful staff and the ...
8/10 Very Good! (999 reviews)
"second time staying in this hotel. Highly recommended."

Reviewed on 30 Jun. 2025

Sunworld Hotel Beijing Wangfujing
Grand Hyatt Beijing
Grand Hyatt Beijing
5 out of 5
1 East Chang An Avenue, Beijing, Beijing
The price is AU$360 per night from 13 July to 14 July
AU$360
13 July - 14 July
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 5-star luxury hotel in Beijing. Enjoy free WiFi, a full-service spa, and 4 restaurants. Popular attractions Wangfujing Street and The Palace Museum ...
9/10 Wonderful! (795 reviews)
"Great choice! Lovely staff, great breakfast!"

Reviewed on 1 Jul. 2025

Grand Hyatt Beijing
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
base-Wangfujing Serviced Apartment
base-Wangfujing Serviced Apartment
3.5 out of 5
No. 17 Qianliang Hutong, Beijing, Beijing
Stay at this 3.5-star residence in Beijing. Enjoy free WiFi, daily housekeeping, and dry cleaning or laundry services. Our guests praise the helpful staff in ...
9.2/10 Wonderful! (95 reviews)
"Excellent"

Reviewed on 3 Jul. 2025

base-Wangfujing Serviced Apartment
Ascott Raffles City Beijing
Ascott Raffles City Beijing
4.5 out of 5
No.1-2 Dongzhimen South Street, Dongchen Beijing, Beijing, Beijing
Stay at this 4.5-star luxury aparthotel in Beijing. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and room service. Popular attractions Wangfujing Street and Sanlitun ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (74 reviews)
"Great for families."

Reviewed on 18 Jan. 2025

Ascott Raffles City Beijing
Ascott Riverside Garden Beijing
Ascott Riverside Garden Beijing
4 out of 5
No. 33, Zhou Zhuang Jiayuan Dongli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, Beijing
Stay at this 4-star family-friendly aparthotel in Beijing. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and a steam room. Popular attractions Wangfujing Street and ...
"Hotel represents local culture and is comfortable to stay in. There are grocery shops nearby and many restaurants including McDonalds"

Reviewed on 28 Aug. 2024

Ascott Riverside Garden Beijing
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Popular places to visit

Activities

Reviews of Beijing

4.2
Top destination
5 - Excellent
46
5 - Excellent 42%
4 - Good
46
4 - Good 42%
3 - Okay
11
3 - Okay 10%
2 - Disappointing
3
2 - Disappointing 3%
1 - Terrible
3
1 - Terrible 3%

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller

Great big city, I would recommend at least 5 days so that you can do all the sights. Best if you learn some Chinese as not many people speak English well.

5/5 - Excellent

Dan

Amazing

3/5 - Okay

Verified traveller

Cheap taxis, very smogy. Little English spoken away from the hotel.

4/5 - Good

Frequent

Beijing is changing - fast and for the better

4/5 - Good

Nat

Beijing is a fascinating city. So much to explore. But it is a big city and it takes time to get around. Try and stay close to a subway line as it will be really useful.

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller

Amazing place with great history, but in the afternoon the air pollution built up and was unpleasant.

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