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A photograph of Beijing

City guide · China

Beijing

Beijing is vast, but its principal historic sights align around the north-south imperial axis. Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and Jingshan form the centra...

Photograph · N509FZ · CC BY-SA 4.0

15,246 Places
Suggested stay
Not recorded
Getting around
Walking, subway and city bus

Turn this list into a plan

Set your days, your pace and the hours you actually want to be out. The planner works around closing days and travel time, and leaves room to eat.

Plan Beijing

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

Beijing is vast, but its principal historic sights align around the north-south imperial axis. Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and Jingshan form the central sequence, while the Temple of Heaven lies south and the lake, hutong and palace districts extend north and west. Great Wall sections and imperial tombs are separate day journeys outside the urban core.

Checked 2026-08-26

Practical information

Language spoken
Standard Chinese; regional languages are widely used
National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code
+86 mainland · +852 Hong Kong · +853 Macao
International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency
Renminbi (CNY); HKD and MOP in the SARs
Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number
110 police · 120 medical on the mainland
Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type
Type A, C and I · 220 V
Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water
Not recorded
No single verified statement covers mainland China and both SARs

Planning a visit

September · September offers Beijing a 25.8°C mean high, 14.2°C mean low and rainfall reduced to 49 mm.

  1. January: recurring difficult conditions
  2. February: recurring difficult conditions
  3. March: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  4. April: good time to visit
  5. May: best time to visit
  6. June: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  7. July: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  8. August: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  9. September: best time to visit — current month
  10. October: best time to visit
  11. November: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  12. December: recurring difficult conditions

Sources

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

Filter the list

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Category

Historic monuments 20 Museums 0 Places of worship 5 Nature sites 14 Viewpoints 1 Food and drink 0 Markets and shopping 0 Entertainment 0 Nightlife 0 Family attractions 0 Art and culture 4 Activities 0

Typical visit duration

Up to 1 hour 14

Interests

History 0 Art 0 Museums 0 Nature 2 Sea and beach 2 Viewpoints 0
  1. Temple of Earth Temple of Earth
    07 1 hour

    Temple of Earth

    地坛公园

    Ditan Park, known in Chinese as 地坛公园, is a historic imperial altar complex located in Beijing.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
  2. Temple of the Sun Temple of the Sun
    08 1 hour

    Temple of the Sun

    日坛公园

    Ritan Park, known locally as 日坛公园, is a historic park located in Beijing's Chaoyang District.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
  3. 月坛公园 月坛公园
    09 1 hour

    月坛公园

    Yuetan Park, known locally as 月坛公园, is a historic park located in Beijing, China. It forms part of the city's cultural heritage as one of the ancient altar complexes.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
  4. Tanzhe Temple Tanzhe Temple
    10 1 hour

    Tanzhe Temple

    潭柘寺

    Tanzhe Temple is a historic Buddhist temple located in the Western Hills of Beijing. Known locally as 潭柘寺, it stands as one of the most ancient temples in the Beijing region with deep cultural significance.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
  5. Olympic Forest Park Olympic Forest Park
    11 1 hour

    Olympic Forest Park

    奥林匹克森林公园

    Olympic Forest Park is a major public park in Beijing, China, created as part of the legacy infrastructure for the 2008 Summer Olympics. The local name is 奥林匹克森林公园.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
  6. Grand Canal Forest Park Grand Canal Forest Park
    12 1 hour

    Grand Canal Forest Park

    大运河森林公园

    Grand Canal Forest Park is a large green space in Beijing’s Tongzhou District beside the historic Grand Canal. It offers a quieter, more open way to experience the waterway, combining woodland, paths and canal-side scenery.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
  7. Houhai Houhai
    13 1 hour

    Houhai

    什刹后海

    Houhai is the northernmost of the three lakes in Beijing’s Shichahai water area, alongside Qianhai and Xihai. Its name means “Back Sea,” reflecting its position north of the former imperial city.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
  8. Beijing Garden Expo Park Beijing Garden Expo Park
    14 1 hour

    Beijing Garden Expo Park

    北京园博园

    Beijing Garden Expo Park is a large landscaped park in Fengtai District, created as the lasting venue of an international garden exposition.

    • High
    • Nature site

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

How the city is laid out

Plan the Forbidden City axis as one long central route and avoid pairing it with a distant outer attraction. The Temple of Heaven and Qianmen fit a southern cluster; Shichahai, Drum Tower and nearby hutongs form a northern cluster. The Summer Palace occupies a western half-day, while any Great Wall section requires its own transport plan.

Checked 2026-08-26

Getting around

Beijing’s official guidance describes the subway as the most convenient public transit for major attractions and transport hubs. Use rail for cross-city moves, then walk within each historic cluster. International bank-card access is available at supported gates under current guidance. Distances and security checks can add time, so leave margins around major monuments and railway stations.

Checked 2026-08-26

Nearby districts and related places

Nearby places

Common questions

How many days should I spend in Beijing?

A fixed stay length is not recorded. Build the visit around the imperial axis, Shichahai and the western palaces, then add Great Wall sections and imperial tombs only when the available time supports a separate journey.

What is the best way to organise sightseeing in Beijing?

Group places by district instead of crossing the city repeatedly. Start with the imperial axis, Shichahai and the western palaces; treat Great Wall sections and imperial tombs as separate routes with their own travel allowance.

How do I get around Beijing?

Use Walking, subway and city bus. Walk within compact clusters and consult the linked official transport information before making longer transfers or relying on a particular route.

Can I explore Beijing mainly on foot?

Only within individual neighbourhood clusters. The main visitor areas are separated by distances, waterways, major roads or regional approaches, so longer links normally need public transport or a licensed vehicle.

Which Beijing sights need separate transport planning?

Plan Great Wall sections and imperial tombs separately from the imperial axis, Shichahai and the western palaces. Check the current route, return connection and any access requirements on the official source before departure.