For couples · Beijing · China
Romantic things to do in Beijing
Ideas for a couples' trip, from small moments to a special day out.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: onion83, CC BY-SA 2.0
Quick answer
Beijing's romance lies in lantern-lit hutongs, courtyard hotels and imperial gardens at quiet hours. Pair early palace visits with sunsets over lakes and long dinners of Peking duck. Couples tend to stay in Shichahai and Houhai.
Key facts
- Romantic ideas
- 5
- Couple-friendly sights
- 6
- Area for couples
- Shichahai and Houhai
- Best months
- September
Romantic ideas
1.Sunset from Jingshan Park
Watch the light fade over the Forbidden City's golden roofs from the Wanchun Pavilion.
2.Courtyard hotel stay
Book a restored siheyuan courtyard house in the hutongs around Shichahai or Dongcheng.
3.Boat on Kunming Lake
Hire a small boat at the Summer Palace and drift past the Seventeen-Arch Bridge.
4.Evening at Simatai
Walk the lit-up watchtowers of the Simatai Great Wall above Gubei Water Town.
5.Houhai by night
Stroll the lake shore past lantern-lit bars, then find a quieter rooftop away from the music.
Sights couples love
Palace · Haidian
Summer Palace
Enter by the north gate, climb Longevity Hill first, then walk down to the lake and take a boat back towards the east gate.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Outdoors
- Couples
- Views
Viewpoint · Wangfujing and Dongcheng
Jingshan Park
Visit right after the Forbidden City, or come in late afternoon when the sun lights the palace roofs.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- Photo spot
- Couples
- Outdoors
Park · Shichahai and Houhai
Beihai Park
Combine it with Jingshan Park and walk out of the north gate towards the Shichahai lakes.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Outdoors
- Couples
- Kids
- History
Waterfront · Shichahai and Houhai
Shichahai lakes and hutongs
Agree the price and route of any rickshaw tour in writing before you set off, or simply walk the lanes yourself.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- After dark
- Outdoors
- Couples
- Photo spot
Palace · Shichahai and Houhai
Prince Gong Mansion
Go early on a weekday; tour groups crowd the garden by late morning.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Couples
.jpg){kind=link}
Experience · Qianmen and Dashilar
Peking opera performance
Arrive early to watch the performers apply their make-up, which some theatres allow before the show.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- After dark
- Rainy day
- Art
- Couples
Where couples should stay
$$$ · Best for couples, nightlife and culture
Shichahai and Houhai
Qianhai, Houhai and Xihai lakes form Shichahai, edged by hutongs, Prince Gong Mansion and bars that light up at night. In winter the lakes freeze for skating. Courtyard hotels here are atmospheric, and the Drum and Bell Towers and Beihai Park are within a short walk.
- Good
- Lakeside walks and courtyard hotels; Evening bars; Close to the Forbidden City's north side
- Watch out
- Bar touts and loud music around Houhai at night; Few subway stations right at the lakes
- Nearby
- Prince Gong Mansion, Drum Tower, Beihai Park, Yandai Xiejie
Romantic day trips
- Simatai and Gubei Water Town (About 2 hours by car or bus) — Gubei Water Town is a rebuilt northern-style canal town at the foot of the Simatai Great Wall, one of the few sections open for evening visits with lit-up watchtowers.
For dinner
Share local specialities such as Peking duck, Noodles with soybean paste and Dumplings. Peking duck restaurants often sell out of whole ducks on busy evenings; book or arrive early.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Beijing romantic?
Beijing's romance lies in lantern-lit hutongs, courtyard hotels and imperial gardens at quiet hours. Pair early palace visits with sunsets over lakes and long dinners of Peking duck.
+What is the most romantic thing to do in Beijing?
Sunset from Jingshan Park: Watch the light fade over the Forbidden City's golden roofs from the Wanchun Pavilion.
+Where should couples stay in Beijing?
Shichahai and Houhai: Three linked lakes, willow-lined banks and lakeside bars.