Things to do · Beijing · China
20 best things to do in Beijing
20 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
The essential sights in Beijing are Forbidden City (Palace Museum), Great Wall at Mutianyu and Temple of Heaven. Of the 20 picks below, 6 are free, 2 work on a rainy day and 5 suit children. Allow about 5 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Forbidden City (Palace Museum)
- Free sights
- 6
- Good on a rainy day
- National Museum of China
- Time to see the highlights
- 5 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forbidden City (Palace Museum) | Wangfujing and Dongcheng | Half a day | Low cost |
| Great Wall at Mutianyu | Huairou District | Full day including travel | Mid-priced |
| Temple of Heaven | Qianmen and Dashilar | 2–3 hours | Low cost |
| Summer Palace | Haidian | Half a day | Low cost |
| Tiananmen Square | Wangfujing and Dongcheng | 1 hour | Free |
| Lama Temple (Yonghe Temple) | Yonghegong and Wudaoying | 1–1.5 hours | Low cost |
| Jingshan Park | Wangfujing and Dongcheng | 45 minutes | Low cost |
| Beihai Park | Shichahai and Houhai | 1.5–2 hours | Low cost |
| National Museum of China | Wangfujing and Dongcheng | 2–3 hours | Free |
| Shichahai lakes and hutongs | Shichahai and Houhai | 2 hours | Free |
| Drum and Bell Towers | Gulou and Nanluoguxiang | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Nanluoguxiang | Gulou and Nanluoguxiang | 1–2 hours | Free |
| Prince Gong Mansion | Shichahai and Houhai | 1.5 hours | Low cost |
| Temple of Confucius and Imperial Academy | Yonghegong and Wudaoying | 1 hour | Low cost |
| 798 Art Zone | Chaoyang | 2–3 hours | Free |
| Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan) | Haidian | 2 hours | Low cost |
| Olympic Green | Chaoyang | 1–2 hours | Free |
| Beijing Zoo | Xicheng | 2–3 hours | Low cost |
| Peking opera performance | Qianmen and Dashilar | 1.5 hours | Mid-priced |
| Fragrant Hills | Haidian | Half a day | Low cost |
The 20 best things to do
Palace · Wangfujing and Dongcheng
1.Forbidden City (Palace Museum)
Completed in 1420, the imperial palace of the Ming and Qing emperors covers about 72 hectares of halls, courtyards and gates. Visitors enter from the south through the Meridian Gate and exit north, passing the Hall of Supreme Harmony and the inner residential palaces; side galleries hold clocks, ceramics and treasures.
Walk the side courtyards to the east and west of the central axis, which are far quieter, then climb Jingshan Park opposite the north gate for the view over the roofs.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Book ahead
- Tickets are sold online only, with a daily cap and passport registration, and sell out days ahead in peak season.
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Photo spot
Historic site · Huairou District
2.Great Wall at Mutianyu
About 70 km northeast of the centre, Mutianyu is a restored Ming section of wall with more than 20 watchtowers along a forested ridge. A cable car or chairlift climbs to the wall, and a toboggan slide offers a fun way down.
Leave early to arrive at opening and walk west towards the steeper towers, where crowds thin out quickly.
- Time needed
- Full day including travel
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Tickets for the wall and cable car can be booked online; a private driver or organised tour is the easiest way to get there.
- Iconic
- Views
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Active
- History
Religious site · Qianmen and Dashilar
3.Temple of Heaven
Emperors came here to pray for good harvests at the triple-roofed, round Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, built without nails. The surrounding park is one of Beijing's best places to see morning life: tai chi, choirs, dancing, chess and kite flying.
Enter by the east gate before 8am to see the park at its liveliest, and buy the combined ticket that includes the main halls.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
Palace · Haidian
4.Summer Palace
The Qing court's summer retreat spreads around Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill, with the 728-metre painted Long Corridor, the Tower of Buddhist Incense and the Marble Boat. Boats cross the lake, and the Suzhou Street canal on the north side is a quieter corner.
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
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Landmark · Wangfujing and Dongcheng
5.Tiananmen Square
One of the world's largest public squares, bordered by Tiananmen gate with its portrait of Mao Zedong, the Great Hall of the People, the National Museum of China and the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong. The flag-raising ceremony at sunrise draws large crowds.
Bring your passport; there are security checks at every entrance and identity is checked on the way in.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Book ahead
- Entry is free but usually requires an advance reservation with your passport number, especially at weekends and holidays.
- Iconic
- Free
- History
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Religious site · Yonghegong and Wudaoying
6.Lama Temple (Yonghe Temple)
Beijing's largest Tibetan Buddhist temple was a prince's residence before becoming a lamasery in the 18th century. Its last hall holds an 18-metre Maitreya Buddha carved from a single sandalwood trunk, and the courtyards fill with incense and worshippers.
Walk to the Temple of Confucius a few minutes away along cypress-lined Guozijian Street afterwards.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Iconic
Viewpoint · Wangfujing and Dongcheng
7.Jingshan Park
The artificial hill directly north of the Forbidden City is topped by the Wanchun Pavilion, which gives the classic view south over the palace's golden roofs. The entry fee is nominal and the climb takes about 10 minutes.
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
8.Beihai Park
A former imperial garden west of Jingshan, centred on a lake with Jade Flower Island and its White Dagoba, a Tibetan-style stupa from 1651. You can hire paddle boats in summer, and the Nine-Dragon Screen of glazed tiles is on the north shore.
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
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Museum · Wangfujing and Dongcheng
1.National Museum of China
On the east side of Tiananmen Square, this enormous museum's Ancient China galleries run from Neolithic jade and Shang bronzes to Ming and Qing porcelain. Temporary exhibitions often feature loans from regional museums.
Head straight for the Ancient China exhibition on the basement level; it is the strongest part of the collection.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Book ahead
- Entry is free but requires an advance online reservation with your passport number.
- History
- Art
- Free
- Rainy day
Waterfront · Shichahai and Houhai
2.Shichahai lakes and hutongs
The three linked lakes of Qianhai, Houhai and Xihai are lined with willows, hutongs and lakeside bars. Locals swim and fish in summer, and in winter the frozen lakes become skating rinks; rickshaw drivers offer hutong tours around the shores.
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
Historic site · Gulou and Nanluoguxiang
3.Drum and Bell Towers
At the northern end of the old city's central axis, the red Drum Tower and grey Bell Tower once marked time for the capital. Drummers perform on the giant drums several times a day, and the steep climb gives views over the hutong rooftops.
Climb the Drum Tower for a performance, then look down on the square between the towers, where locals gather in the evening.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Views
- Kids
Street · Gulou and Nanluoguxiang
4.Nanluoguxiang
This 800-metre hutong dates back to the Yuan dynasty and is now lined with snack shops, souvenir stores and cafés. Its side lanes, such as Mao'er Hutong and Ju'er Hutong, keep courtyard houses and quieter residential life.
Use Nanluoguxiang as a starting point and spend most of your time in the side hutongs to the east and west.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- Shopping
- History
Palace · Shichahai and Houhai
5.Prince Gong Mansion
The largest surviving Qing princely mansion, near Houhai, combines courtyards, a garden of rockeries and ponds, and a restored Peking opera theatre. It was home to the official He Shen and later to Prince Gong.
Go early on a weekday; tour groups crowd the garden by late morning.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Book ahead
- Timed tickets can sell out in peak season; reserve online a few days ahead.
- History
- Architecture
- Couples
Religious site · Yonghegong and Wudaoying
6.Temple of Confucius and Imperial Academy
Second only to the temple at Qufu, Beijing's Confucius Temple has ancient cypresses and nearly 200 stone steles carved with the names of successful imperial examination candidates. The adjoining Guozijian was the empire's highest academy.
It is far calmer than the Lama Temple nearby, so it suits a quiet hour after the crowds there.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Off the beaten path
- Architecture
Gallery · Chaoyang
7.798 Art Zone
A complex of 1950s factories built with East German help, with saw-tooth roofs, now converted into galleries, studios, design shops and cafés. The UCCA Center for Contemporary Art is the anchor institution.
Visit on a weekday afternoon when galleries are open but the weekend crowds are absent.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Art
- Free
- Architecture
- Photo spot
Historic site · Haidian
8.Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan)
Once a vast imperial garden, Yuanmingyuan was destroyed by British and French troops in 1860. Today its lakes, lotus ponds and the ruined stone arches of the European-style Xiyanglou palaces make a quiet and evocative park.
Visit in July when the lotus ponds bloom, and combine it with the Summer Palace about 3 km away.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Outdoors
- Off the beaten path
- Photo spot
Architecture · Chaoyang
9.Olympic Green
The 2008 Olympic park holds the steel lattice of the National Stadium, known as the Bird's Nest, and the bubble-clad National Aquatics Center, the Water Cube. Both are lit up in the evenings, and the wide plaza is popular for kite flying.
Come at dusk to see the stadium and aquatics centre illuminated from the plaza at no cost.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Architecture
- After dark
- Free
- Kids
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Zoo · Xicheng
10.Beijing Zoo
Founded in the late Qing dynasty, Beijing Zoo is best known for its giant panda house. The grounds include old imperial gardens and a large aquarium on the same site.
See the pandas in the morning when they are most active, before midday heat or crowds.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Nature
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Experience · Qianmen and Dashilar
11.Peking opera performance
Peking opera combines singing, stylised movement, acrobatics and elaborate face paint. Theatres such as the Huguang Guild Hall and Liyuan Theatre stage shorter performances aimed at visitors, with English subtitles on screens.
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
Nature · Haidian
12.Fragrant Hills
A wooded imperial park in the Western Hills, famous for smoke trees that turn red in autumn. Trails and a chairlift climb to Incense Burner Peak, and the park contains temples and old villas.
Late October to early November is peak leaf season; go on a weekday to avoid huge weekend crowds.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Views
- Active
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| Art and museums | National Museum of China, 798 Art Zone and Peking opera performance |
| History | Forbidden City (Palace Museum), Great Wall at Mutianyu, Temple of Heaven and Summer Palace |
| Views | Great Wall at Mutianyu, Summer Palace, Jingshan Park and Drum and Bell Towers |
| Outdoors and nature | Great Wall at Mutianyu, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace and Jingshan Park |
| Food and markets | Nanluoguxiang |
| After dark | Shichahai lakes and hutongs, Olympic Green and Peking opera performance |
| With children | Great Wall at Mutianyu, Beihai Park, Drum and Bell Towers and Olympic Green |
| On a rainy day | National Museum of China and Peking opera performance |
What to book ahead
- Forbidden City (Palace Museum): Tickets are sold online only, with a daily cap and passport registration, and sell out days ahead in peak season.
- Great Wall at Mutianyu: Tickets for the wall and cable car can be booked online; a private driver or organised tour is the easiest way to get there.
- Tiananmen Square: Entry is free but usually requires an advance reservation with your passport number, especially at weekends and holidays.
- National Museum of China: Entry is free but requires an advance online reservation with your passport number.
- Prince Gong Mansion: Timed tickets can sell out in peak season; reserve online a few days ahead.
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do in Beijing?
Forbidden City (Palace Museum). Completed in 1420, the imperial palace of the Ming and Qing emperors covers about 72 hectares of halls, courtyards and gates.
+What can you do for free in Beijing?
Tiananmen Square, National Museum of China, Shichahai lakes and hutongs, Nanluoguxiang and 798 Art Zone. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in Beijing when it rains?
Head indoors to National Museum of China and Peking opera performance.
+What is there to do in Beijing at night?
Shichahai lakes and hutongs, Olympic Green and Peking opera performance are best after dark.