Season guide · Beijing · China
Beijing in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: xiquinhosilva, CC BY 2.0
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Quick answer
Freezing but sunny and dry, with frozen lakes for skating, quiet palaces and Lunar New Year temple fairs. Expect highs up to 5°C (41°F) and lows around -8°C (18°F), with about 7 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- -8°C (18°F) to 5°C (41°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 7
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 2°C (36°F) | -8°C (18°F) | 2 | 9.6 h | 2/5 |
| February | 5°C (41°F) | -5°C (23°F) | 3 | 10.6 h | 3/5 |
| December | 3°C (37°F) | -6°C (21°F) | 2 | 9.4 h | 2/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 3°C (37°F) against a yearly 18°C (64°F), and 7 of the year's roughly 71 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 2/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: Ice skating on Houhai and in Beihai Park (usually January)
- January: Lunar New Year temple fairs (late January or February)
- February: Spring Festival temple fairs in Ditan and Longtan parks (around Lunar New Year)
- February: Lantern Festival (15th day of the lunar new year)
- December: Ice and snow activities begin in parks and on lakes (usually late December)
Good choices for winter
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Museum · Wangfujing and Dongcheng
National Museum of China
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
- History
- Art
- Free
- Rainy day
Gallery · Chaoyang
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.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Art
- Free
- Architecture
- Photo spot
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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
Day trips in winter
- Ming Tombs (About 1–1.5 hours by subway and bus or car) — Thirteen Ming emperors are buried in a valley north of Beijing.
- Tianjin (About 30–40 minutes by high-speed train) — The port city has the Italian Style Town and Five Great Avenues of former foreign concession villas, the Haihe riverfront and the Tianjin Eye Ferris wheel on a bridge, plus famous snacks such as goubuli buns and mahua twists.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Beijing?
It is a trade-off: Freezing but sunny and dry, with frozen lakes for skating, quiet palaces and Lunar New Year temple fairs. The best months overall are April–May and September–October.
+What is the weather like in Beijing in winter?
Highs of up to 5°C (41°F) and lows around -8°C (18°F), with about 7 rainy days over the season.