Beijing Guide: Forbidden City, Great Wall, Prices

Descubra Beijing

Beijing has been China's capital for 800 years, and it still shows on the map: the whole city is built along a north–south axis running through the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square and the Temple of Heaven. For visitors, it offers more UNESCO World Heritage sites than any other city on earth — besides the palace complex, there's the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace, the Ming Tombs and sections of the Great Wall within reach of a day trip. Amid the wide avenues and skyscrapers, hutongs survive — narrow lanes of single-storey courtyard houses where people still live, play mahjong and cook on the street. Culinarily, Beijing is home to roast duck and northern cuisine built on dumplings and noodles. The city is enormous, with 22 million residents and distances that can't be covered on foot, though the metro is fast and cheap. Preparation matters here: without mobile payments, a VPN and tickets booked in advance, travelling here today is difficult.

What to see

The places worth your time in Beijing, and what to expect at each

Forbidden City

故宫

Dongcheng / city centre

The palace complex of the Ming- and Qing-dynasty emperors, built between 1420 and 1912, the largest surviving wooden palace complex in the world, with around 900 buildings across 72 hectares. Behind the red walls and moat lie courtyards, throne halls with golden roofs, and the private gardens of the imperial concubines.

Tip: Tickets are sold online only, on the official website or via WeChat, up to a week ahead, tied to your name and passport number — you can't buy them on-site and they sell out in summer. Entry is only through the southern Meridian Gate (Wumen) and exit through the north gate, so the visit is one-way. Few visitors head to the side galleries and gardens away from the crowded central axis. Closed on Mondays.

Admission:: CNY 60 (April–October), CNY 40 (November–March)
Time needed:: 3–4 h

Temple of Heaven

天坛

Dongcheng / south

A complex dating from 1420, where the emperor prayed twice a year for a good harvest. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, with its three-tiered blue roof built without a single nail, is China's most famous structure after the Great Wall. Around it spreads a huge park with thousands of ancient cypress trees.

Tip: Arrive at 7 or 8am, when the park belongs to locals: people practise tai chi, dance, play the erhu and sing, and play cards and mahjong. It's the best glimpse of everyday Beijing life and is free with park entry. Buy the combined ticket, or you won't get into the main halls. The Echo Wall at the Imperial Vault of Heaven only works when it's quiet.

Admission:: CNY 34 combined
Time needed:: 2–3 h

Summer Palace

颐和园

Haidian / northwest

A vast imperial summer residence with Kunming Lake, Longevity Hill and a pagoda with views over the whole landscape. A long covered corridor with thousands of painted scenes runs along the shore. It was restored by the Empress Dowager Cixi using funds meant for the navy, symbolised by the marble boat.

Tip: The grounds are large, so allow half a day. It's best to enter through the north gate, Beigongmen (metro station), climb the hill to the Tower of Buddhist Incense, and walk down to the lake. Take a dragon boat back across the lake. In winter the lake freezes and people skate on it. The combined ticket includes the indoor buildings, which are worth it.

Admission:: CNY 60 combined
Time needed:: 3–4 h

Tiananmen Square

天安门广场

City centre

One of the largest public squares in the world, over 40 hectares, where Mao Zedong proclaimed the People's Republic of China in 1949. It's surrounded by the Gate of Heavenly Peace with Mao's portrait, the Great Hall of the People, the National Museum and Mao's Mausoleum.

Tip: Entry to the square goes through a security check with your passport, and a booking is required a day ahead via WeChat — without it you won't be let in. The flag-raising ceremony at dawn draws thousands of people. The mausoleum is open mornings only, no bags or phones allowed, with a cloakroom across the street. The National Museum is free, and booking is required there too.

Admission:: free, booking required
Time needed:: 1 h

Yonghe Temple (Lama Temple)

雍和宫

Dongcheng / north

A Tibetan Buddhist temple, originally the palace of a prince who became Emperor Yongzheng. It's the most important lamaist temple outside Tibet, with 5 halls and richly decorated courtyards. In the last hall stands an 18-metre statue of the Maitreya Buddha, carved from a single trunk of sandalwood.

Tip: Incense sticks are given free at the entrance with your ticket — don't buy them from street stalls. The statue of Maitreya is in the Guinness World Records, but photography inside the halls is banned. Afterwards, cross the street to the Confucius Temple and the Imperial Academy, which are quiet and have stone stelae listing the names of successful exam candidates.

Admission:: CNY 25
Time needed:: 1–1.5 h

Jingshan Park

景山公园

Xicheng / city centre

An artificial hill north of the Forbidden City, built from earth dug out for the palace moats. The pavilion at the top gives the best view of the Forbidden City's golden roofs lined up along the axis. On the slope stands the tree where the last Ming emperor hanged himself in 1644.

Tip: Come straight after leaving the Forbidden City through the north gate — the park is across the street and entry costs CNY 2. The view is best in the late afternoon, when the sun lights the roofs from the west. Peonies bloom in the park in April. From Jingshan you can walk to Beihai Park and on to the Houhai lakes.

Admission:: CNY 2
Time needed:: 45 min

Beihai Park

北海公园

Xicheng

One of the oldest surviving imperial gardens in China, with a lake and an island topped by a white Tibetan-style dagoba. Around the lake are pavilions, the glazed-tile Nine Dragons Wall and a long covered corridor. The park connects to the chain of Shichahai lakes.

Tip: In summer you can rent pedal boats and rowing boats, and in winter people skate on the lake. Walk around the park along the north shore to the Nine Dragons Wall, where there are fewer people. Just behind the park begin the Houhai and Qianhai lakes, with bars and restaurants by the water — lively in the evening, quiet in the rain. In the morning, elderly locals write calligraphy on the pavement with water.

Admission:: CNY 10
Time needed:: 1.5–2 h

Hutongs and Nanluoguxiang

南锣鼓巷

Dongcheng / Houhai

Hutongs are traditional lanes of single-storey courtyard houses that once made up the whole of Beijing. Nanluoguxiang is the best known, converted into a shopping street of souvenirs and snacks. Around it, though, spreads a network of preserved hutongs where people still live ordinary lives.

Tip: The main street itself is touristy and crowded — walk through it quickly and turn into the side hutongs, such as Mao'er and Ju'er, where you'll see the public toilets the whole neighbourhood depends on, and the old gates of the courtyard houses. Renting a shared bike is the best way to get around. Rickshaw drivers offering tours want a price agreed in advance, or they'll double it at the end.

Admission:: free
Time needed:: 1.5–2 h

798 Art Zone

798艺术区

Chaoyang / northeast

Former factory complexes built in the 1950s with East German help, now the centre of Chinese contemporary art, with dozens of galleries, studios, design shops and cafés. The Bauhaus-style halls, with their chimneys and red slogans on the walls, are an attraction in themselves.

Tip: Most galleries are free; only UCCA, the district's largest institution, charges admission. Many galleries close on Mondays, and weekends are liveliest. The zone is far from the centre — take a taxi or Line 14 and then walk. It's best just to wander between the halls and let yourself be drawn into the side courtyards, where the smaller independent galleries are.

Admission:: zone free, UCCA from CNY 60
Time needed:: 2–3 h

Photos: Forbidden City — Pixelflake (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Temple of Heaven — Shujianyang (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Summer Palace — xiquinhosilva (CC BY 2.0) · Tiananmen Square — xiquinhosilva (CC BY 2.0) · Yonghe Temple (Lama Temple) — xiquinhosilva (CC BY 2.0) · Jingshan Park — Charlie fong冯成 (Public domain) · Beihai Park — xiquinhosilva (CC BY 2.0) · Hutongs and Nanluoguxiang — Anagoria (CC BY 3.0) · 798 Art Zone — Cory M. Grenier (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Where to stay

Areas and districts, matched to the kind of trip you are taking

Wangfujing and Dongcheng

Best for: first-time visitors, sights within walking distance

The city centre east of the Forbidden City, with the Wangfujing shopping street, international hotels and hutongs. From here you can walk to the palaces, the square and Jingshan, with a metro station always nearby. It's the most practical district for a first visit to Beijing, though hotels are pricier and restaurants on the main street cater to tourists.

Houhai and Shichahai

Best for: atmosphere, evenings by the water, courtyard hotels

A district around 3 lakes with well-preserved hutongs, waterside bars and courtyard hotels in traditional houses. In the evening there's live music and people strolling around the lakes; in the morning locals exercise and fish. Staying in a courtyard hotel is the best experience, though rooms are often small. The metro is a bit further away than in the centre.

Qianmen

Best for: smaller budgets, the old shopping street

South of Tiananmen Square lies the rebuilt Qianmen shopping street with its tram, surrounded by the old Dashilan hutongs and cheaper hotels and hostels. The Temple of Heaven is a short walk away. The reconstruction is largely for show, but the surrounding lanes are authentic and lively.

Sanlitun and Chaoyang

Best for: nightlife, modern Beijing, business

The diplomatic and business district in the east, with the CBD skyscrapers, shopping malls, international restaurants and bars. Sanlitun is the centre of nightlife. Hotels are modern and good quality, but it's 20 to 30 minutes by metro to the sights.

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Getting around

From the airport

From Europe, direct flights to Beijing run from several major cities — including Frankfurt, Munich and Vienna — or with a connection via hubs such as Helsinki, Istanbul or Dubai. Entry requirements for China vary by nationality and have changed several times in recent years, so check with the Chinese embassy or consulate for your country before travelling to see whether visa-free entry currently applies or a visa is required. A 240-hour visa-free transit is available if you arrive from one country and depart to a third. Beijing has two major airports: Capital, in the northeast, is closer to the centre, while the newer Daxing, in the south, is one of the largest airports in the world and is linked by high-speed rail. High-speed trains run between Beijing and Shanghai in about 4.5 hours, and to Xi'an in around 4.5 hours too. Train tickets are booked against your passport via the Trip.com app or 12306.

Beijing Capital (PEK) · 27 km

Airport Express to Dongzhimen· 20–30 min· CNY 25
Taxi to the centre· 40–60 min· CNY 100

Beijing Daxing (PKX) · 46 km

Daxing Airport Express to Caoqiao· 20 min + metro· CNY 35
Taxi to the centre· 60–80 min· CNY 200

Around town

Beijing has one of the largest metro networks in the world, with more than 20 lines. It's cheap, clean, and signage includes the Latin alphabet. You pay by QR code in the Alipay or WeChat app (Transport feature); single tickets are sold at machines. Every metro entrance has an X-ray bag check, which takes time during the morning rush. Distances are huge — it's 30 km between the Summer Palace and the Temple of Heaven. Taxis are booked via Didi (available in English inside the Alipay app); street drivers are often reluctant to pick up foreigners. Google Maps doesn't work in China without a VPN and is inaccurate — use Amap or Apple Maps instead. The best way around the hutongs is a shared bike, unlocked via Alipay.

MetroFare by distance, paid by QR code in Alipay/WeChat. · CNY 3

Didi (taxi)Booked via Alipay in English, payment automatic. · CNY 14

Shared bikes (Meituan, HelloBike)Unlocked via Alipay, ideal for the hutongs. · CNY 1.5 / 30 min

BusesCheap, but timetables are Chinese-only. · CNY 2

Useful apps: Alipay, WeChat, Amap (Gaode), Didi, Trip.com, Metro Man

When to go

Spring, from April to May, and autumn, from September to the end of October, are best — dry, blue skies and around 25°C. Autumn is the most reliable, with the leaves turning colour on the Great Wall. Summer is hot, above 30°C, humid and stormy in July, but everything is open. Winter is freezing, dry and sunny, around 0°C by day and -10°C at night — but the sights are empty and the frozen lakes are used for skating. Sandstorms can blow in from the Gobi in spring. Air pollution used to be extreme in winter, and while it's now much better, it's worth checking the air quality index. Definitely avoid the first week of October and Chinese New Year, when the whole country travels and the sights are packed.

Best time

April–May, September–October

What to avoid

Golden Week (1–7 October), Chinese New Year, the sweltering summer

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Day	2°	6°	13°	21°	27°	31°	31°	30°	26°	19°	10°	3°
Night	-8°	-5°	1°	8°	14°	19°	22°	21°	15°	8°	0°	-6°
Rainy days	2	3	4	5	6	10	13	11	7	5	3	2

Food & drink

Beijing is famous for roast duck, but northern cuisine offers much more: jiaozi dumplings, noodles with soybean paste, street-side jianbing pancakes for breakfast, lamb skewers and Mongolian hot pot with lamb in a copper pot. Compared with southern China, northern cuisine is heartier, built on wheat rather than rice, with garlic and vinegar. Dishes are shared in the middle of the table and portions are generous — order less than you think you need. The best food is found in simple canteens where you order via a QR code on the table — WeChat or Alipay is essential, and many menus are Chinese-only, so a camera translator app is handy. The Wangfujing food street with scorpions on skewers is a tourist attraction; locals don't eat there. Dinner around 5 to 7pm is early here, and kitchens close after 9pm.

What to try

Peking Duck

Duck roasted in an oven over fruitwood, carved into slices at the table with crisp skin. It's wrapped in thin pancakes with spring onion, cucumber and a sweet fermented bean sauce. Traditionally the skin is dipped in sugar. A whole duck costs CNY 200–400 and is enough for 3 people.

Jiaozi

Boiled dumplings with pork and cabbage or with lamb and carrot, ordered by weight in liang (50 g). Dipped in black vinegar with garlic. A festive dish for Chinese New Year and an everyday dinner in every canteen.

Zhajiangmian

Thick wheat noodles with soybean paste and minced pork, served with shredded cucumber, radish and soybean sprouts that you mix in yourself. A Beijing lunch for CNY 20–30.

Jianbing

A street-side pancake cooked on a griddle with egg, spring onion, coriander, sweet sauce and a crispy fried dough wafer. The best Beijing breakfast, at CNY 8–15, sold from kiosks near the metro from 6am.

Mongolian Hot Pot

A copper pot with charcoal in the middle of the table, its clear broth used to cook thin slices of lamb, dipped in sesame sauce. A northern winter classic — unlike Sichuan hot pot, it isn't spicy.

Lamb Skewers

Yangrou chuan, grilled lamb sprinkled with cumin and chilli, introduced by the Uyghurs and now a Beijing evening dish to go with beer. Ordered by the tens.

Tanghulu

Skewers of candied hawthorn fruit or strawberries in a hard caramel shell, a winter street sweet. The sour fruit under the sweet coating tastes surprisingly good.

Tea and Rice Wine

Tea is drunk without sugar and is usually free in restaurants. Hainan rice wine and palm wine are sold at rural markets; shanlanjiu, a spirit distilled by the Li people of the highlands, is stronger than it looks.

What it costs

Jianbing for breakfast

8–15 CNY

Noodles or dumplings at a canteen

25–45 CNY

Peking duck (whole)

200–400 CNY

Metro ride

3–8 CNY

Forbidden City entry

40–60 CNY

Mutianyu day trip with cable car

from 200 CNY

Beer at a bar

25–50 CNY

Night in a 3* hotel for 2

400–800 CNY

Indicative prices that change over time — treat them as a guide, not a price list.

Practical information

SocketsAtwo flat pins (US/JP)CEuroplug, two round pinsIAustralian, angled pins

Voltage220V / 50Hz

Tap waterDo not drink tap water — Tap water isn't drunk anywhere in China. Every hotel, train station and even flights provide boiled water — Chinese people drink hot water and a thermos flask is standard kit. Bottled water costs CNY 2–3 in a shop, ten times that in a tourist site. Ice isn't traditionally added to drinks in China and you won't get it in local restaurants; beer is served at room temperature unless you specifically ask for it chilled (bing de).

TippingTipping isn't customary in China and an offer is often refused as inappropriate; the exceptions are tour guides and international hotel chains. Payment method matters more: cash and foreign cards are marginal in everyday use, and payment is made by phone via WeChat Pay or Alipay, both of which can now be linked to a foreign card — set this up before you leave, since it can be difficult without a Chinese phone number once you're there. Without mobile payment, you may struggle to eat or get a ride in many places. Bank of China ATMs accept foreign cards.

Driving on theright

SafetyChina is among the safer countries, violent crime against foreigners is rare, and walking around at night isn't a problem. The real risks are different: traffic, where pedestrians don't have right of way even at crossings, crowding during public holidays, and overcharging in tourist areas. The 'tea invitation' scam, or being lured to a bar with an outrageous bill, still works in big cities today. The internet is filtered — Google, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram and most foreign maps don't work without a VPN, which needs to be installed before you arrive. Emergency numbers are 110 (police) and 120 (ambulance).

Opening hoursShops and malls are open from 10am to 10pm, including weekends, and street food stalls from 6am. Restaurants serve lunch from 11am to 2pm and dinner from 5 to 9pm — the kitchen is closed in between. Sights and parks open early, around 8am, with last admission usually an hour before closing. During holidays, especially Chinese New Year and the first week of October, hundreds of millions of people travel across the country and everything is crowded and more expensive.

Customs & etiquetteBusiness cards and money are handed over with both hands. Loud conversation and pushing in queues aren't rudeness here, just the local norm. Food is ordered to share in the middle of the table, and everyone helps themselves from the dishes; chopsticks should never be stuck upright in rice, since it resembles an offering to the dead. The bill isn't split — one person pays, and the other pays next time. Turning down a first offer is a politeness ritual; it's usually repeated 3 times. Leave political topics, Taiwan and Tibet alone.

A few local wordsHello — Ni haoThank you — Xie xieHow much is it? — Duo shao qian?The bill, please — Mai danI don't understand — Wo bu dongNo chilli, please — Bu yao la

How to plan your days

1 day

Beijing in a Day

18am at the Temple of Heaven park with locals exercising.
2Metro to Tiananmen Square (book ahead).
3The Forbidden City, from the south gate to the north.
4Jingshan Park, with a view over the palace.
5Evening in the Houhai hutongs and Peking duck.

2 days

2 Days: The Palace and the Great Wall

1Day 1: Temple of Heaven, the square and the Forbidden City.
2Day 1 afternoon: Jingshan, Beihai and the Houhai lakes.
3Day 2 morning: a trip to the Great Wall at Mutianyu.
4Day 2 afternoon: Yonghe Temple and the Confucius Temple.
5Day 2 evening: Nanluoguxiang and the side hutongs.

3 days

3 Days with the Summer Palace

1Day 1: the Forbidden City, Jingshan, Houhai.
2Day 2: a full day at the Great Wall, Mutianyu or Jinshanling.
3Day 3 morning: the Temple of Heaven and Yonghe Temple.
4Day 3 afternoon: the Summer Palace and a boat trip across the lake.
5Day 3 evening: the 798 Art Zone or Sanlitun.

Day trips

Great Wall at Mutianyu

75 km · 1 h 30 min by car

The best-restored yet uncrowded section of the Great Wall, with 22 watchtowers along a forested ridge. A cable car or chairlift takes you up, and you can toboggan back down. Unlike Badaling, there are no crowds here and the views are better. Buses run from Dongzhimen, but a private driver or an organised tour is more comfortable; tickets are booked online against your passport.

Great Wall at Jinshanling

140 km · 2 h 30 min by car

For those who want the Wall as seen in photographs: a partly restored, partly crumbling stretch along a ridge with dramatic views and fewer people. Walking between the towers takes 4 to 5 hours with steep climbs. It's best at dawn or in autumn. A tourist bus runs there directly from Beijing in season, otherwise it's a private driver.

Ming Tombs

50 km · 1 h by car

A valley with 13 tombs of Ming-dynasty emperors, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 3 are open to visitors, the most interesting being the underground palace of Dingling, where you descend into Emperor Wanli's tomb. The Sacred Way, lined with stone animals and officials, leads into the valley. It combines best with Mutianyu or Badaling in a single day.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a visa for China?+

Visa rules vary by nationality and have changed several times in recent years, so check the current requirements with the Chinese embassy or consulate for your country before travelling. A 240-hour visa-free transit is available if you fly into China from one country and out to another — for example, arriving from Europe and continuing on to Tokyo. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months.

How do you pay in Beijing?+

Mainly by phone via Alipay or WeChat Pay — both now let you link a foreign Visa or Mastercard. Set this up before you leave, since verification without a Chinese phone number can be tricky on the spot. By law, everyone must accept cash, but small change is often in short supply. Cards are accepted only in large hotels and department stores.

Will WhatsApp and Google work in China?+

No, Google, Gmail, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and most foreign news sites are blocked in China. The solution is a foreign eSIM, on which these services work over roaming, or a VPN installed before you arrive. Hotel Wi-Fi is filtered too, though some large hotels are an exception.

Which section of the Great Wall should I choose?+

Mutianyu is the best compromise: well restored, with a cable car and without the biggest crowds. Badaling is the closest and reachable by train, but overcrowded. Jinshanling suits fit walkers after authentic views. Wild, unrestored sections should only be visited with a guide — they're dangerous and officially off-limits.

How many days do I need for Beijing?+

3 days is the minimum: 1 for the Forbidden City and the centre, 1 for the Great Wall, and 1 for the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace and the hutongs. Add the Ming Tombs, the 798 Art Zone and a slower pace for 5 days. Beijing is often the first stop on a longer trip that continues by high-speed train to Xi'an, Shanghai and Guilin.

Do I need to book tickets in advance?+

Yes, definitely for the main sights. The Forbidden City, the National Museum, Tiananmen Square and Mao's Mausoleum require an online booking tied to your passport, and the Forbidden City can sell out a week ahead in season. The Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace and the parks also sell tickets on-site, but booking online is quicker. The Great Wall is booked through an app too.

Is Beijing safe?+

Very — Beijing is one of the most heavily monitored cities in the world, with cameras on every corner, and violent crime is rare. Watch out for scams aimed at tourists: an invitation to a tea ceremony or an art gallery from friendly students on the street often ends with a bill for hundreds of dollars. Unlicensed taxi drivers at the airport and train stations overcharge.

What's the air quality like in Beijing?+

Much better than a decade ago, when winter smog was notorious. Beijing now has decent air quality on most days; it's worse in winter during temperature inversions and in spring during sandstorms blowing in from the Gobi. Check the AQI index in an app, and put on a face mask — available in any pharmacy — once it goes above 150.

Tarjeta de llegada

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Requisitos de visa

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Números de emergencia

Police110 Ambulance120 Fire119

Idioma

Mandarin

Moneda

CNY

Huso horario

GMT+8

Prefijo

+86

Población

1.41B

Área

9,596,960 km²

Voltaje

220V / 50Hz

Lado de conducción

Derecha

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