Beijing Vacations, Beijing Vacation Reviews, Tourism Guide

Beijing Vacation Guide

A pulsating modern city littered with the trappings of a rich history, China’s capital Beijing is chock full of the kind of iconic images it’s impossible not to hunt down. There’s the portrait of Mao staring down upon his mausoleum on Tiananmen Square, the vast expanses of the Forbidden City, huge plates of roasted duck in the traditional pagoda restaurants and delicate cups of green tea that cost twice your hotel room.

The real must-see site, though, is outside the city. The Great Wall of China rises and falls over the hills north of the city, and can be accessed at numerous points for lengthy treks and striking photographs of the fortified barrier stretching to the horizon. The grandeur of the Forbidden City – so named due to its years of inaccessibility – is a maze of courtyards and gem-clad buildings that still lie at the heart of Chinese government after more than 600 years, while the 700 acres of the Summer Palace incorporate an opera house, temple and lake within its opulent borders.

The city’s vivaciously modern now, though. Those once eminent backstreet hutongs (traditionally alleyways) are increasingly hard to find; Beijing’s Olympic modernization was all encompassing and came at the cost of some of the more traditional areas. The result is an epic modern city full of sky scrapers and multi-lane highways that’s still home to night markets where you can sample seahorses fried on a stick or freshly boiled goat penis whilst listening to Chinese opera and perusing bargain electronics.

The Temple of Heaven and the surrounding parks are the perfect place to watch the world go by under a sea of kites, while the locals kick tiny sacks between them or play frantic games of cards. Each year the temple becomes the centre of numerous offerings and occasional animal sacrifice in the name of a good harvest.

Beijing’s so packed full of essential Chinese experiences, you could be forgiven for bedding down and enjoying the temples, backstreets and expansive cuisine for a few weeks before moving on, absorbing the vibes of a city resplendent with post-Olympic delights.