Beijing Travel Guide
Browse 439 travel reviews, 861 travel blogs and 32,111 travel photos from real travelers to Beijing.Beijing Overview
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. Beijing is so steeped in essential Chinese experiences, you could easily spend a couple weeks enjoying the temples, backstreets and expansive cuisine before moving on, ab… read moresorbing the vibes of a city resplendent with post-Olympic delights.
The city is vivaciously modern now. 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 is still home to night markets where you can sample seahorses fried on a stick or freshly boiled goat penis while listening to Chinese opera and perusing bargain electronics. Be aware when you shop in silk street market and Pearl market, the vendors will take advantage of tourists! If they give you a big discount from the stated price, they are still making a large profit. This applies to some of the mall stores as well. Practice your bargaining skills when you shop in China.
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 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.
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. Try the part called Mutianyu which offers both restored parts as well as untouched areas.
People Traveling to Beijing
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Beijing Locals
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Check Beijing Hotel Deals
- Novotel Xin Qiao Hotel Beijing 2 reviews
- Wangfujing Grand Hotel 1 review
- Kapok Hotel Beijing 2 reviews
- A.Hotel 1 review
- King's Joy Hotel 1 review
- China World Hotel Beijing 2 reviews
- Novotel Xinqiao 2 reviews
- The Westin Beijing Financial Street 2 reviews
- China Lounge Boutique coutyard Hotel 1 review
- Hilton Beijing Wangfujing 1 review
- Great Wall at Badaling 13 reviews
- Summer Palace 9 reviews
- Forbidden City 13 reviews
- Great Wall at Mu Tian Yu 9 reviews
- Great Wall at Simatai 7 reviews
- Great Wall - HuangHuaCheng 2 reviews
- Xidan Shopping District 2 reviews
- Great wall at Ju Yong Guan 1 review
- Annies 2 reviews
- Alameda 1 review
- Beijing Roast Duck Restaurant 1 review
- Sichuan Restaurant 1 review
- The Kro's Nest (乌巢比萨主义餐厅) 1 review
- Great Wall Of China 1 review
- Jingsi Su Shifang 1 review
- Pyro Pizza 1 review
- Ras Ethipian Restaurant 1 review
- Tiāndì Yījiā 1 review
- Scam in China 1 review
- Arriving in Beijing 2 reviews
- List 2 reviews
- Buying train tickets in Beijing 1 review
- If it's on a stick, they'll eat it 1 review
- Teahouse scam in Beijing 2 reviews
- Nightwalk 1 review
- Beijing Acrobatic Show 1 review
- ChinaDoll 1 review
- Lan Bar 1 review
- Mao Live House 1 review
- Lao She Tea House 2 reviews
- 12SQM Bar & Cafe 1 review
- Mix 1 review
- Salsa Caribe 1 review
- Suzie Wong 1 review
- Peking International Youth Hostel 4 reviews
- 365 Inn 5 reviews
- Downtown Backpacker's Hostel 1 review
- Happy Dragon Hostel 1 review
- kelly's courtyard 1 review
- Kelly's Courtyard Guesthouse 1 review
- Lucky Family Hostel 1 review
- Peking Youth Hostel 1 review
- Sanlitun Youth Hostel 1 review
18,476 words
992 This blog was featured on Saturday November 10th, 2007
18,476 words
992 This blog was featured on Saturday November 10th, 2007
8,541 words
134 This blog was featured on Saturday November 5th, 2011











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