There are so many things to see and do in Beijing. Beijing is one of the oldest cities in the world with a vibrant mix of history and modernity. Beijing is the capital city of China and it holds many impressive historical sights that known for world records that are magnificently well preserved.
There’s so much to do in Beijing and it can be hard to know where to start because the volume of reviews, places to see and food to try can be overwhelming. I’ve just simply handpicked the best places to see while in Beijing for 3 days.
#1 Things To Do in Beijing – Walk on The Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China is the top tourist spot to visit and has become the national symbol of China. China’s northern states began to build the walls on their borders to defend against invasion. The Great Wall of China is the longest man-made historical structure in the world and it attracts tourists for its historical value.
There are several sections to get to the Great Wall of China and each section is different. The Badaling is one of my favorite section and more tourist-friendly section. It has easy walking conditions compared to other sections that are hard to climb and fairly isolated.
The Badaling Great Wall is the most popular section and well preserved. The stairs are not very steep and they are equipped with handrails.
If you want to walk on the Great Wall just click here to watch my full video and read my post about my experience climbing the Great Wall of China
#2 Things To Do in Beijing – Visiting The Forbidden City (Palace Museum)
The forbidden city is also known as the “Palace Museum”. The Palace Museum served as the home of the emperors during the Ming dynasty up to the end of the Qing dynasty. The Forbidden City is located in the heart of Beijing and the largest imperial palace in China.
There were 24 emperors who lived here – 14 of the Ming dynasty and 10 of the Qing dynasty until 1911 when the Qing dynasty fell. Puyi, the last emperor, was allowed to live inside the inner court until his expulsion in 1924. It was constructed from 1406 and completed in 1420. The forbidden city consists of 980 buildings with 8,886 bays of rooms settled inside the 72 hectares piece of land.
The palace has 4 gates, surrounded by a 7.9 meters wall. These walls served as the defensive wall of the palace. Outside of this palace was surrounded by 6 meters deep moat.
The Forbidden City is the best-preserved imperial palace complex in the world, recognized as a world cultural heritage by the UNESCO in 1987.
Click here to watch my full video and see how to get to the Forbidden City.
#3 Things to do in Beijing -The Temple of Heaven
The Temple of heaven or the “Tiantan Park” is the place where emperors worshiped the god of heaven and prayed for good harvests. The most striking colorful circular hall that you will find at the center.
During the old days, the Temple of heaven is the place for imperial sacrifices.
Tiantan Park is a well-landscaped area and you will find varieties of huge old trees seated at the park. The most famous one is a 500-year old tree called the “grandfather” tree. The branches of this tree are like the nine dragons winding with each other.
How to Get to the Temple of Heaven
By subway:
- East Gate: Take Line 5 Tiantan Dongmen – Exit A.
- North Gate: Take Line 7 to Qiaowan – Exit C.
Opening Times and Tickets
- Open: 8am–5:30pm (Apr.–Oct.); 8am–5pm (Nov.–Mar.)
- Entry: 15 yuan
#4 Things to Do in Beijing – The Tiananmen Square
The Tiananmen Square is seated at the center of Beijing where Chairman Mao Zedong Memorial Hall is located. Chairman Mao Zedong is the founder of the People’s Republic of China. The Memorial Hall of Chairman Mao is at the south side of Tiananmen Square. This is where you can see the body of Chairman Mao lies in a crystal coffin surrounded by fresh flowers.
This is where the Tiananmen Tower, Monument to the People’s Heroes and the Great Hall of the People are also located.
How to get to the Tiananmen Square
You can take Subway Line 1 heading to Tiananmen Dong or Tiananmen Xi Station.
Or you can take bus 1, 5 or 52 and get off at Tiananmen Xi.
Getting there and back is best done by subway as there is no parking and nowhere to grab a taxi. There will be a security check across the street before you can get access to Tiananmen Square. If you are planning to visit Tiananmen Square during the summer, make sure to bring a hat or umbrella because there are no trees around – really super hot!
If you are at Tiananmen Square, the other end across the road is already the Forbidden City.
You Couldn’t Leave Beijing Without Eating The Peking Duck
What’s a trip to Beijing without eating a duck? Every time I visit Beijing the “DaDong Roast Duck Restaurant” is something that I shouldn’t miss. The Da Dong Restaurant offers the best Peking ducks in town. It is crispier and less fatty. Try dipping a slice of duck in the sugar provided alongside with other condiments – somehow, it blends magnificently.
DaDong offers numerous other dishes aside from the Peking Duck. You must also try their Amazing Alaskan crab. Every time we come here, we normally order these two special dishes such as the “Roast Peking Duck” and my favorite “Alaskan crab” which they cooked in two different ways.
Where to Stay in Beijing
We booked our hotel at the Crowne Plaza Hotel which is seated right at the heart of the city of Beijing in Wangfujing street located in Dongcheng District.
The Crowne Plaza Hotel in Beijing, the Location is unbeatable. It is just about 5-10 minutes walk to Subway station.
Book The Best Hotel Price Now
Wangfujing is a famous walking street in Beijing. There are so many things to see & do in the Wangfujing area. If you love shopping this is the place for you. There are so many good restaurants like the Beijing famous Peking duck, shabu-shabu, convenient stores and that exotic street food including scorpion, squid, stinky tofu – a Chinese form of fermented tofu that has a strong odor. It is usually sold at night markets.
The Crowne Plaza Hotel is just a 10-minute stroll or taxi ride will bring you to the magnificent Forbidden City and other historical landmarks like the Tiananmen Square, and the Temple of Heaven.
Click here to watch my full video and my stay at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
I hope this post helps you to make your stay in Beijing a memorable and enjoyable one.
Have Fun!
Jeng Cua
PS: Would appreciate if you can like, share & leave me a comment ❤️?✈️
Click here to learn more about Jeng Cua