Beijing attractions

Contemporary art in a former East German-designed electronics factory. 200+ galleries, UCCA ¥100. Half day (3–5 hours). Open 24/7, galleries 10:00–18:00. Free district entry.

The most classic stretch of the Great Wall, 60 km from Beijing at roughly 1,000 m. Entry CNY 40 off-season and CNY 45 in season, cableway extra; allow 2-4 hours.

Beijing's most central imperial garden — a circular island temple, lotus-covered moat, and white pagoda rising from the lake, walking distance from the Forbidden City. ¥5 park entry, 2 hours.

Beijing Botanical Garden at the foot of Fragrant Hills, about 200 hectares with 10000+ species; entry 5 yuan, greenhouse 50 yuan more, open 06:00-19:00.

China's top art museum, founded in 1962 with 100,000+ works in 21 galleries; free with reservation, 9:00-17:00 and closed Mondays, a 15-minute walk from Dongdan station.

Beijing's most famous spot for autumn foliage: Xianglufeng peak rises 575 m, entry 10 yuan (5 off-season), cableway 100 yuan one way; best in late October, open 06:00-19:00.

The best-preserved Great Wall section, 70 km from central Beijing. Cable car + toboggan slide. 3-4 hours including travel.

Wild, unrestored Ming Wall section 2.5h from Beijing. Crumbling watchtowers, no crowds, camping allowed. ¥45. Best for hikers and photographers wanting the real Wall.

The best viewpoint over the Forbidden City: Jingshan's 45 m hill tops Beijing's central axis at Wanchun Pavilion; entry 2 yuan, open 6:00-21:00, opposite the palace north gate.

Famed Juyong Pass of the Great Wall near Beijing, rebuilt in the Ming dynasty with 12 watchtowers; entry 45 yuan including the Yuan-era Cloud Platform, open 8:30-17:00.

Beijing's antique and calligraphy street with over 800 years of history, about 750 m long and home to Rongbaozhai (founded 1672); free to stroll, shops open 9:00-18:00.

Old Beijing's signature hutong — 800 years of history, now a lane of creative shops, snacks and cafes.

An exhibition of the People's Republic's achievements across its first 70 years, on the west side of Tiananmen Square. Free, with advance reservation.

The world's largest museum by floor area, with 48 galleries carrying 5,000 years of Chinese civilization.

The ruins of the 18th-century imperial garden destroyed by Anglo-French troops in 1860 — haunting stone arches, reconstructed marble bridges, and a museum of recovered artifacts. 2–3 hours. ¥10.

Ruins of the famed 'Garden of Gardens', burned by the Anglo-French forces in 1860 — a site that stands as a warning to later generations.

Old Beijing's lakeside hutong-and-bars district — Houhai nights and the filming location of Mr. Six. Free to explore; allow 2-4 hours.

Empress Dowager Cixi's summer palace in Beijing, about 290 hectares with Kunming Lake covering three quarters; entry 50-60 yuan, 728-metre Long Corridor, built in 1750, UNESCO-listed in 1998.

Ming and Qing emperors' altar of heaven in Beijing, a 273-hectare park with the 38.2-metre Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests; entry 10-15 yuan or a 34-yuan combo ticket, built in 1420.

The world's largest ancient palatial complex — 980 surviving buildings across 72 hectares. 3-4 hours minimum. Book tickets 7 days in advance.

The world's largest city square — 440,000 sq m, completed in 1959, free and open all day. The dawn flag-raising is a must-see; Metro Line 1 to Tiananmen East or West.

Site of the former Imperial Ancestral Temple southeast of the Forbidden City, with about 140,000 sqm of ancient cypress woods, many Ming-era trees; free with reservation, 6:00-20:00.

Beijing's largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery, once a living Buddha's residence — home to the Hall of the Wheel of Law and its five hundred arhats. Entry CNY 25.