Top 15 Beijing Tourist Attractions, Beijing Sightseeing 2024

No.1: Forbidden City

Type: Historic Site, landmarks

Recommended Length of Visit: 2-3 hours

Forbidden City is absolutely the top must-see place in Beijing, which will show you what the Chinese culture and Dynasty is all about. Consisting of more than 9,000 rooms and spreading over 250 acres, it is once reserved only for the Emperors in 15-18th century. Once you enter the palace, you have stepped in the centuries' old history of China's imperial dynasties. More about Forbidden City and How to Book Forbidden City (Palace Museum) Tickets from Official Website 2024

No.2: Great Wall

Type: Historic Site, Landmarks, Hiking Trails

Recommended Length of Visit: about 3 hours' hiking

Hiking the Great Wall is always a must for Beijing first-time visitors. From the continuous line of the Wall, there are some famous sections for visitors to go near Beijing city, including the most famous Badaling Great Wall, the less crowded Mutianyu Section and Simatai section, the beautiful Jinshanling, steep Jiankou, war-striken Gubeikou, strategic Juyongguan, unique Huanghuacheng, etc.

Generally speaking, Mutianyu is the best option if you travel with kids, or want to enjoy a leisure and scenic hike. If you are a hiker, choose 1 or 2 sections among Jinshanling, Simatai and Gubekou to hike 1 or 2 days. If you are the second-timer, maybe Huanghuacheng section will be very attractive to you. Its lakeside walls are very stunning. Read more about What Are the Best Sections of the Great Wall to Visit from Beijing?

No.3: Tian'anmen Square

Type: landmarks, Square

Recommended Length of Visit: less than 1 hour

Tiananmen Square is a vast open concrete expanse at the heart of modern Beijing. Here you can see the national flag raised at dawn and lowered at dusk every day, and the locals, as well as visitors strolling about at ease. The most famous site, Tian'an Men is where Chairman Mao announced the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949. More about Tian'anmen Square

No.4: Temple of Heaven

Type: Historic Site, Parks, Religious Site

Recommended Length of Visit: 1-2 hours

Temple of Heaven is the largest building for religious worship in China with a total area of 270 acres. It is where the Ming and Qing emperors to pay homage to Heaven and pray a rich harvest for the next year. Nowadays it has become a leisure park, where you can see many beautiful temple buildings and halls with colorful decorations on them. More about Temple of Heaven

No.5: Hutong

Type: Historic Walking Area

Recommended Length of Visit: about 2 hours

Beijing is famous for its centuries-old alleys known as hutongs. What is charmful to visitors is the 'real life' of Beijing in these neighborhoods of narrow, twisting alleys. Houhai area is the best place to explore the Hutong culture. The most-visited Nanluoguxiang and the oldest commercial street Yandaixie Street are both near Houhai. More about Beijing Hutong

No.6: Summer Palace

Type: Hisotric Site, Parks

Recommended Length of Visit: 2-3 hours

Summer Palace, called Yiheyuan in Chinese, used to be the summer retreat for emperors majorly consisting of Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill. But now it is a park for both locals and tourists. You can stroll around the ancient pavilions, temples, bridges and huge lakes to enjoy the amazing view of this royal garden. More about Summer Palace

No.7: Ming Tombs

Type: Historic site, Monuments

Recommended Length of Visit: 2 hours

Ming Tombs, called Chang Ling in Chinese, is the resting place for 13 of the 16 Ming emperors. In Ding Ling, the only tomb opened to the public, you will see the treasures and Chinese Feng Shui alignment. The highlight is the Sacred Road leading to the tomb with hundreds of small stone animals. Only 30 km northwest of Beijing city, Ming Tomb is always companied with the tour to Great Wall. More about Ming Tombs

No.8: Lama Temple

Type: Religious & Historic sites, Museums

Recommended Length of Visit: 1-2 hour

Lama Temple, also called Yonghegong in Chinese, is the highest-standard Tibetan Buddhist temple in Beijing. The buildings are a combination of Han and Tibetan styles. Here you can learn more about Tibetan Buddhism while appreciating the excellent architectures and impressive Buddha statues, one of which is an impressive fifty-four-foot high Buddha carved from one complete piece of Tibetan sandalwood. More about Lama Temple

No.9: Confucius Temple

Type: Cultural site, Museum

Recommended Length of Visit: 1 hour

For Confucius fan, you will never miss the trip to Confucius Temple and Guozijian Museum. Less crowded than other sites, you can learn a lot about Confucius while enjoying the quiet atmosphere here. Even you know nothing about Confucius, you will know more about him and his spirit in the East and the West Halls that talked about Confucius's life, philosophies, impact, legacy, etc. in perfect English.

No.10: Beijing Olympic Park

Type: Arenas

Recommended Length of Visit: 1 hour

Beijing Olympic Park, also called Olympic Green, is a spacious park built for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. It contains 10 Olympic venues, 7 non-competitive venues, and a forest park, some of which have become landmarks of Beijing and representative works in architectural history such as the Bird's Nest and Water Cube. The best time to visit there is in the afternoon till night, for the splendid colorful lights will add more unforgettable memory to your Beijing trip. More about Beijing Olympic Park

No.11: National Museum of China

Type: Museums

Recommended Length of Visit: 2-3 hours

With over 1 million precious and rare artifacts, covering Chinese history from 1.7 million years ago till the present, National Museum of China is the third largest and the second most visited museum in the world. It is located on the east side of Tiananmen Square and the south side of East Chang'an Street, right at the city center of Beijing. More about National Museum of China

No.12: Jingshan Park

Type: Parks, Historical Sites

Recommended Length of Visit: 1-2 hours

Jingshan Park, located in the central axes of Beijing and adjacent to Forbidden City, is the highest point of Beijing Old Imperil City. It offers a fantastic panoramic view of Forbidden City as well as modern Beijing. There are ancient towers and colorful flowers for sightseeing and many local people playing interesting traditional instruments. More about Jingshan Park

No.13: Universal Studios Beijing

Type: Amusement Parks, Resorts

Recommended Length of Visit: 1-2 days

Universal Studios Beijing, the fifth Universal Studios theme park in the world and the second world-class amusement park in inland China after Shanghai Disneyland, has recently become a must-hit destination for Chinese and foreign tourists visiting Beijing. Featuring themes from Hollywood blockbusters, each zone unlocks a new world for adventurers filled with joy, magic, sci-fi, excitement, and awe. More about Universal Studios Beijing

No.14: 798 Art District

Type: Art Galleries, Photography

Recommended Length of Visit: 2 hours

A bunch of once-abandoned factories has now become synonymous with art and originality. 798 Art District is one of the most avant-garde places in Beijing. No matter you are an art enthusiast or not, 798 Art District will show you a different Beijing. You can attend upscale exhibitions, find many creatively designed architectures, stylish boutiques, cafes and restaurants here. More about 798 Art District

No.15: Gubei Water Town

Type: Holiday Resorts

Recommended Length of Visit: Half day

Gubei WaterTown, located at the foot of Simatai Great Wall, is the northeast gateway of Beijing. It is a theme resort of ancient northern architecture built by a lake. Though it is not a historical water town, it has developed into a large-scale tourist's destination for sightseeing, night tour, boating, great wall hiking, and hot spring spa, etc. More about Gubei Water Town