Top Attractions in Beijing: Complete Guide with Tickets, Hours, and Tips
Introduction
Beijing is home to more UNESCO World Heritage Sites than any other city on earth — a staggering seven. From the Forbidden City’s 9,999 rooms to the Great Wall’s serpentine curves across northern hills, the city’s attractions span 3,000 years of continuous history. But Beijing’s appeal isn’t only ancient: its contemporary art districts, renovated hutong neighborhoods, and futuristic airports are attractions in their own right.
This guide covers every major sight in Beijing — the icons you can’t miss, the hidden gems that reward curiosity, and the practical details (tickets, hours, transport, crowds) that guidebooks often gloss over. Whether you’re planning a whirlwind 48-hour stopover or a deep two-week immersion, use this as your definitive reference.
The Icons: Must-See Sights
1. The Forbidden City (Palace Museum / 故宫博物院)
Why it’s essential: The largest imperial palace complex in the world. Home to 24 emperors across the Ming and Qing dynasties. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and the single most important historical attraction in Beijing.
Tickets: ¥60 (Apr–Oct), ¥40 (Nov–Mar). Must book online 7 days in advance via the WeChat mini-program “Palace Museum” (故宫博物院). Foreign visitors: use the English version. Walk-up tickets are not sold.
Hours: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM (Apr–Oct); 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM (Nov–Mar). Closed Mondays (except July–August and national holidays).
Transportation: Subway Line 1 to Tiananmen East or Tiananmen West. Note: you must pass through security screening to enter Tiananmen Square, then walk north through the Tiananmen Gate to reach the Forbidden City’s entrance (Meridian Gate). Bring your passport.
Time needed: 3–4 hours (minimum). Art and history lovers should allocate a full day.
The route: Enter at the Meridian Gate (south). Walk through the Outer Court (where emperors held court), cross the Inner Golden Water Bridge, explore the Inner Court (residential palace), visit the Treasure Gallery (¥10 extra) and Clock Gallery (¥10 extra), and exit at the Gate of Divine Might (north).
Crowd strategy: Arrive at opening time (8:30 AM). The tour groups typically arrive by 10:00 AM. If you’re visiting in peak season and arrive after 10:00 AM, you’ll be shuffling through shoulder-to-shoulder with hundreds of people.
Photography: Allowed in outdoor areas. Indoor galleries (Treasure Gallery, Clock Gallery) prohibit photos. Drones are strictly forbidden.
Website: en.dpm.org.cn
2. The Great Wall at Mutianyu (慕田峪长城)
Why it’s essential: The Great Wall is the reason many people come to China. Mutianyu is the best section for visitors — less crowded than Badaling, more spectacular than Jinshanling, and equipped with a cable car and toboggan.
About Mutianyu: 2.2 km of restored wall with 23 watchtowers, snaking over rugged mountains 90 km northeast of Beijing. It was originally built in the 6th century and restored during the Ming dynasty.
Tickets: ¥45 (entrance) + ¥15 (shuttle bus from parking to base). Cable car: ¥120 round-trip, ¥100 one-way. Toboggan descent: ¥100.
Hours: 7:30 AM – 6:00 PM (summer); 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM (winter).
Transportation:
- Didi / private car: 1.5 hours from Beijing. ¥250–¥350 round-trip with driver waiting.
- Public transport: Subway Line 2 to Dongzhimen → Bus 916 (express) to Huairou North Avenue → taxi to Mutianyu (¥30). Total: 2.5 hours each way.
- Organized tour: Search [GetYourGuide affiliate link] or [Klook affiliate link] for day tours (typically ¥300–¥500 per person, includes transport and lunch).
Hiking route (recommended): Take cable car to Watchtower 14. Walk west (left) toward Watchtower 20 — steeper, fewer crowds, best views. Turn around at Watchtower 17–18. Return to 14 and take the toboggan down (incredibly fun; don’t miss it).
What to bring: Water (¥10–¥15 at the Wall, so bring your own), sunscreen, sturdy shoes, and a light jacket (it’s cooler on the Wall).
Crowd strategy: Arrive by 9:00 AM. Tour buses typically arrive 10:30–11:00 AM. Off-season (Nov–Mar) is much less crowded.
3. Temple of Heaven (Tiantan / 天坛)
Why it’s essential: The most beautiful example of Sacred Architecture in China. This is where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties performed the annual Heaven Worship Ceremony to pray for good harvests. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, with its triple-tiered blue-tiled roof, is among the most recognizable images of Beijing.
Tickets: ¥34 (combined ticket, peak season); ¥28 (combined, off-season). Park-only ticket: ¥15.
Hours: 6:00 AM – 9:00 PM (park); 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM (buildings, summer); 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM (buildings, winter).
Transportation: Subway Line 5 to Tiantan East Gate Station.
Time needed: 2–3 hours.
Highlights:
- Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests (祈年殿): The icon. No nails were used — it’s held together entirely by interlocking wooden brackets (dougong).
- Echo Wall (回音壁): A circular wall where whispers carry from one side to the other.
- Circular Mound Altar (圜丘坛): An empty three-tiered marble terrace. Stand in the center and speak — the acoustic effect is eerie.
- The park: At 8:00 AM, the park is full of locals practicing tai chi, singing opera, and playing cards. It’s a window into Beijing daily life.
Tip: Go early (7:30–8:30 AM) for the park atmosphere. The light is also best for photography at this time.
4. Summer Palace (Yiheyuan / 颐和园)
Why it’s essential: The largest and best-preserved imperial garden in China. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Summer Palace is a masterpiece of Chinese landscape design — 716 acres, three-quarters of which is water (Kunming Lake).
Tickets: ¥30 (Apr–Oct), ¥20 (Nov–Mar). Through-ticket (includes all inner courts): ¥60 (peak), ¥50 (off-peak).
Hours: 6:30 AM – 6:00 PM (Apr–Oct); 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Nov–Mar).
Transportation: Subway Line 4 to Beigongmen Station (North Palace Gate), then a 3-minute walk.
Time needed: 3–4 hours.
The route: Enter through the North Palace Gate. Walk down through Suzhou Street (a narrow canal lined with Qing-era shop replicas), then down to the Marble Boat, along the Long Corridor, past the Hall of Joy and Longevity, and up Longevity Hill for the view over Kunming Lake. Exit through the East Palace Gate.
Highlights:
- The Long Corridor (长廊): 728 meters of painted walkway with 14,000+ colorful paintings. Guinness World Record-certified.
- The Marble Boat (石舫): A “boat” made of marble, permanently beached. A symbol of Qing decadence.
- Longevity Hill (万寿山): Climb to the gold-topped Foxiang Pavilion for the panoramic lake view.
- Kunming Lake: Rent a paddleboat (¥60/hour) in warm months.
Tip: Sunset from Longevity Hill is spectacular on a clear day.
5. Tiananmen Square (天安门广场)
Why it’s essential: The world’s largest public square (440,000 m²), the symbolic center of the Chinese state, and the place where you enter the Forbidden City.
Tickets: Free (but security check required; bring passport).
Hours: Open 24 hours. Flag-raising at sunrise, flag-lowering at sunset (times vary by season — check ahead).
Transportation: Subway Lines 1 or 2 to Qianmen Station.
Tips:
- Arrive 1 hour before sunrise for the flag-raising ceremony — it’s a stirring, patriotic spectacle.
- Security is tight. Leave large bags at your hotel.
- The square faces north. The Forbidden City is immediately north; enter through the Tiananmen Gate (the gate with Mao’s portrait).
6. Hutong Neighborhoods (Nanluoguxiang, Wudaoying, Baochao)
Why they’re essential: The hutongs — narrow alleyways lined with gray-tiled courtyard homes — are the living memory of Beijing. They represent the traditional way of life that existed before the modern skyscrapers.
Tickets: Free to wander. Rickshaw tours: ¥150–¥300.
Transportation: Subway Line 6 or 8 to Nanluoguxiang Station (for Nanluoguxiang). Subway Line 5 to Yonghegong Station (for Wudaoying).
The experience: Nanluoguxiang’s main street is commercialized (bubble tea, chain stores), but the side hutongs (Mao’er Hutong, Baochao Hutong, Ju’er Hutong) retain authentic charm. Wudaoying Hutong, parallel to Nanluoguxiang one block north, is narrower, quieter, and more atmospheric.
Rickshaw tours: A rickshaw wallah pedals you through the hutongs while narrating the history. It’s touristy but fun, and the wallahs know the hidden courtyards. Negotiate the price beforehand.
Best time: Early morning (7:00–9:00 AM) for authentic daily life. The hutongs wake up early — you’ll see elderly residents practicing tai chi, children going to school, and the smell of jianbing wafting through the air.
7. The National Museum of China (中国国家博物馆)
Why it’s essential: One of the world’s most-visited museums, with 1.4 million artifacts chronicling 5,000 years of Chinese civilization. If you want to understand China’s sweep of history in half a day, this is the place.
Tickets: Free (book via WeChat mini-program “National Museum of China” up to 7 days ahead). Foreign passport holders can sometimes enter with passport without advance booking, but booking is recommended.
Hours: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (last entry 4:00 PM). Closed Mondays.
Transportation: Subway Line 1 to Tiananmen East, exit D. Walk 5 minutes.
Time needed: 3–5 hours.
Highlights:
- Ancient China exhibit: The core exhibit. Jade cong from Liangzhu culture, bronze vessels from Shang dynasty, Terracotta Army replicas, and more.
- Road of Rejuvenation: Modern Chinese history from the Opium Wars to the present. Insightful (if presented from the Chinese perspective).
- Treasure Gallery: Rotating exhibits of the museum’s finest artifacts.
Audio guide: ¥30. Recommended.
8. Beihai Park (北海公园)
Why it’s essential: Often overshadowed by the Summer Palace, Beihai is in some ways more atmospheric — quieter, cheaper, and with a distinct Tibetan Buddhist element (the White Dagoba).
Tickets: ¥10 (Apr–Oct), ¥5 (Nov–Mar).
Hours: 6:00 AM – 9:00 PM (Apr–Oct); 6:30 AM – 8:00 PM (Nov–Mar).
Transportation: Subway Line 6 to Beihai North Station.
Time needed: 1.5–2 hours.
Highlight: The White Dagoba (white stupa) on top of a small island in the lake. Climb up for the view looking west toward the Purple Mountain.
9. 798 Art Zone (798艺术区)
Why it’s essential: Beijing’s answer to New York’s Chelsea galleries — a sprawling district of contemporary art spaces, designer boutiques, and industrial-chic cafes housed in a decommissioned military factory complex.
Tickets: Free to enter the district. Individual galleries may charge ¥10–¥30.
Hours: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM (galleries). Some galleries closed on Mondays.
Transportation: Subway Line 14 to Wangjing Nan, then 15-minute walk or short taxi (¥10).
Time needed: 2–3 hours.
Highlights:
- UCCA Center for Contemporary Art: The most prestigious gallery in 798. World-class exhibitions.
- Beijing Tokyo Art Projects: Contemporary art with a Japan-China dialogue.
- The sculptures: Massive sculptures are scattered throughout the complex — great for photos.
Tip: Visit on weekends when the area is liveliest. The cafes in 798 are excellent — perfect for an afternoon coffee.
10. Lama Temple (Yonghegong / 雍和宫)
Why it’s essential: A functioning Tibetan Buddhist lamasery and one of the most atmospheric spiritual sites in Beijing. The incense is thick, the chanting is audible, and the 18-meter sandalwood Buddha statue (carved from a single log) is awe-inspiring.
Tickets: ¥25.
Hours: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
Transportation: Subway Line 2 or 5 to Yonghegong Station.
Time needed: 1–1.5 hours.
Dress code: Modest clothing (cover shoulders and knees) out of respect.
Tip: Visit on a Tibetan festival day (check the lunar calendar) to see the temple at its most vibrant — chanting monks, full incense burners, and elaborate rituals.
Beyond the Top 10: Hidden Gems
Prince Gong’s Mansion (恭王府)
A stunning Qing-dynasty prince’s residence with beautiful gardens, hidden chambers, and a fascinating history (it was later owned by a powerful eunuch). Less crowded than the Forbidden City but architecturally comparable.
- Tickets: ¥40.
- Transportation: Subway Line 6 to Beihai North Station, then 10-minute walk.
The Capital Museum (首都博物馆)
Often overlooked in favor of the National Museum, the Capital Museum is superb — less crowded, better curated, and focused specifically on Beijing’s history. The ancient porcelain and jade collections are world-class.
- Tickets: Free (book via WeChat 7 days ahead).
- Transportation: Subway Line 1 to Muxidi Station.
Shichahai and Houhai Lake
Three connected lakes (Qianhai, Houhai, Xihai) surrounded by willow trees, hutong neighborhoods, and bars. By day, it’s a lovely place for a walk. By night, the lakeside bars pump loud music — fun but touristy. In winter, the lake freezes and becomes a massive ice-skating rink (¥50 for skate rental).
CCTV Headquarters (“Big Pants” / 大裤衩)
Rem Koolhaas’s twisted, loop-shaped skyscraper. You can’t enter the offices, but the surrounding area (Chaoyang CBD) is great for architecture photography. Especially striking at night.
Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall
Houses a massive scale model of Beijing (1:750) showing every building in the city. Oddly fascinating. Near Tiananmen Square.
- Tickets: ¥30.
- Tip: Great for understanding how enormous Beijing is.
Pangxie Keng (Crab Pit / 螃蟹坑) — Not an Attraction, But a Sight
An entire district (near Guijie) dedicated to eating river crab (datie xie) in the autumn. The streets are lined with tanks of live crab. It’s a food attraction more than a sight, but the atmosphere in October–November is electric.
Attractions by Season: When to Visit What
| Season | Best Attractions | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Spring (Mar–May) | Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, hutongs | Blossoms, mild weather, parks at their best |
| Summer (Jun–Aug) | Great Wall (very early AM), museums, 798 Art Zone | Escape the heat in air-conditioned museums |
| Autumn (Sep–Oct) | Great Wall, Summer Palace (autumn colors), Forbidden City | The best weather of the year — clear skies, cool |
| Winter (Nov–Feb) | Forbidden City (no crowds), hutongs (snow), ice skating at Shichahai | Magical snow scenes, no crowds, unique experiences |
Ticket Booking: The Essential Guide
The Problem
Many of Beijing’s top attractions require advance online booking — sometimes 7 days ahead. Arriving without a ticket can mean being turned away, especially at the Forbidden City.
The Solution
For foreigners, the best platform is Trip.com. It has an English interface, accepts foreign credit cards, and covers most major Beijing attractions. You’ll receive a QR code voucher that you show at the entrance (along with your passport).
Other options:
- Official WeChat mini-programs: Search the attraction’s Chinese name in WeChat. The mini-program usually has an English option. Requires Chinese payment method.
- Hotel concierge: Most mid-range and upscale hotels will help you book tickets. Give them 2–3 days’ notice.
- On-site (not recommended): Only works for less-popular attractions. The Forbidden City does not sell walk-up tickets.
Attractions That Sell Out
These require booking 5–7 days in advance, especially on weekends and holidays:
- Forbidden City — Books out 7 days ahead in peak season.
- National Museum — Books out 3–5 days ahead.
- Palace of Heaven — Rarely sells out, but combined tickets (which include inner halls) can sell out on weekends.
- Great Wall at Badaling — Books out 2–3 days ahead in peak season. Mutianyu is easier.
Combo Tickets and Discounts
- Beijing Park Annual Pass (Beijing Jingshan Nianpiao): If you’re staying in Beijing for 7+ days and plan to visit multiple parks (Summer Palace, Beihai, Temple of Heaven), the annual pass (¥200) can save money. Available to foreigners with passport.
- Students: Bring your international student ID. Many attractions offer 50% discount for students (age 18–25, full-time).
- Seniors: Age 60+ get free or discounted entry at most attractions. Bring passport as age proof.
Accessibility
Beijing’s historic attractions present challenges for wheelchair users and those with limited mobility:
- Forbidden City: The ground is uneven (ancient stone paving). Wheelchair ramp access is available at the Meridian Gate entrance. Rent wheelchairs at the entrance (¥200 deposit). Electric carts are available for ¥60 (inner court only).
- Great Wall (Mutianyu): The cable car is wheelchair accessible. The Wall itself has steep steps — not wheelchair accessible.
- Summer Palace: The north gate area (Suzhou Street) has many stairs. The lakeside promenade is flat and wheelchair-friendly.
- Subway: All stations have elevator access, but not all elevator signage is in English. Station staff can help.
Last updated: July 2026