Temple of Heaven
A UNESCO-listed temple park where Ming and Qing emperors prayed for good harvests.
- Category
- Historic site
- Duration
- 2.5 h
- Price
- $
- Best time
- Morning
Tip: Buy tickets online in advance.
Show on mapCulture – Beijing
Beijing has been an imperial capital for over 800 years, and its temples, palaces and hutongs keep that legacy alive. Peking opera, tea culture and the Spring Festival set the city's rhythm.
Historic sites
- Great Wall – The vast defensive wall along China's northern frontier.
- Ming Tombs – The valley where thirteen Ming emperors are buried.
- Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan) – The romantic ruins of imperial gardens burned in 1860.
Traditions
- Peking opera – A stage art combining colorful makeup, acrobatics and song.
- Tea ceremony – The ritual of brewing and serving tea, experienced in teahouses.
- Morning tai chi in parks – Locals practice tai chi, dance and sword forms in parks each morning.
Festivals
- Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) – The biggest holiday, in January or February by the lunar calendar, with temple fairs.
- Mid-Autumn Festival – Celebrated in September or October with the full moon and mooncakes.
- Lantern Festival – Marks the end of the Spring Festival with lanterns and sweet rice balls.
Etiquette
- Keep quiet in temples and museums and ask before photographing.
- Never stick chopsticks upright in rice; accept tea with both hands.
- Avoid openly discussing politics and sensitive topics, and be patient in queues.
Map
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Places
Summer Palace
The imperial summer garden of Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill.
- Category
- Palace
- Duration
- 4 h
- Price
- $$
- Best time
- Weekday mornings
Tip: Buy tickets online in advance.
Show on mapTiananmen Square
One of the world's largest city squares, known for its dawn flag-raising ceremony.
- Category
- Landmark
- Duration
- 1 h
- Price
- Free
- Best time
- Morning
Tip: Bring your passport; it is needed to buy tickets.
Show on mapLama Temple (Yonghegong)
Beijing's largest Tibetan Buddhist temple, with an 18-meter Maitreya statue.
- Category
- Religious site
- Duration
- 1.5 h
- Price
- $
- Best time
- Weekday mornings
Tip: Stay quiet and respectful inside temples.
Show on mapNanluoguxiang and Hutongs
A hutong district of century-old courtyard homes, cafés and boutiques.
- Category
- Neighborhood
- Duration
- 2 h
- Price
- Free
- Best time
- Weekday mornings
Tip: Arrive early to beat the crowds.
Show on mapDashilar
A 600-year-old shopping lane near Qianmen with silk, tea and heritage brands.
- Category
- Neighborhood
- Duration
- 1.5 h
- Price
- Free
- Best time
- Evening
Tip: Arrive early to beat the crowds.
Show on mapHuguang Guild Hall (Peking Opera)
A historic theater where you can watch Peking opera in a century-old hall.
- Category
- Performance
- Duration
- 2 h
- Price
- $$
- Best time
- Evening
Tip: Buy tickets online in advance.
Show on mapDrum and Bell Towers
Two historic towers that once told the city the time, overlooking the hutongs.
- Category
- Landmark
- Duration
- 1 h
- Price
- $
- Best time
- Weekday mornings
Tip: Arrive early to beat the crowds.
Show on mapConfucius Temple and Guozijian
A tranquil Confucian temple beside the old imperial academy.
- Category
- Religious site
- Duration
- 1.3 h
- Price
- $
- Best time
- Weekday mornings
Tip: Closed on Mondays; check opening hours first.
Show on map
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Please verify with official sources before your visit.
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