Beijing
Imperial grandeur, ancient hutongs, and the world's greatest concentration of UNESCO heritage sites
Top Highlights
- 1 Forbidden City
- 2 Great Wall
- 3 Summer Palace
- 4 Temple of Heaven
- 5 Nanluoguxiang
Visa & Entry
144-hr & 15-day visa-free
Citizens of many countries can enter China visa-free for up to 15 days, or use the 144-hour transit visa-free scheme for shorter visits.
Full visa guideBest Time to Visit
Apr–May & Sep–Oct
Suggested stay: 4–6 days. Avoid the Golden Week holiday (1–7 October) and Spring Festival (Jan/Feb) — crowds are enormous and prices peak.
Seasonal travel guideNearby destinations
51 articles — page 3 of 9
All destinations
beijingBeijing Yonghe Lama Temple Guide: Tibetan Buddhism in the Capital
Explore Beijing's Yonghe Temple (Lama Temple) — China's largest and most ornate Tibetan Buddhist temple complex, its 18-metre sandalwood Buddha, incense-thick courtyards, and the vibrant Mongolian-Tibetan cultural world it represents.
Updated May 2026
Read →
chinaChina 5-Day First Trip Itinerary: The Perfect Short Visit to Beijing & Shanghai
The ideal first-time China itinerary in 5 days — 2.5 days each in Beijing and Shanghai, covering the unmissable sights, the best food, how to move between the two cities on the high-speed train, the pace that allows genuine experience rather than a checklist sprint, and what to skip to keep the trip enjoyable.
Updated May 2026
Read →
chinaChina Budget 7-Day Itinerary: See the Best for Under $500 Total
Experience China's top sights on a genuine budget — a realistic 7-day itinerary through Beijing and Xi'an with daily costs under $70 USD including accommodation, food, transport, and entry fees, the best budget accommodation options, which expensive attractions are worth it and which can be skipped, and the free experiences that are genuinely better than paid ones.
Updated May 2026
Read →
chinaBeijing vs Shanghai vs Nanjing: Which Chinese City Is Right for You?
Compare Beijing, Shanghai, and Nanjing for a first or second China trip — the honest differences in atmosphere, history depth, food, cost, English accessibility, and what each city is genuinely best at, to help you choose the right itinerary rather than defaulting to the standard Beijing-Shanghai circuit because everyone else does it.
Updated May 2026
Read →
chinaPeking Duck Complete Guide: How to Order, Eat, and Find the Real Thing
Master the Peking Duck experience — the complete guide to ordering correctly at a Beijing roast duck restaurant, the carving ceremony, how to assemble the perfect duck roll with the right condiments, the difference between the two main preparation schools (Quanjude vs. DaDong), budget versus luxury options, and the regional variations across China.
Updated May 2026
Read →
chinaChina Contemporary Art Guide: 798 Beijing, West Bund Shanghai & The New Scene
Navigate China's contemporary art scene — Beijing's 798 Art District and Caochangdi, Shanghai's West Bund cultural corridor and M50, Chengdu's A4 and Blue Roof, the key Chinese artists whose work defines the post-1989 generation, gallery districts, art fairs, and how to experience one of the world's most dynamic art markets as a traveller.
Updated May 2026
Read →