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
53 articles — page 3 of 9
All destinationstiming
China in Autumn 2026: The Best Places to Visit in September, October & November
The best places to visit in China in autumn — where the colours are extraordinary, how to avoid Golden Week crowds, region-by-region weather guide, and why October (outside the first week) is the peak season for a reason.
Updated May 2026
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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
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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
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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
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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
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3 Days in Beijing: The Perfect Itinerary for First-Time Visitors (2026)
The ideal 3-day Beijing itinerary for first-time visitors — Forbidden City, Great Wall, Temple of Heaven, hutongs, Peking duck, and the best of imperial Beijing in 72 hours, with daily schedules, transport directions, and what to skip.
Updated May 2026
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