Why I love Běijīng

“I am endlessly intrigued by Běijīng's ability to reinvent itself. Spending time here is to be on a permanent journey of discovery, where eye-popping buildings appear seemingly overnight, historic hútòng are transformed into hip hang-outs, and new venues open all the time. But some things never change in Běijīng and that is equally enticing. The food is always outstanding and the parks and temples remain oases of...” Read More

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David Eimer
Writer

Top experiences in Běijīng

Amazing hotels and hostels

We've pre-picked the best hotels, hostels and bed and breakfasts to make your stay as enjoyable as possible.

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Food and drink

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  1. Maison Boulud in
    French
  2. 4Corners in
    Vietnamese
  3. Zuǒ Lín Yòu Shè in Forbidden City & Dōngchéng Central
    Beijing
  4. Běijīng Dàdǒng Roast Duck Restaurant in Forbidden City & Dōngchéng Central
    Peking Duck
  5. Bǎihé Vegetarian Restaurant in Drum Tower & Dōngchéng North
    Chinese
  6. Dàlǐ Courtyard in Drum Tower & Dōngchéng North
    Yunnan
  7. Nàjiā Xiǎoguǎn in Sānlǐtún & Cháoyáng
    Imperial
  8. Yáng Fāng Lamb Hotpot in Drum Tower & Dōngchéng North
    Mongolian Hotpot
  9. Wángfǔjǐng Snack Street in Forbidden City & Dōngchéng Central
    Street Food
  10. Bǎoyuán Dumpling Restaurant in Sānlǐtún & Cháoyáng
    Dumplings
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Recent articles

Hidden Beijing: 10 intriguing sights to discover in the Chinese capital

As Beijing leaps skywards into the 21st century, its history can sometimes get left in the shadows. But despite the new highways and high-rises, China’s capital has plenty of past pockets hidden away to reward the intrepid explorer. Here are ten little visited, history-rich Beijing sights to get you started.

Worker's Cultural Palace: a crowd-free mini-Forbidden City © Tom O'Malley / Lonely Planet
Tom O'Malley
Lonely Planet Writer

Beijing on a budget

China’s breakneck rise – in 2014 it became the country with the world’s biggest economy – means that it’s no longer quite the budget destination it used to be. Indeed, the latest comparisons for costs of living put Beijing in the top 20 most expensive cities in the world.

That doesn't mean that you have to spend a bundle on your trip to China's capital city. We’ve sculled the secrets of locals and long-term expats to give you the lowdown on how to enjoy Beijing without rolling out the rénmínbì.
Dinah Gardner
Lonely Planet Writer

Essential regional cuisine of China

Everyone has their own idea of Chinese cuisine, whether it’s informed by adventurous cookbook readings or late night trips to local take-out restaurants. You can get a taste of China’s long history through the cuisine of each region, whose leaping Buddhas, lion heads and lychee pork brims brim with stories from the Silk Road, Portuguese traders and wayward monks. The culinary discoveries to be had across China are nearly endless, but this list of notable noms should give any hungry traveller a great head start.

Dim sum at Tim Ho Wan. Photo by Chika Watanabe / CC BY 2.0
Phillip Tang
Lonely Planet Writer
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Travel guides

Starting at $22.99

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Běijīng adventures

$71 Cycling

Beijing Bike Tour

Hop on a bike and explore Beijing like a local. Discover the history and charm of Beijing's ancient alleys and laneways known as hutongs. You'll cycle around the winding hutongs behind the Forbidden City and through a local market before stopping for lunch at a community-based NGO.Get to know Beijing on a bike. This small group bike tour has a maximum of 12 participants, which allows you a more personalized experience as you bike around Beijing. Meet at the Shichahai Metro Station before heading over to the bike shop, where you will be given a full safety briefing and fitted with your bike and helmet.Cycle your way through the winding streets of Beijing for a glimpse into the ancient heart of the city and a simpler way of life. You'll bike through the hutongs, unchanged over time, but rapidly being squeezed out of the city through development. Experience centuries of daily life as you bike along the moat of the forbidden city and through Beijing's ancient laneways. Sit down to lunch at a community-based NGO. Learn about the work they do with the physically and mentally challenged before hopping back onto your bikes and continuing through the hutongs until you reach your final destination at the Drum Tower.
$54.99 History & culture

Beijing Old Hutongs Tour by Rickshaw

Take a historical tour of Beijing’s narrow streets, known as hutongs, on a traditional rickshaw (a type of tricycle designed to carry passengers in addition to the driver). See the old Beijing that still exists for millions of people today, and visit the gardens at Prince Gong’s Mansion, Beijing’s largest and the best-preserved royal mansion of the Qing Dynasty. Then visit a local home to learn about Chinese life from a family. Your three-hour Beijing hutongs tour by rickshaw starts at the Drum and Bell Tower. As you travel the streets of old Beijing on a traditional rickshaw with a local guide, you will visit the magnificent gardens at Prince Gong's Mansion, Beijing's largest and the best-preserved royal residence of the Qing Dynasty. Prince Gong's Mansion is famous as one of Beijing's most scenic retreat sites, lined with rockeries, plants, pools, pavilions and corridors. Step back in time to ancient China as you relax in the garden.Continue on a rickshaw and explore the old streets of Beijing. Get a taste of life in ancient China as you learn the communities built around the hutongs (narrow streets). These winding alleyways are hidden between the city's main streets and form the residential neighborhoods that make up old Beijing.Your tour concludes with a visit to a local Chinese family home, where you’ll visit with the family. Meet with local people and chat with them to learn about their daily way of life. You'll have an authentic experience interacting with Chinese people. Finish with a stop for refreshments at a local tea house. Sample different types of tea and discover each tea's distinctive taste.
$35 Food & drink

Small-Group Beijing Street Food Night Tour

Eating while walking or walking while eating – a perfect walking tour to fill your stomach with delicious local food without feeling guilty. Join this tasty street food tour to try out some the most popular local snacks in Beijing as well as food specialties from other regions in China. Get real insight into Beijing life by checking out the local hustle and bustle in the produce market.Meet at the Gulou Dajie Metro Station in the late afternoon to begin your food tour. Your local guide will recommend some local snacks for sampling, recommend the most popular amongst the locals, and also have you try out some specialties from regions other than Beijing. You will explore the stories behind tasty Beijing delicacies like spring onion pancakes and mini hotpots. There is an endless supply of local specialties to sample as we eat our way to the biggest produce market in the center of Beijing. Along the way you’ll meet local culinary artisans, like noodle and tofu makers. Join the locals for their daily food shopping while practicing some Chinese taught by your local guide. Learn about different vegetables and spices, and maybe even pick up a trick or two about authentic Chinese cooking.We’ll end our Beijing food tour back at at Gulou Dajie.
$410.66 Small group tours

4-Day Private Tour of Beijing: Great Wall, Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square and Peking Duck Dinner

Discover the most popular attractions in Beijing on this multi-day, all-inclusive tour of the city with a private guide. On this stress-free Beijing tour, visit Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City and learn about Beijing’s political history. Enjoy the natural and architectural wonders of the Great Wall and the Summer Palace, and walk among the locals along a ‘hutong,’ a traditional Beijing alley. Immerse yourself in Chinese culture at a Beijing acrobat performance and dine on China’s famous Peking duck.
$865.33 Small group tours

4-Day Private Tour of Pingyao and Datong from Beijing

On this four-day private guided tour from Beijing, see wondrous ancient Chinese architecture in and around the towns of Pingyao and Datong. Learn about the historical and cultural elements of Pingyao’s important sites, including the Rishengchang Exchange House and the old city wall. Explore the Wang Family Courtyard, a mansion with lavish classic architecture, and discover the secrets of the Hanging Temple. You’ll also visit the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Yungang Grottoes. Throughout your tour, hear interesting facts and tidbits about China’s ancient heritage and the significance of these sites from your expert guide.
$1749 Cycling

Cycle China

China has long been a popular destination to see on two wheels and this remarkable 12-day cycling trip will have you riding among some of the most celebrated travel highlights anywhere in the world. Discover the Terracotta Warriors of Xi'an, walk among the unforgettable cultural touchstones of Beijing, and ride your way through picturesque landscapes to remote villages and hillsides in Southern China. Your two feet are great and all, but when they're powering two wheels, there'll be no stopping you!
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Běijīng photo credits