Beijing
Feed your inner florist with a jaunt to the Botanical Gardens, established in 1956 on land that was once part of a swath of royal real estate set against…
Must-see attractions in Beijing
Beijing
This largely renovated residence was the home of Mao Dun, the pen name of Shen Yanbing (1896–1981), a well-known author. He lived at the back courtyard…
Mei Lanfang's Former Residence
Beijing
A place of pilgrimage for Peking opera aficionados, this sleepy sìhéyuàn (courtyard mansion) belonged to Mei Lanfang (1894–1961), acclaimed as the 'queen…
Beijing
It's a case of 'so near and yet so far' for Beijing's flagship museum, which, on architecture alone, promises so much. A neat timeline exhibit charts the…
Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall
Temple of Heaven Park & Dongcheng South
Presenting a top-down perspective on the world's most micromanaged megacity, dry exhibits detail the government's grand schemes for Beijing, with scant…
Beijing
Cradled by Beijing's Western Hills, this expansive Buddhist temple and former monastery climbs the hillside under a canopy of towering cypresses and pines…
Beijing
China's most prestigious institute of learning, Peking University (PKU) is the ultimate dream for millions of Chinese high-school students and their ever…
Beijing
An astonishing sight, given that you're still within the confines of Beijing’s 5th Ring Rd, this double-gated, Ming dynasty walled town was built during…
Beijing
This forgotten architectural landmark is all the more intriguing considering it was only built in 1982. The work of Chinese-American architect IM Pei (of…
Beijing
Beijing is surrounded by four heavenly altars, or tán, and Ditan (Altar of the Earth), situated in the north within grounds that are today a public park,…
Yuan Dynasty Walls Relics Park
Beijing
Back when Beijing was 'Dadu', capital of Kublai Khan's Yuan dynasty, the city was sheltered by an earthwork wall, the northern battlements of which are…
Beijing
Described by the great traveller himself in the 13th century, this 266m-long bridge spanning the (mostly dry) Yonding River dates to 1189 and the Jin…
Beijing
Beijing's most touristy hutong, Nanluogu Xiang is a north–south strip of snack stalls, small food courts, souvenir shops and more people than you can…
Temple of Heaven Park & Dongcheng South
Music, song and dance were integral components of the arcane rituals performed by the Emperor at the Temple of Heaven, and here is where the ranks of…
Temple of Heaven Park & Dongcheng South
Fans of Communist ephemera or esoteric booze brands might get a kick out this place set up by Red Star, a popular brand of Beijing báijiǔ, China's famous…
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
Beijing
Central Beijing's earliest church dates back to a chapel beside the house of Jesuit missionary Matteo Ricci, who brought Catholicism to China in the early…
Duan Qirui Former Government Building
Beijing
This imposing slab of Republic-era architecture, complete with brick clock tower, is the former headquarters and residence of Duan Qirui, a warlord who…
China Railway Museum – Zhengyang Gate
Temple of Heaven Park & Dongcheng South
In the old Qianmen Railway Station, which served Beijing from 1906 to 1959 (although only the clock tower is original), this museum offers a fairly…
Beijing Natural History Museum
Temple of Heaven Park & Dongcheng South
New York and London needn't fret: Beijing's Natural History Museum isn't going to rival their august institutions any time soon. Not with exhibits that…
Beijing
Containing the funerary stupas of Buddhist monks serving at the neighbouring Tanzhe Temple, this garden complex was closed and undergoing renovation at…
Beijing
As the HQ of the Buddhist Association of China, this is one of the few temples in Beijing where robed monks and worshippers tend to outnumber tourists. A…
Military Museum of the People's Revolution
Beijing
Bristling with Cold War–era planes, guns and bombs, this cavernous museum shows China at its most hawkish. Expanded in 2018, many of the side exhibits…
Beijing
Just outside Beihai Park's southern entrance is this raised, circular platform crowned with the Hall of Divine Light (Chéngguāng Diàn). You can peek…
Beijing
Established in the Tang dynasty but rebuilt many times in successive eras, this temple within the Beijing Botanical Gardens is home to a 54-tonne bronze…
Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression
Beijing
This modern museum, on the north side of the main road in Wanping Town, is dedicated to the July 7th Incident (also known as the Marco Polo Bridge…
Beijing
Housed in several buildings at Dìng Líng, some of which were closed for renovation at time of research, this museum displays a selection of items…
Beijing
Reached via the 17-Arch Bridge, this temple on South Lake Island was used by the royal family to pray for rain in times of drought. At sunset, the nearby…
Beijing
Way out on the northeastern fringes of Beijing, this hangar-like museum contains dozens of historic locos, including several souped-up carriages used by…
Temple of Heaven Park & Dongcheng South
With its double-tiered roof of green glazed tiles, the Animal Killing Pavilion was where the slaughter of oxen, sheep, deer and other animals took place,…
Arthur M Sackler Museum of Art & Archaeology
Beijing
Exhibits at this museum on the campus of Peking University include the skeleton of the Jinniushan Man, thought to be more than 250,000 years old, bronze…
Temple of Heaven Park & Dongcheng South
A covered promenade connecting the Animal Killing Pavilion with the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the Long Corridor these days is a veritable mini…
Beijing
The tomb of the Taichang Emperor, one of the last emperors to be interred at the Ming Tombs. The road here actually passes through the grounds of the…
China Science & Technology Museum
Beijing
Suitable for kids, this imposing facility 8km north of the city centre has an array of hands-on scientific exhibitions, a kids' science playground and 3D…
Beijing
An artificial causeway spanning the western side of Kunming Lake, this is a tribute to the famous Su Causeway in Hangzhou. You'll see fewer visitors here…
Beijing
Cast in 1755, this life-sized, bronze sculpture of an ox was set at the eastern shore of Kunming Lake to guard against floods, the ox believed to be in…
Beijing
Admire the burnished sculptures of Zhu Bingren, a fourth-generation bronze and copper craftsman from Shandong province. The big-ticket installation on…
Beijing
Built in the Ming Dynasty as a fishing spot for emperors, the five ornate pavilions over the water are joined by a corridor said to resemble a swimming…
Beijing
The North Palace Gate is not as busy as the East Palace Gate. It's fun to clamber up the back of Longevity Hill from here. The gate is close to the…
Beijing
Ornamental gate along the Spirit Way path at the Ming Tombs, adorned with a dragon symbolising the emperor and a phoenix for the empress.
Beijing
Inside the Beijing Botanical Gardens is the former home of Cao Xueqin, author of the classic novel Dream of the Red Chamber.
