Travel to the capital city of one of the largest countries in world and marvel at the top 10 places to visit in Beijing, China. Formerly known as Peking, Beijing is the main site of China’s rich historical past. Until now there are many heritage sites that just prove how powerful and prominent China was during the ancient times. Travellers can spend months here and still not see every unique alleyway in Beijing; for this reason, this top 10 list is made to help you manage and maximize your time during your short stay in the city.
Before heading east to one of the most populated cities in the world, make sure that you have the necessary documents that can help you secure a Chinese Tourist Visa. Not all foreigners are required to have such a visa; in fact, there are more than 100 countries with special visa exemption agreement with China. If the passport that you are holding is not exempted, then you have to apply for the Chinese (L) tourist visa.
Here are the requirements to secure one:
- Valid passport
- Photocopy of the first and last pages of passport
- Application form
- A colored passport photo with light background
- Flight Itinerary
- Itinerary in China
- Hotel Booking
- Certification of Employment (if working)
- Certification of Education (if studying)
- Letter of Invitation (if invited by a Chinese local)
Top 10 Places to Visit in Beijing, China
There are probably hundreds of tourist-worthy sites in Beijing but with a limited time, the list of must see places must be cut down to the top 10 sites. All these places have a significant role in the development of China’s government, culture, and economy.
Top 10: Summer Palace
Your first stop once you arrive in Beijing is the famous Summer Palace. This destination deserves to land a spot in the top 10 places to visit in Beijing, China. And why not? The Summer Palace is the largest monarchical compound in China.
The area occupied by this palace is so huge that it has quite a number of gardens, it has a vast lake, a hill, and an island. You may need to spend an entire day in the Summer Palace compound just to see each and every historical structure in the compound. If you don’t have that much time, just visit the Longevity Hill, the Tower of Buddhist Incense, and the Marble Boat.
Top 9: Lama Temple
There are far too many temples to see in Beijing but Lama Temple is not to be skipped. This Tibetan Buddhist temple, also known as the Yonghe Temple, was built in the late 17th century and followed a Han-type of architecture.
Inside the Lama compound are five main halls that are constructed adjacent to courtyards. The large courtyards paired with intricately designed halls are what makes Lama Temple a must-visit tourist spot in Beijing. Make sure to have a look at the three artworks – bronze Buddha statues, Arhat Hill, and sandalwood Buddha statue.
Top 8: Sanlitun
Without a doubt, Beijing is a great foodie destination and tourists from all over the world rave about the different Chinese foods that can make anyone forget one’s name.
To easily sample all these great food, head to the lively Sanlitun. Get ready to ease your way through the swarms of locals and tourists who are out to eat, drink, or shop. The ambience of this night market is just so hip and alive that your exhaustion from the day’s touring will immediately dissipate. Since this is a tourist haven, expect to pay a higher price for food but it is very much worth it. If you are daring enough, sample some crispy grasshoppers, cicadas, or even scorpions. Yum!
Top 7: Beijing Zoo
You might be wondering why a zoo is part of this top 10 places to visit in Beijing, China list if almost all zoos around the world have almost exactly the same kind of animals in it. Well, the operative word is “almost.” A visit to Beijing Zoo will give you a rare chance to see cute and cuddle pandas that are endemic to China.
Go straight to the Panda House and take videos of these awesome bears while eating or playing. Apart from pandas, this 89-hectare zoo also has a giant aquarium that has hundreds of different marine species. Other species that you must see are the Chinese Tiger, Tibetan gazelle, and Chinese salamander.
Top 6: Olympic Park
In 2008, China hosted both Summer Olympics and Paralympics. Because of these two great events, the government built a grand Olympic Park where athletes can stay, train, and compete. The entire park is divided into 3 sections – North, Central, and South sections.
In the North section, tourist can go around the Olympic Forest Park. Nestled somewhere in the Forest Park is one of the tallest sightseeing towers in China. In the Central section, tourists can see the famous Bird’s Nest or National Stadium. Its unique architecture mimics that of intertwined twigs that form a nest. Finally in the South section, you can visit the old Asian Games stadium as well as the China Ethnic Museum.
Top 5: Temple of Heaven
The iconic Temple of Heaven represents the strong religious past of China. This 270-hectare compound is filled with masterpiece structures built from the Ming Dynasty in the 14th century until the Qing Dynasty in the 18th century.
The temple was built as homes of Chinese emperors and these homes should be the earth’s connection to heaven; thus the name Temple of Heaven. Should you decide to follow this top 10 places to visit in Beijing, China list and go to this temple, make sure to spend time at the Circular Mound Altar, Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, and the Imperial Vault of Heaven.
Top 4: 798 Art Zone
Located in Beijing’s Chaoyang District, the famous 798 Art Zone is large museum that exhibits local paintings, mixed media artworks, sculptures, and many more 21st-century art pieces by up and coming local artists.
What is unique and catchy with 708 Art Zone is its location – this large complex is situated within an old, neutralised military complex. The original use of this military complex was supposedly for the unification of the Soviets and China; however due to liberalization movements, the plan didn’t materialize. Now, the 798 Art Zone remains to link the past to the present through some of the political artworks in the complex.
Top 3: Jingshan Park
This enormous public park gives an excellent view of the entire Forbidden City. The 1,000-year old park has a manmade hill at its very center called Jingshan or Prospect Hill.
A lot of tourists go up this hill to see a panoramic view of Beijing. At present, there are four entrances to this huge park – north, south, east, and west gates. It is best to take a city bus to the south entrance as it is also near your next destination.
Top 2: Forbidden City
Don’t worry, nothing illegal ever took place within the walls of this city. The term “forbidden” is literally translated from the Chinese word “zijin cheng.”
This walled city used to be the palace of the emperor and the reason why it is named as such is because no one can leave or go in the premises without the nod of the emperor. Construction of the Forbidden City commenced in the 15th century when Emperor Zhu Di decided to move the seat of palace from Nanjing to Peking. A total number of one million workers paved the way for the completion of the entire complex which took at least 14 years. Now, this great site is declared as a heritage site by UNESCO. It is open to the public for a very affordable price and the main halls are now used as history museums.
Top 1: Great Wall of China
Without a doubt, the Great Wall very much deserves to be at the top spot of this top 10 places to visit in Beijing, China list. This recognized and awarded wonder of the world was built to protect foreign intruders coming from the tribes of the Eurasion Steppe.
The original length of the entire wall stretches up to 21,000km; unfortunately only a third of the wall remains standing. Majority of the well preserved part of the wall was built during the Ming dynasty in the 14th century. The earliest parts of the wall were believed to have been constructed in the 5th century BC, a period when brick wall construction was a skill which Chinese already knew. Now, millions of tourists from all around the globe visit this man-made wonder and some even join the Great Wall Marathon.
Top 10 Places to Visit in Beijing, China – Say “Ni Hao!”
See all the historic sites in Beijing by securing your Chinese Tourist visa now. Should you need extra help in getting an itinerary or hotel booking, you may contact us through our website or Facebook page.
Travel east and see the top 10 places to visit in Beijing, China!
