Things to do in Beijing

2026 Global 100 - Best Things to Do

Badaling Great Wall

10

Beijing · 59.6km from downtown

63.6k reviews

The Badaling Great Wall is a highly representative section of the Ming Great Wall, located in Yanqing, Beijing, north of Juyong Pass. Since ancient times, it has been a strategic military location guarding the northwestern passage to the capital. The pass city is trapezoidal in shape, narrow in the east and wide in the west, with two gates, east and west. The east gate bears the inscription "Juyong Outer Town," and the west gate bears the inscription "Key to the North Gate." Both inscriptions remain clearly legible to this day. Extending north from the pass is the North Wall, along which more than ten watchtowers are distributed; to the south is the South Wall, which has fewer watchtowers. North Tower 8 is the highest point of the entire section, at over 1,000 meters above sea level, and from its top you can overlook the magnificent sweep of the wall winding along the mountain ridges. The North Wall has higher terrain and steeper slopes with open views, and is the main route for most visitors; the South Wall is relatively gentle and less crowded, making it suitable for visitors who want to take photos at a relaxed pace and avoid the crowds. If time permits, walking the South Wall first and then the North Wall is a more leisurely arrangement. Badaling Great Wall is also one of the earlier sections of the wall opened to the public. The top surface of the wall is paved with square bricks, and the widest parts can accommodate five horses walking side by side. Defensive structures such as battlements and arrow holes are well preserved, and walking along it gives a direct sense of the construction standards of Ming Dynasty border defense works. In fall, layers of red leaves on the mountains contrast beautifully with the gray brick wall, making it a season that many photography enthusiasts travel specifically to capture. ▲Travel through 600 years of gilded splendor and encounter the visual shock of crimson red leaves blanketing the mountains ▲nightAs night falls, it winds through the mountains like a brilliant golden dragon, and the ancient city wall illuminated by lights tells of the glory and mystery of a thousand years of history ▲ In winter, the Badaling Great Wall, covered in pristine white snow, winds through the mountains like a silver dragon. The golden light of dawn spills across the wall, painting a tranquil and magnificent picture.

2026 Global 100 - Best Things to Do

The Palace Museum

10

4.9/5

205k reviews

The Forbidden City, also known as the Imperial Palace, was the imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties, and is also the symbol of ancient China. When you are in the majestic and orderly high walls and deep courtyards, you can truly feel its former glory. ▲The long history has left behind large-scale precious buildings and countless cultural relics, which have also become the main attraction of visiting the Forbidden City today. ▲Classic attractions: The Forbidden City Corner Tower is a polygonal building with a convex plane on all four sides. It is located in Dongcheng District, Beijing. The roof has three layers. The upper layer is a hip roof with vertical and horizontal intersections. It is composed of a gable roof with flowing water on two slopes and a hip roof with four slopes. Because there are nine main ridges on this roof, it is called the Nine-ridge Hall. ▲Sundials are divided into two types according to their installation principle: equatorial and horizontal. The sundial installed using the equatorial principle is called an equatorial sundial. The key points of its production are that it must have a time plate, a latitude arc and a gnomon. When operating, the time plate must be parallel to the equatorial plane of the earth, the gnomon must be in the same direction as the earth's axis, and the shadow cast by the gnomon on the gnomon is the desired time. ▲The Treasure House is located in the Ningshou Palace area. It has a rich collection of treasures, including Buddhist supplies, ornaments, daily utensils, and treasures for appreciation. Among them, the red coral lion about 14 cm high, the Dongzhu court beads about 130 cm long, and the gold "Fengtianzhibao" seal are all rare treasures. ▲The Clock and Watch Museum is located in the Fengxian Hall in the palace. Most of the clocks on display are British products, but there are also clocks from other countries such as France and Switzerland. In addition to the timing function, these clocks are decorated with figures, birds, beasts, flowers, etc., which can also make various different movements. They are very delicately made. Among them, the copper-plated gilded writing clock, the copper-plated gilded enamel gourd-top fishing and woodcutting farming clock, and the copper-plated gilded rotating flower running man rhinoceros carrying clock are very rare.

Beijing · 1.7km from downtown

2026 Asia 100 - Best Things to Do

National Museum of China

9.5

Beijing · 529m from downtown

14.1k reviews

The National Museum of China is located on the east side of Tiananmen Square and was formed by merging the former Museum of Chinese History and the Museum of the Chinese Revolution. The building is one of the ten great structures built for the tenth anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1959. The museum holds over 1.4 million items, covering categories such as ancient artifacts, modern and contemporary artifacts, rare books and ancient texts, and artworks, among which the number of Grade One cultural relics is substantial. The three permanent exhibitions are the core of any visit. The "Ancient China" exhibition, located in the basement-level galleries, follows the succession of dynasties and is divided into eight sections from remote antiquity to the Ming and Qing dynasties, displaying heavyweight artifacts such as the painted pottery basin with human-face and fish design, the four-ram zun vessel, the Houmuwu ding, the drum-beating storyteller figurine, and the jade burial suit sewn with gold thread, several of which are listed as cultural relics prohibited from being exhibited abroad; this exhibition is also the most artifact-dense area in the museum and is worth spending time examining closely. The "Road to Rejuvenation" and "Road to Rejuvenation: New Era" exhibitions, located in the northern galleries, review the Chinese nation's journey of rejuvenation since the Opium War of 1840, with exhibits including the oil painting The Founding Ceremony of the Nation and the Shenzhou 5 return capsule, among other landmark artifacts. In addition to the permanent exhibitions, the museum regularly hosts thematic exhibitions on ancient Chinese Buddhist statues, coins, porcelain, and painting and calligraphy, and periodically presents special exhibitions and international exchange exhibitions covering history and culture, archaeological discoveries, and classic fine art. With numerous galleries spread across multiple floors, visitors are advised to plan their route in advance and allow ample time.

2026 Asia 100 - Best Things to Do

Prince Kung's Palace Museum

8.6

Beijing · 4.1km from downtown

38.2k reviews

Prince Kung's Palace Museum is located by the Shichahai lakeside and stands as one of the best-preserved princely mansions from the Qing dynasty in Beijing. It originally served as the residence of Heshen, a powerful official during Emperor Qianlong's reign. After Heshen's downfall, the property was granted to Prince Qing Yonglin, and later to Prince Gong Yixin during the Xianfeng era, hence the name "Prince Kung's Palace." This mansion witnessed the entire decline of the Qing dynasty, earning the saying "One Prince Kung's Palace, half the history of the Qing dynasty." The complex features a mansion in the front and a garden at the rear, both laid out along central, eastern, and western axes with meticulous order and grandeur. The mansion consists of multiple siheyuan courtyards connected along a central axis: The central Yinan Hall, roofed with green glazed tiles, follows the specifications of a prince's main hall. On the eastern route, the two-courtyard complex of Ledao Hall and Duofu Pavilion once served as the residence of Heshen's son Fengshen Yinde and Princess Hexiao of the Gulun rank, with Ledao Hall later becoming Prince Gong's living quarters. The western route features delicate refinement, with Xijin Study standing out particularly – its partitions are entirely made of exquisitely carved nanmu wood, modeled after the Ning Shou Palace in the Forbidden City. This extravagant construction later became one of Heshen's listed crimes. At the mansion's end stands a two-story elongated building commonly called "Ninety-nine and a half rooms," its rear wall punctuated by a row of variously shaped decorative windows. Legend claims this was the treasure vault and marks the boundary between mansion and garden. The garden, named Cuijin Garden, was reconstructed by Prince Gong's commissioned artisans, blending the charm of Jiangnan landscapes with northern architectural layouts. Its three marvels are the Western-style gate carved from white marble, the stele inscribed with the character "Fu" (blessing) by Emperor Kangxi, and the grand all-wood theater. Hidden in the Secret Cloud Cave within rockeries, the "Fu" stele conceals wishes for numerous descendants, abundant harvests, talent, longevity, and blessings in its strokes—easily missed if one isn't attentive. The theater, an enclosed wooden structure, reportedly projects vocals throughout without amplification. Bat motifs dominate the garden's "blessing" theme: the Bat Pool, Bat Hall, and painted beams interplay harmoniously. From the Moon-Inviting Platform, visitors overlook the entire garden, while the Winding Stream Pavilion preserves the refined legacy of ancient floating wine cup poetry. When touring, you may first follow the central axis to see the mansion, then pass through the western gate to enter and appreciate the garden in detail. There are usually more travelers visiting during holidays, so it's advisable to start early and allow enough time to slowly savor the history and details of this princely mansion.

No. 2 of Night Attractions in Beijing

Temple of Heaven

8.5

Beijing · 2.5km from downtown

25.8k reviews

The Temple of Heaven is a unique altar for emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Here, people worship the heavens, ask for rain, and pray for a better harvest. It is a famous ancient building in China. The Temple of Heaven is divided into two parts: the Inner Altar and the Outer Altar. Well-known structures such as the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest and the Echo Wall are located in the Inner Altar. While visiting the Temple of Heaven, tourists get to experience the grand praying ceremony of ancient emperors and observe the ingenious designs such as the Echo Wall and the Triple Sound Stones. The wisdom of the ancient craftsmen will not fail to impress you.

No. 13 of Best Things to Do in North China

Summer Palace

8.4

Beijing · 15.4km from downtown

52.3k reviews

The Summer Palace was originally an imperial palace and garden of the Qing Dynasty emperors, also known as Qingyi Garden. Built on the foundation of Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill and following the design techniques of Jiangnan gardens, it is the largest and best-preserved imperial garden extant in China, with highly elegant scenery and many precious cultural relics, and is known as the "Museum of Royal Gardens." Area overview: The Summer Palace is grand in scale and can be divided into three areas: the political activity area centered on the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity; the imperial and empress living area, mainly comprising the Hall of Jade Ripples and the Hall of Joyful Longevity; and the garden sightseeing area, mainly along the Long Corridor, the Back Hill, and the West Area. About three-quarters of the park is occupied by Kunming Lake. Along the lakeshore are more than 100 buildings of various types—pavilions, terraces, towers, galleries, and waterside pavilions—totaling over 3,000 rooms, among which the Tower of Buddhist Incense, the Long Corridor, the Marble Boat, Suzhou Street, and the Seventeen-Arch Bridge are all household representative structures and unmissable places when visiting the Summer Palace. Boating on Kunming Lake: When visiting the Summer Palace, in addition to touring the resplendent halls and buildings, you can take a cruise within the attraction and boat on Kunming Lake, which is both relaxing and pleasant without missing the sightseeing. There are more than ten cruise docks in the park, including the Bafang Pavilion, Wenchang Pavilion, Hall of Jade Ripples, Cloud-Dispelling Hall, Shizhang Pavilion, Bronze Ox, Marble Boat, and South Lake Island docks, with 5 different types of cruise: pedal boats, rowboats, battery-powered boats, dragon boats, and large painted boats. Cruise prices and routes vary, so you can choose according to your needs. On-site food & beverages: The Summer Palace is quite large, and a complete visit takes at least 4-5 hours. If you get tired and hungry while strolling, you can sit down and recharge. There are three fast-food kiosks in the park, located at Zhichun Pavilion, the east nine rooms of Cloud-Dispelling Hall, and Shizhang Pavilion, mainly serving everyday meals and noodles at relatively reasonable prices. If you want to match the occasion, there is also a traditional restaurant in the park specializing in imperial court cuisine: Tingli Hall, where you can taste food with imperial court flavors, though the prices are somewhat higher than everyday dishes.

No. 2 of Global Traveller-Picked Attractions in Beijing

Mutianyu Great Wall

8.4

Beijing · 60.2km from downtown

38.1k reviews

The Mutianyu Great Wall is nestled among the Yanshan mountain ranges in Huairou, Beijing. It is one of the best-preserved and most picturesque sections of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall, renowned as "the finest segment of the ten-thousand-li Great Wall." Its construction traces back to the Northern Qi Dynasty's wall, with General Xu Da overseeing its reconstruction on the Northern Qi ruins during the early Ming Dynasty. The Mutianyu Pass was established in 1404 (the 2nd year of the Yongle reign), and further renovations were conducted under Tan Lun and Qi Jiguang during the Longqing era. The brick-and-stone walls and watchtowers seen today are largely Ming-era structures. Along the Ming Great Wall defense line, this section connects Juyong Pass to the west and Gubeikou to the east, serving as a vital military stronghold guarding the capital since ancient times. This section of the Great Wall has distinctive architectural features: the Zhengguan platform uniquely clusters three watchtowers together, with its gate unusually positioned on the eastern side rather than centrally—a rare design in Great Wall construction. Unlike most sections fortified only on the outer side, its crenellations line both flanks, reflecting strategic considerations for dual-front defense. Between the eastern vantage point at Dajiao Tower and Zhengguan platform, watchtowers stand densely within just a few hundred meters. From Dajiao Tower's summit, the wall snakes along mountain ridges amid verdant peaks, offering panoramic views and prime photography spots—a location featured in the film If You Are the One 2. This area has over 90% forest coverage on its mountains. In spring and summer, lush greenery fills the view; in late fall, red leaves blanket the hills; and in winter, snow drapes the landscape in silver—each season offers unique scenery. You can take a cable car or ropeway uphill, then switch to an open slide through the forest for a fun and effortless descent. Compared to other open sections of the Great Wall in Beijing, this area sees fewer crowds, making it ideal for a half-day visit. Walk leisurely between watchtowers and look back from different vantage points to capture varied perspectives of the wall and surrounding mountains.

No. 3 of Family-friendly Attractions in Beijing

POP LAND

8.1

4.5/5

3.1k reviews

POP LAND is located within Beijing Chaoyang Park. As an immersive IP-themed park in the pop toy industry, it opened in 2023. Centered around popular IPs such as MOLLY, LABUBU, and DIMOO under Pop Mart, the park brings pop toy characters from blind box shelves into real-world scenes, creating a compact urban theme park with a rich immersive experience. The park is divided into four major themed areas. MOLLY Castle is the visual center of the park. On the basement level of the castle is the immersive theater show "Wish Journey," where visitors can board a boat with MOLLY and embark on a 4D adventure storyline; the castle also houses a designer toy collection gallery and an IP merchandise shop, making it a favorite photo spot for blind box and figure enthusiasts. The whimsical bean play house inside the castle is an indoor play area for younger children, equipped with ball pits, slides, and other facilities. LABUBU Adventure Forest is themed around THE MONSTERS elf squad, recreating scenes such as a mysterious fishing village, elf tree hollows, and a warrior tribe, where visitors can wander through as if stepping into the elves' everyday dwellings. The forest market features a variety of carnival interactive mini-games, alongside large rides such as a pirate ship and a drop tower, and visitors can also ride a retro-style aerial monorail to take in panoramic views of the entire park. The outdoor "Hatti's Little Hat Playground" is a large non-powered family-friendly play area with climbing nets and slides, ideal for families with young children. Bubble Street is the first themed street after entering the park, lined on both sides with IP merchandise shops for MOLLY, LABUBU, DIMOO, SKULLPANDA, and others, as well as street mini-games such as ring toss and basketball shooting. DIMOO Cloud Lake is styled with a healing aesthetic, and the carousel and flying chairs by the lakeside are softly colored, making it a great spot for photos within the park; themed yachts on the lake also sell IP-shaped desserts. The park hosts a daily character grand parade and IP character meet-and-greets, where characters such as LABUBU and MOKOKO interact closely with visitors. The Elf Tribe stage and the Cloud Spring performance venue feature themed shows and live performances running on a rotating basis throughout the year, and in the evening, the lighting and bubble effects in front of the castle create a rich and immersive atmosphere.

Beijing · 7.5km from downtown

No. 1 of Activities in Beijing

Great Wall Scenery Viewing in Beijing

8.1

The Great Wall around Beijing presents diverse experiences, from fully restored sections to wild, rugged trails. Each segment tells a unique story and offers distinct scenery. Badaling Great Wall: The most iconic and accessible section, Badaling features impressive fortifications and sweeping views. Ideal for first-time visitors, it offers cable car access and well-preserved watchtowers, though it can be crowded during peak seasons. Mutianyu Great Wall: Known for its beautiful scenery and fewer crowds, Mutianyu combines restored walls with forested surroundings. Visitors can take a cable car up and slide down via toboggan, adding fun to the cultural experience. Juyongguan Great Wall: This strategically significant pass served as a vital military stronghold. Its steep steps and circular route provide a challenging climb with rewarding panoramic views of surrounding mountains. Simatai Great Wall: For adventure seekers, Simatai retains its original Ming Dynasty character with steep, uneven steps. The only section open for night tours, it offers breathtaking illuminated views and a rugged, less-commercialized experience.

China · Beijing

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8

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