Beijing, China’s capital for over 800 years, is a mesmerizing blend of ancient grandeur and modern dynamism. From the iconic Great Wall to the labyrinthine hutongs, the city offers a journey through 3,000 years of history, art, and culinary traditions.
For travelers, Beijing presents an unparalleled mix of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, contemporary art hubs, and vibrant street life, all served with legendary northern Chinese hospitality.
What you need to travel to Beijing
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Hotels & Flight Tickets
Hotels in Beijing:
Trip.com | Expedia
Discounted Air Tickets:
Trip.com | Expedia
Transportation from PKX Airport to Beijing
Here’s a detailed guide for getting from Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX) to downtown Beijing:
Airport Express Train
Daxing Airport Express: Connects directly to Caoqiao Station (Line 10) and Fengtai Station (Line 19)
Travel Time: To Caoqiao Station: 19 minutes
To Beijing West Railway Station: 30 minutes (Transfer at Caoqiao)
Operating Hours: 06:00 – 22:30
Cost: 35 RMB (~$5 USD)
Best For: Travelers heading to Xicheng, Haidian, or Fengtai districts.
Subway
Line 19: Runs from Daxing Airport to Mudanyuan Station (Connects to Lines 2, 4, 6, and 10)
Travel Time: ~50 mins to downtown (e.g., Xidan Station)
Cost: 7–10 RMB (~$1–1.5 USD)
Operating Hours: 06:00 – 23:00
Best For: Budget travelers with light luggage.
Airport Shuttle Buses
Key Routes:
Line 1: To Beijing West Railway Station (1.5 hrs, 40 RMB)
Line 5: To Zhongguancun (tech hub, 2 hrs, 50 RMB)
Operating Hours: 07:30 – 23:00
Tickets: Buy onboard or via WeChat/Alipay.
Best For: Travelers near shuttle stops (e.g., Wangfujing, Sanlitun)
Taxi
Cost: 150–250 RMB (~$22–35 USD) to downtown (e.g., Forbidden City)
Travel Time: 45–70 mins (depending on traffic).
Night Surcharge: 20% extra (23:00 – 05:00 +1)
Where to board: The official taxi stand is outside the arrivals level.
Best For: Families or late-night arrivals.
Ride-Hailing (Didi Chuxing)
Pickup Zone: Designated area on B1 level.
Cost: Similar to taxis (Sometimes cheaper)
App Required: Download Didi (English version available)
Best For: Families or late-night arrivals.
The Forbidden City (Palace Museum)
The Forbidden City stands as the world’s most complete surviving imperial palace complex, a sprawling 72-hectare testament to China’s architectural genius and imperial might. Built between 1406 and 1420 under Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty, this UNESCO World Heritage Site comprises 980 buildings with distinctive golden roofs and vermilion walls.
The complex follows strict cosmological principles: the Outer Court for ceremonial affairs features the magnificent Hall of Supreme Harmony where emperors were enthroned, while the Inner Court housed the imperial family’s private quarters. Particularly fascinating is the intricate drainage system featuring 1,142 mythical animal-headed spouts that come alive during rainstorms.
The Palace Museum’s collection of 1.8 million artifacts includes the exquisite “Along the River During Qingming Festival” scroll and jade carvings so translucent they glow when backlit. Notice how the marble staircases are carved with imperial dragon motifs and how the sloping roofs were designed to prevent evil spirits (who were believed to travel in straight lines) from entering.
Address: 4 Jingshan Front St, Dongcheng District
Opening Hours: 08:30 – 17:00 (Apr–Oct), 08:30 – 16:30 (Nov–Mar) (Closed Mondays)
How to Get There: Metro Line 1 to Tian’anmen East Station (Exit B)
Bus: No. 1, 2, or 52 to Tian’anmen East
The Great Wall at Mutianyu
This magnificently preserved 2.5km section of the Great Wall, originally built in the 6th century and rebuilt in 1569, winds like a stone dragon across rugged mountain ridges. What makes Mutianyu special is its architectural diversity. You’ll find rare features like the “Ox Horn Side Wall” with its precipitous 90-degree turns and the “Forked Wall” where three sections converge at a watchtower.
The ramparts were built with glutinous rice mortar (still intact after 500 years), and drainage systems were ingeniously incorporated into the walkways. The 22 surviving watchtowers each tell a story: Tower 14 features Qing Dynasty graffiti left by bored soldiers, while Tower 20 leads to the unrestored “Wild Wall” section for adventurous hikers. The wall’s construction techniques are marvels of engineering. From the highest point at Tower 23 (elevation 1,040m), on clear days, you can see the wall disappearing into the hazy distance like a stone ribbon.
I will also integrate a guide to the Great Wall in the future, so stay tuned.
Address: Huairou District, 73km northeast of Beijing
Opening Hours: 07:30 – 18:30 (Summer), 08:00 – 17:00 (Winter)
How to Get There: Tour Bus: Direct buses from Dongzhimen Wai (2 hours)
Extra Options: Shuttle Service, Cable Car, Privilege Tour
Nanluoguxiang & Drum Tower Area
Beijing’s ancient alleyway neighborhoods represent the living memory of the Yuan Dynasty urban planning, where winding lanes connect traditional courtyard homes (Siheyuan) arranged along strict north-south axes. Nanluoguxiang, the 800-meter-long “South Gong and Drum Lane”, preserves Ming Dynasty width regulations (Exactly 6 meters wide for main hutongs).
The brickwork tells stories. Gray bricks indicate original construction, while newer red bricks mark renovations. In the quieter hutongs near the Bell Tower, watch for “mén zhēn” (Door pillows): carved stone blocks flanking doorways that indicate a family’s status (Lion shapes for military officials, floral patterns for scholars).
Many courtyards now house boutique hotels where guests can experience. Waking to the sound of pigeon whistles, enjoying moon gate gardens, and chatting with alley elders playing xiangqi (Chinese chess). The area’s traditional snack culture thrives; try “wǎn sǎ tāng” (fried flour balls in sweet soup) from vendors using century-old recipes.
Address: Nanluoguxiang, Dongcheng District
Opening Hours: 24/7 (Shops typically 10:00 – 22:00)
How to Get There: Metro: Line 6 or 8 to Nanluoguxiang Station
Recommended Hotel:
Temple of Heaven
This 273-hectare complex represents the pinnacle of Ming Dynasty ritual architecture, where emperors performed the sacred “Prayer for Good Harvests” ceremony each winter solstice. The circular Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is a masterpiece of symbolism.
The acoustics here are extraordinary; a whisper at the center of the Imperial Vault echoes perfectly around the circular wall (hence its nickname “The Echo Wall”). The 360-meter Danbi Bridge connects the earthly and heavenly realms along a central axis where the emperor, believed to be the Son of Heaven, temporarily bridges both worlds.
Early mornings reveal the park’s true magic as hundreds of Beijing residents practice tai chi, play traditional instruments, and engage in the ancient art of “Di Shu”: writing poetry with water brushes on the paving stones. The surrounding ancient cypress forest includes trees planted in 1420 that have witnessed every ceremony in the temple’s 600-year history.
Address: 1 Tiantan E Rd, Dongcheng District
Opening Hours: 06:00 – 20:00 (Park), 08:00 – 17:30 (Main halls)
How to Get There: Metro: Line 5 to Tiantan Dongmen Station (Exit A)
Summer Palace
This 290-hectare imperial garden is a masterpiece of Chinese landscape design, blending natural scenery with exquisite pavilions and temples. Kunming Lake, covering three-quarters of the grounds, was artificially created to mirror West Lake in Hangzhou, while Longevity Hill was shaped to resemble Mount Wanshou, the mythical home of immortals.
The 728-meter Long Corridor is the world’s longest painted gallery, its 14,000 murals depicting scenes from Chinese classics and landscapes. The garden’s hydrological system is ingenious – underground channels connect the lake to the Jade Spring Hills, maintaining water levels naturally. In winter, the frozen lake becomes Beijing’s largest natural ice-skating rink.
Address: 19 Xinjian Gongmen Rd, Haidian District
Opening Hours: 06:30 – 18:00 (Apr–Oct), 07:00 – 17:00 (Nov–Mar)
How to Get There: Metro: Line 4 to Beigongmen Station (Exit D)
Lama Temple (Yonghegong)
This Tibetan Buddhist monastery, converted from a prince’s residence in 1744, represents the Qing Dynasty’s embrace of Tibetan Buddhism. The five main halls ascend in spiritual significance, culminating in the Wanfu Pavilion, housing the 18-meter-tall Maitreya Buddha carved from a single sandalwood tree (Guinness World Record holder).
The temple’s artistic treasures include intricate mandalas, thangka paintings woven with gold thread, and the “Five Hundred Arhats” carved from fragrant nanmu wood. During morning ceremonies, monks in maroon robes chant scriptures accompanied by the haunting drone of dungchen (long horns) and the rhythmic clatter of damaru (skull drums).
Address: 12 Yonghegong St, Dongcheng District
Opening Hours: 09:00 – 16:30
How to Get There: Metro: Line 2 or 5 to Yonghegong Station (Exit C)
798 Art Zone
This sprawling 230,000㎡ art district is housed in a former East German-designed electronics factory complex. The industrial spaces, with their soaring ceilings and sawtooth skylights, now showcase cutting-edge installations: from Ai Weiwei’s “Straight” (made from rebar from Sichuan earthquake rubble) to the mind-bending digital art of TeamLab.
The district’s evolution mirrors China’s cultural awakening. What began in the 1990s as cheap studios for struggling artists is now a global art hub with galleries like Pace and Galleria Continua. Don’t miss the “798 Photo Gallery” documenting the area’s transformation or the underground record stores preserving Beijing’s punk rock history.
Address: 4 Jiuxianqiao Rd, Chaoyang District
Opening Hours: 10:00 – 18:00 (Most galleries)
How to Get There: Metro: Line 14 to Jiangtai Station + 10-min walk
Universal Beijing Resort (Universal Studios Beijing)
Universal Studios Beijing is the world’s newest and most technologically advanced Universal Studios theme park, bringing Hollywood magic to China’s capital. Opened in September 2021, this massive 54-hectare entertainment complex combines Universal’s iconic IPs with cutting-edge Chinese innovation to create a one-of-a-kind theme park experience.
Unique Themed Lands:
Kung Fu Panda Land of Awesomeness (world’s first dedicated Kung Fu Panda zone)
Transformers Metrobase (massive indoor roller coaster)
Wizarding World of Harry Potter (with Chinese architectural touches)
Jurassic World Isla Nublar (featuring dinosaurs created with next-gen animatronics)
Record-Breaking Attractions:
Decepticoaster – the world’s first Transformers-themed inverted coaster
Jurassic World Adventure – Asia’s longest dark ride (7.5 minutes)
Lights, Camera, Action! – Zhang Yimou-directed stunt show exclusive to Beijing
Technological Innovations:
Facial recognition for park entry and ride photos
WeChat Mini Program integration for maps/virtual queues
5G-enabled augmented reality experiences
Address: 1 Universal Boulevard, Tongzhou District, Beijing
Opening Hours:
Regular Days: 09:00 – 19:00
Peak Season/Holidays: 08:30 – 21:00 (e.g., Chinese New Year)
How to Get There: Metro: Line Line 7 or Batong Line → Universal Resort Station (Exit B).
Extra Opyion: Universal Express+Guided Tour Service, In-park Service
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