10 Things to do in Beijing

Beijing is a a great city for photography! The ancient structures, well-manicured gardens are the ultimate places for Social Media Snaps (SMS). Beijing-ify your Instagram account while traveling Beijing with my 10 Things to do in Beijing:

798 Art Zone also known as Dashanzi Art District. An artist town not to miss when traveling Beijing. Before embarking on a trip to china watch Ai Wei Wei ‘Never Sorry’ for a great insight into China. 798 is a sign of things to come in China. The zone is in a complex that was a 50-year-old decommissioned military factory and ironically is now home to the Beijing Queer Film Festival. The building boast a unique architectual style and place host to a thriving local artistic community.
Dragon Generals, 798 Art Zone, Beijing, China
Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square can be explored in the same morning or afternoon. In 1987 Forbidden City was listed by UNESCO as the largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world. Tiananmen Square is of cultural significance to Beijing and China as it was the site of many important historical events in Chinese history. Outside China, Tiananmen square is best known for the Tiananmen Square Massacre, an armed suppression of a pro-democracy movement in June 1989. These are two musts visits when traveling Beijing
The Great Wall of China, built in in the 7th century BC; is the only man-mad structure visible from space. The well-preserved and best places to view The Wall from are 1-2 hours out of Beijing so you will need to plan for at least a half day trip. If you are not with a tour group, hire a driver for the day to take you there.
The many steps, Great Wall of China, Beijing
Eat Peking Duck. Beiing is famous for it! Peking Duck can be a little on the expensive side. It’s certainly not a dish for backpackers or for budget travelers in Chin. The Chinese Restaurant at the Aman Summer Palace has incredible Peking Duck, and starting at 468RMB per bird, it would want to be! If you travel for food like me, then no trip to Beijing China is complete without trying the city’s signature dish of Peking Duck.
Peking Duck Beijing China
Dong Hua Men Night Market Beijing. A food market where you will find scorpions and bugs to snack on. Read my post on Why You Shouldn’t Eat A Scorpion in Beijing.
Hire a bike and discover the city on 2 wheels. Beijing is pretty flat making the city ideal bike riding terrain.
Family on a bike, Beijing, China
Eat in Beijing’s oldest restaurant: Yuebin Up until 30 years ago there were no privately owned restaurants in China. Opened after the Cultural Revolution, this piece of the Beijing’s history is tucked away discreetly in a hutong alleyway (Chinese lane-way) and is a perfect place to enjoy the pleasures of a simple home cooked meal with decent service in a modest setting.
Temple of Heaven is a medieval complex of religious buildings constructed in 1420, a must see. Originally a place of worship for the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Temple of Heaven is listed as a a UNESCO world heritage temple of China.
Summer Palace, a palace and temple surrounded by lakes and garden, a beautiful way to spend an afternoon. A must see in Beijing. The immaculately-manicured gardens are the perfect place for a Social Media Snap (SMS).
Liulichang Street in the Xuanwu District is a great place to find antiques. Liulichang is the oldest street in Beijing. Situated outside Hepingmen, this cultural street known as “ancient street” by many foreign residents in Beijing. With brightly painted doors and eaves and gracefully curved black-tile-roofs buildings, a little of old Beijing’s lifestyle retained here.