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Representative view of Beijing, China
City
🇨🇳 China · East Asia

Beijing

Imperial capital of the Forbidden City, hutong lanes and the Great Wall on its doorstep.

Budget level
Mid-range
Best months
Apr, May, Sep, Oct
Ideal stay
3–5 days
Best for
Culture, Food, Family

Overview

The political and historic centre, holding several UNESCO World Heritage sites including the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace and the nearest sections of the Great Wall.

Plan & book

Compare flights, stays, activities and transport for your trip to Beijing.

Flights

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Why go to Beijing

  • The Forbidden City and Tiananmen
  • Great Wall sections from restored to wild
  • Temple of Heaven and Summer Palace
  • Hutong neighbourhoods and Peking duck

Budget

Beijing is mid-range by China standards. Across China, mid-range travellers typically spend about $80–$140 per person per day.

Country-level planning estimate, excluding flights. See the full China budget breakdown.

Practical information

  • Major sites require advance online reservation with passport details
  • Winters are cold and dry; summers hot and humid

When to go to Beijing

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Plan 3–5 days here. Highlighted months are the best fit for most travellers.

Getting around

  • High-speed rail is the default for intercity travel — the world's largest such network, and usually faster than flying between eastern cities
  • Domestic flights make sense for the far west, Tibet, Yunnan and Hainan

Suggested itineraries

  • China classic

    12 days

    The headline three by high-speed rail.

    Route: Beijing → Xi'an → Shanghai

  • Classic plus karst

    15 days

    Adds pandas and the Li River landscapes.

    Route: Beijing → Xi'an → Chengdu → Guilin & Yangshuo → Shanghai

China guides