Beijing Travel Guide
Weather, best time to visit, and the best food, culture, nature and activities.
Typical prices
- Budget mealCN¥30.00≈ $4.41
- Mid-range mealCN¥100.00≈ $14.71
- CappuccinoCN¥30.00≈ $4.41
- Domestic beerCN¥20.00≈ $2.94
- Taxi (per km)CN¥2.50≈ $0.37
- Public transport ticketCN¥4.00≈ $0.59
- Museum entryCN¥60.00≈ $8.83
- Mid-range hotel (night)CN¥500.00≈ $73.57
Food & Drink
- QuanjudeBeijing/Peking duck · $$$
Beijing's most famous Peking duck restaurant, founded in 1864, known for its whole roasted duck carved tableside.
- Da Dong Roast DuckBeijing/Peking duck · $$$
A modern take on the Peking duck tradition, known for a leaner, crispier-skin style of duck.
- Baoyuan Dumpling HouseChinese/Dumplings · $$
A popular dumpling restaurant known for its wide variety of handmade jiaozi fillings.
- Najia XiaoguanChinese/Manchu · $$
A restaurant serving Manchu-style royal court cuisine in a traditional courtyard setting.
- Ghost Street (Gui Jie)Chinese/Hotpot · $$
A famous late-night dining street lined with red lanterns and dozens of restaurants specializing in spicy crayfish and hotpot.
- Capital MEuropean · $$$$
A restaurant overlooking Tiananmen Square known for European cuisine with a Beijing-duck twist.
- Sanlitun Bar Street
Beijing's best-known nightlife district, packed with bars, clubs, and international restaurants.
- Migas
A Sanlitun rooftop restaurant-bar and club popular with expats, known for its terrace and DJ nights.
- Great Leap Brewing
A pioneering craft brewery in a converted hutong courtyard, credited with starting Beijing's craft beer scene.
Culture & History
- Palace Museum (Forbidden City)
The vast former imperial palace complex housing an enormous collection of Ming and Qing dynasty artifacts.
- National Museum of China
One of the world's largest museums, on Tiananmen Square, covering Chinese history and art from ancient bronzes to modern times.
- Capital Museum
A large museum dedicated to Beijing's own history, culture, and folk traditions.
- 798 Art District
A former military factory complex converted into Beijing's leading contemporary art gallery district.
- UME International Cineplex (Wanda Plaza)
A major multiplex chain with several Beijing locations screening domestic and international films.
- Beijing International Film Festival
A major festival screening Chinese and international films with red-carpet events.
- Duanwu (Dragon Boat Festival)
Celebrated with dragon boat races and zongzi (sticky rice dumplings), sometimes falling in early summer.
Nature & Outdoors
- Great Wall at Mutianyu
One of the best-preserved and most scenic sections of the Great Wall, with a cable car and toboggan descent option.
- Fragrant Hills Park
A hilly park in western Beijing famous for its red maple leaves in autumn, though its trails are popular year-round.
Active & Fun
- Yoga Yard
A well-known yoga and fitness studio in a converted hutong courtyard near the Drum Tower.
- National Aquatics Center (Water Cube)
The iconic bubble-wrapped pool complex built for the 2008 Olympics, now open to the public with a water park.
- Universal Studios Beijing
A large Universal theme park in eastern Beijing's Tongzhou district, opened in 2021.
- Happy Valley Beijing
A popular domestic amusement park chain location with roller coasters and water rides.