Beijing does not allow you to ease into it. One moment, you stand where emperors once walked; the next, you gaze up at a glass tower that seems to have dropped in from another century. This striking contrast makes Beijing so appealing, and it explains why so many visitors create a bucket list before arriving.
Below, you will find a master table listing all 60 places worth knowing about, detailing what to do there and providing the official phone number or email to contact for any issues that may arise. Then, for the five places that should be on any Beijing bucket list, we went into greater detail with full write-ups.
List of 60 Places
| Place | Main Things To Do | Enquiry Details |
|---|---|---|
| Forbidden City | Explore imperial halls, Meridian Gate, and the Treasure Gallery | Palace Museum hotline: 400-950-1925 (English available, 8:00–20:00) |
| Tiananmen Square | Flag ceremony, Monument to the People’s Heroes, Mao Mausoleum | Reservation line: 010-86409123 |
| Great Wall (Badaling) | Hike the ramparts, ride the cable car, photograph watchtowers | Visitor Center: 010-69121226; complaints: 010-69121235 |
| Summer Palace | Boat the lake, walk the Long Corridor, tour Longevity Hill | 24-hr hotline: +86 (10) 62881144 (English 8:30–17:00) |
| Temple of Heaven | Circular Mound Altar, Echo Wall, morning tai chi | Park office: 010-67012483 (day) / 010-67013036 (night) |
| Ming Tombs | Walk the Sacred Way and view underground palace at Dingling | Beijing Tourism Hotline: 12301 |
| Hutong Tour | Rickshaw rides, courtyard visits, local snack stops | Book via licensed hutong tour operators; 010-12345 for complaints |
| Lama Temple | Giant Buddha hall, incense offering, Tibetan art | Yonghegong office: 010-64044499 |
| Beihai Park | Boating, White Dagoba climb, lakeside strolls | Beijing Tourism Hotline: 12301 |
| Capital Museum | Bronze and jade galleries, folk custom exhibits | Museum service desk: 010-63370491 |
| Beijing’s CBD | Skyline photos, CCTV Tower views, upscale shopping | Beijing Tourism Hotline: 12301 |
| Back Lakes (Houhai) | Boating, lakeside bars, courtyard-home walks | Beijing Tourism Hotline: 12301 |
| Eastern Qing Tombs | Tour carved mausoleums, sacred pathways | Site office: 0315-6945472 |
| Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan) | Wander the ruins, European-style stone fragments | Park office: 010-62628501 |
| Ritan Park | Morning tai chi, sun-altar viewing, quiet paths | Beijing Tourism Hotline: 12301 |
| Yuetan Park | Moon Temple grounds, lawns, relic viewing | Beijing Tourism Hotline: 12301 |
| Western Qing Tombs | Stone sculpture trails, hillside tomb tour | Site office: 0312-4710012 |
| Ancient Observatory | Bronze astronomical instruments, rooftop terrace | Museum desk: 010-65242202 |
| Beijing Guozijian | Imperial College halls, stone tablet forest | Confucius Temple office: 010-84029592 |
| Bell and Drum Tower | Climb both towers and watch a drumming show | Site office: 010-84025794 |
| Dashilan Street | Old-brand shopping, silk goods, street snacks | Beijing Tourism Hotline: 12301 |
| Lingjing Hutong | Courtyard walks, residential alley photography | Beijing Tourism Hotline: 12301 |
| Liulichang Street | Antique hunting, calligraphy and painting shops | Beijing Tourism Hotline: 12301 |
| Lugou Bridge | Lion-carving spotting, 1937 memorial history | Site office: 010-83815104 |
| Nanluogu Xiang | Boutique shopping, cafes, hutong nightlife | Beijing Tourism Hotline: 12301 |
| Peking Man Site | Excavation area, fossil museum | Zhoukoudian site office: 010-69301287 |
| Qianmen Street | Restored old-street shopping, historic gate photos | Beijing Tourism Hotline: 12301 |
| Yandai Xiejie | Handicraft shopping, curved-alley walk | Beijing Tourism Hotline: 12301 |
| Altar of Earth (Ditan Park) | Sacrificial altar viewing, tree-lined walks | Ditan Park office: 010-64214657 |
| Badachu Park | Temple hopping, forested hiking trails | Park office: 010-88961691 |
| Dajue Temple | Magnolia gardens, Song-dynasty statue viewing | Temple office: 010-62456163 |
| Five Pagoda Temple | Stupa carvings, stone-art museum | Site office: 010-62170543 |
| Big Bell Temple | View the 46-ton bronze bell at the Bell Museum. | Site office: 010-82261209 |
| Guangji Temple | Courtyard visit, Buddhist scripture viewing | Beijing Tourism Hotline: 12301 |
| Jietai Temple | Ordination altar, ancient pine grove walk | Site office: 010-69803610 |
| Niujie Mosque | Islamic-Chinese architecture tour, prayer hall viewing | Mosque office: 010-63532564 |
| Temple of Azure Clouds | Pagoda climb, Sun Yat-sen memorial hall | Fragrant Hills Park office: 010-62591283 |
| Tanzhe Temple | Ancient tree walk, mountain temple exploring | Site office: 010-60861699 |
| Temple of Recumbent Buddha | View the bronze reclining Buddha, quiet halls | Botanical Garden office: 010-62591680 |
| White Cloud Temple | Taoist ritual viewing, courtyard exploring | Temple office: 010-63463531 |
| White Dagoba Temple | Stupa climb, island views over Beihai Lake | Beihai Park office: 12301 |
| Yunju Temple | Stone sutra viewing, pagoda and relic tour | Site office: 010-61389604 |
| Beijing 798 Art Zone | Gallery hopping, studio visits, cafe breaks | Beijing Tourism Hotline: 12301 |
| Beijing Aquarium | Underwater tunnel walk, marine shows | Aquarium desk: 010-62073411 |
| Beijing Happy Valley | Roller coasters, themed zone rides | Park hotline: 010-67389898 |
| Beijing Museum of Natural History | Dinosaur skeleton viewing, evolution exhibits, | Museum desk: 010-67024431 |
| Beijing Zoo | Panda viewing, Siberian tiger enclosure | Zoo hotline: 010-68390274 |
| CCTV Tower | Observation deck views, skyline photography | Beijing Tourism Hotline: 12301 |
| China Century Monument | Sculpture viewing, 20th-century history exhibits | Beijing Tourism Hotline: 12301 |
| Chinese Ethnic Culture Park | Ethnic village tours, cultural performances | Park office: 010-62063641 |
| Grand View Garden | Literary-themed garden walk, Qing-style residence tour | Park office: 010-63541411 |
| National Centre for Performing Arts | Opera, symphony, and dance performances | Box office: 010-66550000 |
| North Putuo Film & TV City | Period-set exploring, behind-the-scenes tours | Studio office: 010-89909999 |
| World Park | Miniature landmark viewing, photo stops | Park office: 010-83613030 |
| Beijing Botanical Garden | Greenhouse tours, seasonal blossom festivals | Garden office: 010-62591680 |
| Fenghuangling Nature Park | Hiking trails, temple visits, rock formations | Beijing Tourism Hotline: 12301 |
| Chaoyang Park | Lakeside walks, amusement rides, sports facilities | Park office: 010-65916263 |
| Stone Flower Cave | Limestone cavern tour, stalactite viewing | Cave office: 010-61345486 |
| Taoranting Park | Boating lake, pavilion walks, memorial viewing | Park office: 010-63511155 |
| Xishan National Forest Park | Forest hikes, birdwatching, peak views | Park office: 12301 |
| Yuyuantan Park | Cherry blossom viewing, lakeside bridges | Park office: 010-68427936 |
| Purple Bamboo Garden | Bamboo grove walks, tai chi, photography | Park office: 010-68422609 |
Note: For sites listed with the general Beijing Tourism Hotline (12301), no independently verified venue-specific line was available at the time of writing; confirm current numbers with the venue’s official WeChat account or the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism before you travel, since small parks change contact staff more often than the big-name sites do.
Beijing Travel Tips at a Glance
| Tip | Why It Matters | Fast Fact |
|---|---|---|
| Plan your itinerary | Saves travel time between sites | Central sites cluster within 2-3 subway stops of each other |
| Book attractions early | Major sites cap daily entries. | Forbidden City tickets open 7 days ahead |
| Carry your passport | Needed for ID checks | Required at Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City |
| Install mobile apps | China runs on app-based services | Maps, translation, and ride-hailing apps are essential |
| Prepare for mobile payments | Cash is secondary here | Alipay and WeChat Pay dominate transactions |
| Use public transport | Fastest way across the city | 27+ subway lines, 900+ km of track |
| Visit early in the day | Avoids peak crowds | Gates often open by 8:00-8:30 AM |
| Wear comfortable clothing | Expect hours of walking | Great Wall climbs can run 2-4 hours |
| Check the weather | Seasons swing to extremes | Summers humid, winters dry and cold |
| Respect local customs | Protects heritage sites | Fines apply for climbing protected structures |
| Learn basic Mandarin | English thins out fast | “Nǐ hǎo” and “xièxiè” go a long way |
| Stay connected | Internet access differs | A local eSIM or roaming plan recommended |
| Try local cuisine | Food is part of the culture | Peking duck, jianbing, zhajiangmian |
| Explore beyond landmarks | Hutongs reveal daily life | Hundreds of hutongs remain across central Beijing |
