Beijing · Things to do
Checked August 2026 · 8 official sources
THINGS TO DO
The headline sights are imperial, enormous and now almost all booked online in advance against your passport, and the Great Wall is the one that eats a whole day and forces a choice about which section.
The Palace Museum (Forbidden City)
Open 08:30–16:10 from 1 April to 31 October and 08:30–15:30 from 1 November to 31 March, closed Mondays except statutory holidays. Admission is ¥60 peak season and ¥40 off season, with the Treasure Gallery and Gallery of Clocks ¥10 each. There are no same-day tickets at all, so book ahead on the museum's own website or WeChat mini-programme. When you come out of the north gate, cross the road and climb Jingshan Park for the view back over the roofs.
📍 Map & photos · $$ · Website ↗
Temple of Heaven
Built in 1420 for the Ming and Qing emperors' harvest sacrifices, UNESCO-listed in 1998, and 273 hectares of walled park at 1 Tiantan Road. The park itself opens 06:00–22:00 with last entry at 21:00; the ticketed buildings — Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest, Echo Wall, Circular Mound Altar — run 08:00–18:00 Tuesday to Sunday. Park-only entry is ¥15 in high season, the combined ticket ¥34. Come at 07:00 for the morning exercise, card and choir groups under the trees.
📍 Map & photos · $ · Website ↗
The Summer Palace
Qing royal garden of 1750, rebuilt in 1886, UNESCO-listed in 1998 and laid out around Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake at 19 Xinjian Gongmen Road in Haidian. From 1 April to 31 October the main gate opens 06:00 and the park closes 20:00; off season it is 06:30 to 19:00. Entry is ¥30 peak and ¥20 off season, bookable one to seven days ahead. Allow half a day, and more if you walk the lake.
📍 Map & photos · $ · Website ↗
Mutianyu Great Wall
The restored stretch in Huairou district, an hour and a half to two hours north of the centre by road, and consistently less crowded than Badaling. Open 07:30–18:00 from 16 March to 15 November and 08:00–17:30 the rest of the year; adult entry ¥45, concession ¥25, with the cable car, chairlift and toboggan charged on top. The address is Mutianyu Village, Bohai Town.
📍 Map & photos · $$ · Website ↗
National Museum of China
On the east side of Tiananmen Square at 16 East Chang'an Street. It opens at 09:00, last entry 16:00, visitors out by 16:30 and doors shut at 17:00, closed Mondays except public holidays. Admission is free but a slot must be reserved in advance and you need your passport to collect it. The Ancient China galleries on the lower floor are the reason to come.