Visit and Experience the Most incredible Things in Beijing
Welcome to Beijing - the city where emperors used to wander and contemporary buzz runs behind ancient walls. Ready to explore history, local life, art and nature, come with me, here are some of the best places to see and some of the best things to do when you are exploring.
1. The Forbidden City (Palace Museum)
Centuries long Qing and Ming emperors were dwelling in this complex of imperial palaces in the center of Beijing. There are almost thousand buildings, magnificent halls, courtyards, museums, and secret places to explore. You want to appreciate its expanse, spend a few hours. Ticketing is a good practice.
2. Jingshan Park
The Forbidden City is directly followed by the Jingshan Park, the small hill has the most typical panoramic view of the palace rooftops. It is ideal following a visit to your palace get up the mountain gradually and absorb the view and enjoy the peaceful gardens and the town.
3. Temple of Heaven
This is where emperors used to go to seek good harvests. The large circle Hall of Prayer to Good Harvests is beautiful and the park being in its surroundings are lined with trees that locals practice tai chi, dance, or sing in the morning.
4. Great Wall (Mutianyu or Jinshanling Section)
A visit to Beijing would be incomplete without a visit to the great wall. Mutianyu is more accessible, restored, and almost in condition; Jinshanling is wilder (unless you are prepared to travel farther), and more picturesque. To the cable cars or even sliding boards (on certain sections), it is quite an experience.
5. Summer Palace (Yiheyuan)
The art of designing Chinese gardens: lakes, pavilions, bridges, hills, long corridors. Summer Palace was a former imperial summer resort. Go sailing or rowing around the lake or hiking up into the hill that overlooks the lake.
6. Lama Temple (Yonghe Temple)
This impressive Tibet-style temple has a lot of bright colors, swordlike carving, and a calm atmosphere. It remains an active monastery thus you will encounter monks, incense and privacy of worship. Add on to this this around walk of hutongs to make a diverse day.
7. Beihai and Zhongshan Parks
These are ancient imperial gardens that provide escapes within the city. Visiting Beihai Park, they seem to enter the painting, made of a large lake and traditional pavilions. The Zhongshan park has imperial altars and serene pavilions located right beside the palace, to the southwest.
8. Bell and Drum Towers and Hutong Walks
The Drum or Bell Tower is an ideal way to have a birds-eye view of old Beijing and the hutong alleys. Drum performance can be observed during noon or afternoon. After that, walk through the nearest alleys and visit cafes, small stores, and vintage courts.
9. 798 Art Zone
In case you are tired of palaces and temples, this industrial district has turned out to be among the most active art and culture centers of Beijing. Galleries, graffiti, cafes, design shops - you may spend an entire afternoon exploring and experiencing the artistic energy of the city.
10. Ming City Wall Ruins Park
This park contains a large portion of the old city wall of the Ming dynasty in Beijing, as well as a tower. It is not as busy as certain mainstream places at the minimal level and provides a more intimate experience when considering interacting with the historical mode of the old defenses and green areas in the area around the city center.
11. Longtan Lake Park
It is a large modern urban park near the Temple of Heaven comprising of a lake, rock gardens, moon bridges, tea houses, and even a bird market. It is a where to walk, rest, or see what is going on everyday in the afternoon.
12. Taoranting Park and Local Life
To experience the real life in Beijing, visit Taoranting Park with particular preference to the morning or evening period. You will find some locals singing, dancing, playing, practicing martial arts or calligraphy. It is quiet, adorable and provides a hint of the true rhythm of the metropolis.
Each of these places narrates the history of Beijing imperial grandeur, peaceful gardens, unashy art, and the city life rhythm. Combine them randomly according to the number of days you had, take your time, and leave gaps in case of spontaneous findings. Beijing will not only catch you off guard, it will stick around.
