Planning on visiting Beijing? Whether you are spending one week in Beijing or just making a stop during your Asian trip, Beijing is sure to leave a lasting impression on you.

1. The Best Time To Go

The best time to visit is from September to November, as the weather is usually quite temperate, and there are relatively few tourists.

The high season is from April to October. Pros: warm weather and long days; cons: crowds, heat, and high costs.

The low season is from November to March. Pros: less crowd and lower prices; cons: cold weather and short days.

2. The Best Things To Do

Beijing is one of the most popular cities in the world, renowned for its rich cultural heritage. You should not miss the following things:

-Walk along the Great Wall: a must-do activity in Beijing. The Great Wall section at Mutianyu is recommended because it’s less crowded and has convenient facilities. Read this comparison between different sections of the Great Wall.

-Explore the Forbidden City: the second most popular attraction in Beijing. It is hard to get an idea of the great size of the imperial palace until you are in it.

-Savor the Summer Palace — while one palace was forbidden, this one remains inviting. Wander where the royals relaxed in the warmer months.

-Discover the enchanting hutongs. Sightsee, shop, and dine in ancient residential and shopping streets. If you are interested, we can help you enjoy a home-visit to atraditional hutong courtyard house.

3. Famous Food You Should Try

Beijing has food from all over China as well as from many parts of the world. There are thousands of restaurants, including Chinese restaurants, Western restaurants, vegetarian restaurants, Muslim restaurants, and Asian restaurants. There are quite a few dishes which are unique to Beijing, and one of the most famous specialties is roast duck. The famous roast duck chains of restaurants are Quanjude and Dadong.

Your local guide can give you recommendations according to your tastes and requirements. He can help you to order dishes, giving you a hassle-free dining experience.

4. Recommended Hotels

Beijing is a huge city with a vast range of accommodation options suiting every budget, including hotels, hostels, traditional hutong courtyards, guesthouses, and boutiques.

There are several areas you can consider when choosing your hotel: central Beijing (Wangfujing), northeast Beijing (Chaoyang District), and the Houhai area.