Things to do in Beijing

The Forbidden City

The Forbidden City is an ancient palace that served as the Imperial Court for hundreds of years. It stands as a reminder of China’s impressive past. The cafes and gift shops that have sprung up close take a way a little from the aesthetic value, but it’s still a fantastic visit and a real insight into the history of this fascinating country.

The Great Wall

Beijing is within easy travelling distance of a number of sections of the Great Wall of China. Walking the wall should be a part of everyone’s ‘travel bucket list’ but for a truly fantastic experience you should try to avoid going where everybody else goes. Rather than visiting the nearby Badaling section of the Wall, which is overrun with tourists and touts, you should travel out a little farther to the more remote section at Jinshanling.

From here you can hike to the Simatai section – it will take you the better part of the day. You’ll avoid getting the same holiday snaps as everyone else and the beauty of China’s verdant countryside is a breath-taking sight that you’ll never tire of.