# Beijing

China's capital for six centuries: the Forbidden City, the Great Wall at Mutianyu and the hutong lanes where people still live. This page covers when to go, how to pace the sights and what has to be booked before you arrive.

| Altitude | Best time | Suggested stay |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 44 m | Apr–May, Sep–Oct | 3–4 days |

## Pacing your days

Beijing is flat and spread out, so the tiring part is distance, not climbing. The **Forbidden City** alone is a long walk from south gate to north gate, and the Great Wall is a day out of town. One big sight a day is plenty; keep the evenings for food and slow walks.

## Best way to see it

- Walk the Forbidden City along the central axis in the morning, then climb Jingshan Park for the view over the roofs
- Give the Great Wall at Mutianyu a full day and use the cable car
- Come to the Temple of Heaven early, when locals sing, dance and exercise
- Spend an evening in the hutongs around Shichahai, or on Qianmen Street, with Peking duck for dinner

The Forbidden City is usually closed on Mondays, and tickets are booked ahead under each visitor's passport name.

## Sights

**Forbidden City.** The Ming and Qing emperors' palace. You walk in from the south and leave by the north gate, so the visit is one way. Booked ahead by passport name; usually closed on Mondays.

**The central axis walk.** Long and mostly flat, with steps at each gate; about 4 h on the central axis.

## Good to know

- Major sights in Beijing are booked ahead by passport name, and you show the same passport at the gate. Keep it with you every day.
- Beijing air is dry, and spring and autumn mornings and evenings are cool. Bring a light jacket, lip balm and drink more water.
- Singapore passport holders can visit China visa-free for up to 30 days.

## Our trips that visit Beijing

- [Beijing, Xi'an & Shanghai: Three Cities of Chinese Culture](https://unclepandatravel.com/tours/beijing-xian-shanghai-14d) — from ¥12,245 per person, based on 6 guests in twin share.

## Related travel tips

- [Do I need a visa for China? (Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia)](https://unclepandatravel.com/travel-tips/visa-entry)
- [How to pay in China: Alipay & WeChat Pay for visitors](https://unclepandatravel.com/travel-tips/pay-in-china)
- [Eating in China: ordering, spice levels and dietary needs](https://unclepandatravel.com/travel-tips/food-etiquette)

Browse more [cities & sights](https://unclepandatravel.com/destinations), or see [licence & payment](https://unclepandatravel.com/licence-payment) details.

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- Source page: https://unclepandatravel.com/destinations/beijing
- Language: English · Updated: 2026-10-22
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