Beijing 1. What to see in Beijing in one day
I have long wanted to see the Forbidden City in Beijing. Today everyone can see with their own eyes the largest palace complex in the world, included in the UNESCO list. But until recently, China was a fairly closed country, and to some extent continues to be so to this day. And getting a Chinese visa is quite difficult, it requires a lot of time and effort, as well as resourcefulness. And those who live in the European part of the continent and do not travel to China for work matters usually do not consider tourism to China as a possible traditional alternative to a European vacation.
But some people still sometimes wonder how to get to China without a visa. It turns out that for the most daring and inquisitive, there is one trick that will allow you to transit Beijing or other Chinese cities with large airports, such as Shanghai, Kunming, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Urumqi, and not worry about visa issues.
The fact is that China has a 72-hour visa-free transit rule. If you are flying from one country to a third through (or through another major international airport), and you have less than 72 hours between plane connections, you can safely apply for a transit visa.
At the exit, check which officer to approach to get transit, show your ticket, explain that you would like to see the city (Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou) and receive a stamp in your passport (a full page!). That's the whole procedure. Now you can safely leave the airport and head to the center. It will be better if your luggage is checked in until your final destination, then nothing will interfere with you.
Highway to Beijing
What to see in Beijing in one day
I prepared a little and already knew what to see in Beijing in 1 day. And I used this opportunity to see the Forbidden City in Beijing.
- In 24 hours it’s possible to even go to the closest section of the Great Wall of China!
- And if you have a 72-hour transit visa, you can plan a whole mini-trip.
The only disadvantage (which in this case also acts as a plus) of the Forbidden City in Beijing is its accessibility. There will be many people like you besides you.
China is an overpopulated country! You will see Chinese in large numbers. They will be everywhere and always, they will make noise and disturb you. The Chinese push, rush and fuss, but you shouldn't take it to heart. But don’t forget that you came to visit them.
Excursion group
Chinese
The first obstacle will be language. It's unlikely that you speak Chinese (if I'm wrong, congratulations!), and the Chinese rarely speak any language other than their native one. Although now in China it is very fashionable to learn English, and Russian was useful once before. In China, you will still not be lost without knowing the Chinese language.
Among the airport workers you will meet Russian speakers, and at tourist sites there will always be those who know a few words in English, and sometimes you will be lucky and you will meet truly intelligent people. But for some reason taxi drivers are behind the times, but they are the ones who are supposed to bring you and take you away and do it as quickly as possible so that your plane doesn’t fly away without you.
Therefore, it will be useful to find people in advance who will either teach you a couple of Chinese phrases, or, in order to avoid misunderstandings, simply write the necessary words for you on paper, with the help of which you will communicate with taxi drivers. I had two phrases with me: “I want to go to Tiananmen Square” and “Beijing Capital International Airport.” Both pieces of paper came in handy!
How to get to Tiananmen Square
So, catch a taxi at the airport. You will be taken along the meter. To Tiananmen Square (天安門廣場, Tiananmen) it will cost about 100 yuan. 1 yuan equals 4.6 rubles. See Mao's Mausoleum and the Monument to the People's Heroes, the Gate of Heavenly Peace, after which the square is named. Also nearby is the Chinese Parliament - the House of the People; the modern building of the Grand National Opera House causes a great contrast with the ancient buildings.
Guard
Organized tours gather in Tiananmen Square from early morning
Entrance to the Forbidden City through the Gate of Heavenly Succession
Dawn over the center of Beijing
Main Sun Gate to the Forbidden City
Great Hall of the People in Beijing
Forbidden City in Beijing
Go to the portrait of Mao, visible from afar, who guards the ancient Forbidden City (紫禁城, Zijincheng, Forbidden city), trying to control the power of the emperors. This is a huge complex, which you can and should devote a lot of time to, without being intimidated by crowds and carefully examining every corner. It may seem to you that each pavilion is similar to the other, but this similarity is deceptive.
Keeper of the Zeitgeist in the Forbidden City
Giant square inside the Forbidden City
Richly decorated pavilion wall
Throne in the Forbidden City
Inside the pavilion
One of the large pavilions in the Forbidden City, where excursions take place
Courtyard of the Imperial Palace
Cauldron in the Forbidden City
Beautiful wall
Arts and crafts. Seasons
Jinshan Park
If you exit through the north gate, you will find yourself in Jingshan Park (景山, Jingshan park), an artificial hill that was built according to Feng Shui rules to protect the City from winds and bad weather. Today, thousands of Chinese engage in sports or other hobbies (singing, dancing, calligraphy, etc.) in the park.
From the top of the hill there is a stunning view of the Forbidden City. The main thing is that the sky is clear, which has been a rarity for Beijing lately. Usually the horizon is covered with haze, which gives the imperial palace a mysterious look.
Two twisted trees
Reflection
Stone terraces
Hilltop Pagoda
Chinese people exercise in large numbers in parks in the morning
How to get to the Great Wall of China from the Forbidden City
If you still have time and want to see the Great Wall of China, from the park take bus 609 or 5 to Jishuitan Men Station. The trip will take about half an hour. If you are not afraid of getting lost, you can walk and take about an hour. At Jishuitan, change to tourist bus 919, just make sure that it goes specifically to Badaling. The ticket will cost you 12 yuan. In an hour and a half, if there are no traffic jams, you will be at the entrance to the Wall! The entrance ticket costs 45 yuan. Funicular – 105 yuan.
You can return the same way or immediately take a taxi to the airport.
However, in one day you can only see the closest section of the wall, Badaling. But, as you know, there are three more sections open to visitors, and among them there is a poorly restored wall, from which you can learn much more about Chinese history than in the restored sections. How to get to all sections of the Great Wall of China and about other attractions of Beijing, read.
Central Avenue
I hope the unexpected surprise of getting to know Chinese culture better will open up new horizons for you.
Watch a video about 72-hour visa-free transit in Beijing:
What else is important to know about Beijing?
To get to the city of Beijing and see its sights, you need to buy a ticket and fly by plane to Capital International Airport, located in the capital of China. There are direct flights from Moscow to Beijing several times a day.
Cheap flights to Beijing
We haven’t gotten ready to go to China yet. We've only been to Beijing. At the end of December 2010. 1 day trip to the Philippines. What can you accomplish in one day?
And by the way, not so little.
With my husband's permission, I present entries from his travel diary. The photos are mine.
Actually, I think everyone knows that there was freezing rain in Moscow on Saturday. The trees turned into large icicles, I decided not to park the car under them (by the way, it turned out to be very reasonable), but I certainly couldn’t imagine that this would result in a practical transport collapse. Closer to departure, looking at the Sheremetyevo website, it turned out that the flight was delayed by 2.5 hours. We decided to go on time anyway, so that later we wouldn’t be scattered around the plane due to lack of seats nearby. Friends flying to the same place as we were, but via Domodedovo they said that there was no light anywhere at the entrance to the airport.
They said on the radio that all the electricity had been cut off and there was no talk of any arrivals or departures. Lighting and ventilation simply do not work in the building. People are being kicked out of the airport so as not to create a local humanitarian catastrophe there.
The number of people in Sharik was also off the charts. Lots of canceled and delayed flights. What does it have to do with the same flight as ours, but a day earlier it sits at the airport.
However, registration was on time, and we were driven into the duty free zone. I didn’t imagine any options for leaving her other than by plane, so I successfully drank a beer. The time indicated on the scoreboard approached the cherished 21:30. But at the gate there was a flight to Goa. After waiting another 40 minutes, it was announced that we were leaving. Loading was completed at 22:20. After which the plane departed from the jet bridge and went somewhere to the side. Then silence for an hour. And hurray we are flying!!! Finally, an SMS comes from friends that they, too, were driven from Domodedovo to Sharik, but when they fly away, I don’t know.
As a result, we arrive in Beijing at almost 12 instead of 7 am.
We stand in line for a long time to get a daily visa. It was not immediately planned to hang around the airport until 20:00. Although the fact that it was +5 in Beijing cooled our ardor somewhat. We have difficulty finding a storage room so as not to carry hand luggage. I change money and go out to a taxi.
But what follows is a complete shock. In my understanding, if the city had the Olympics just 2 years ago, then the people should know English. Well, at least on the fingers. Nevermind! It seems to me that the Chinese are akin to us, and given the fact that there are more of them than anyone else, this becomes even more clear. No one understands what the Center of city is, and even more so, no one can understand my Tiananmen. All neighboring taxi drivers and parking attendants were invited. I distort it several times. HOORAY!! Ten'anmen! Let's eat! For a long time! 45 minutes. Price 120 yuan. Hmmm!! About 550 rubles. Carrying from the airport to Kazan is more expensive! This is Mao's mausoleum! Stop! Let's climb out! Yooo! It’s warm in the sun, but the wind is so... brrr... People are allowed into the square only through a scanner and a metal detector. It seems to be easier for us on Red Square. There aren't many people. We walk across the square to the South Gate. We understand that it would be nice to have some coffee or something hot. We go to the other side and find only fast food. As it turned out later, there is also a cafe there, but for some reason at the entrance there are advertisements and booklets for either a hotel, a medical center, or something else. Mysteriously creepy. I didn't want to go to fast food. We saw the tourist information center. Getting in. Please - Give me map, please! (Give me a map please) – Eyes of a beaten dog – Sorry? - Map! - Sorry? -B..!
On the way out I find a booklet in Chinese, and there it is, HURRAY! diagram of the center with English names. Let's crawl to the Forbidden City. Entrance 2 yuan per nose. Like Ostap Bender for repairing Proval. - For what? - So as not to fail!
I can’t say that we saw the Forbidden City. We took one look at the cypress trees planted by Emperor Ming. We looked at the bronze vases. And everything else... The Forbidden City is several tens of square meters in size. km. And it’s not damn hot for us in sweaters and windbreakers. And he apparently remained Forbidden for cafes. In any case, none were found inside.
Let's go back to the square. There is a desire to get to the Temple of Heaven and then rush to the airport. Because there is not much time, and I really want warmth and food. Next is another F with a taxi! Temple of Sky! - ???? – Tempel of Haven! - ??? Mna!!! I get on my phone, launch Google and click on Chinese characters! Yes! – How much? – kikhfhti – What? I don’t understand!. It's good that phones have a calculator! 60 yuan! Hmm.. Apparently trying to heat it up judging by the cunning Chinese face. AAA! Go!
Entrance to the temple, or rather to the territory, costs 60 yuan! However! Let's go in. The temple is ahead. Probably 300 meters. A bunch of boards with descriptions, but 0 in English!! Freaks!
They are not allowed into the temple itself, but you can look through the door. The inside has the same painting as the outside and there are coffins with statues of cows. Let's click and move on. We go through the entire territory from north to south. There is the Temple of Heaven itself, a small temple and a platform of 9 circles with a stone in the center. It turns out that this is the center of the heavens, and in Chinese there are just 9 of them.
Everything in the souvenir shops is sad. Well, what can you do if not only all the souvenirs are Chinese all over the world, but in Beijing they are also Chinese, in the worst sense of the word.
We find a cafe. She looks scary, so it's tea and coffee. Apparently everyone there does this, so tea brewed in a plastic beer glass costs 30 yuan, and a hamburger costs 18!!! The tea is really good, but green tea overbrews quickly. Can't drink it all the way through(
At the exit from the temple there are heaps of merchants with constructors of the Temple of Heaven made from wooden sticks. - Cheep! Haven cheepy!!! Let's laugh! Well, where else can you get Paradise for cheap! Probably Chinese, in principle, is not very expensive.
A few photos from Beijing.
Sky Temple:
Chinese tea:
Returning to the airport in a taxi with whom I had to bargain to get the airport to far two hundred. Stopped at 150. Never mind! We want to stay warm!
We take our bags (for those interested, 30 yuan per day alone), and go eat. I get hit on the head for dragging myself to an American restaurant – it’s not authentic. Well, I do not. I don’t like to eat Thai spicy food, and Chinese food is also specific. In general, despite the American restaurant, the menu is rather Chinese, but close to Europe. The same rice, the same pasta, but instead of something, it’s not clear - meat.
It was not immediately possible to find the exit to the gate. English is much better at the airport, but the locals don’t really know where things are. They recommend moving there (pointing a finger) and asking there.
Ugh. Found. Many of us. It turns out that there are those who were supposed to fly on the 25th. They sat in Sharik on the plane until 5 in the morning (we were boarded almost at the same time) and they were barely registered for today’s flight to Manila. They said there were no places. I scratch my turnips. Judging by the seats we have 21 L. That is. the plane is wide with at least 10 seats in a row, it turns out something like a Boeing 777, and this is 300 people. There are noticeably fewer people in the queue.
They take you to the plane, and there is a 737!!! Mother! It has 6 seats in a row!! Where are we sitting? It turned out that Air China had it all simple. On all planes, the outermost row is L, just everything that doesn’t fit between A and L is skipped!
There are empty places. But there's a lot of luggage. As it turned out later in Manila, the Filipinos are still shuttles. Therefore, one row is completely filled with hand luggage)
In general, we landed at one in the morning on December 28th Manila time. It's +25 outside. A night at the hotel and another push awaits us.
The adventures didn't end there. Firstly, all banks are closed and there is no place to change money. Thank God there was an ATM. Withdrew local pesos from him. English is good. Everyone says bad things.
We're going to the hotel. There it turns out that we were booked from 28 to 29. And we are spending the night from 27 to 28! Mna! Respechen for a long time I can’t understand why we arrived earlier, but they gave us a number! People flying through Dubai will just fly to Manila tomorrow! They have everything right!) Time 2 get up at 8:30 for breakfast in the car at 10.
We're sleeping!
In the morning after breakfast I went to look for where to change money. I changed a lot, but the course is not very good at all. I found the best one in the bank. There was a queue. You need a passport! Mna! Isn’t it right? - No. Passport!
I stood in line here, my passport was at the hotel. - Can not help.
I'm going to get my passport. I come and ask if I can skip the line. - Yes. Please.
Then it seemed to me that I was a drug dealer or some other very unreliable person. I was forced to write down in the form, in addition to my full name, address, passport number, information about where I got the money, rewrite all banknote numbers, write the amount in words and numbers. In general, I had deja vu the moment I received the 3rd form for KAPO Gorbunov. Unless they asked about relatives abroad. They photocopied my passport, demanded my license and also photocopied it. All this took a long time to enter into the computer, because after all, our names for them, even in Latin, are complete gobbledygook. After that, not all the money was exchanged for me; I didn’t like one bill. I don’t know why Benjamin Fracklin blinked, but corrections were made to the questionnaire. It’s good that they didn’t force you to rewrite it!
In general, I understood why I changed so much on the streets there. The process took almost half an hour!!! Next time, because of the 150 rubles saved (at the exchange rate), I definitely won’t butt heads so much!
Then 3 hours by car, an hour by boat and we are at the hotel. From here I am writing to you.
That's all for now.
If you decide to visit Asia and get acquainted with its unique culture, then our useful guide will certainly come in handy. Especially for you, we have collected the most necessary information about Beijing for independent tourists, useful tips and tricks. Beijing is an amazing city, there is something new for everyone here. It will certainly captivate you from the first day of your stay. Here you can stroll through beautiful parks, have a picnic by the lake, spend an evening in an authentic bar, try delicious dishes and simply enjoy the local flavor. You really can't go wrong if you visit Beijing in the spring or fall. Of course, you can visit the city in the summer, but keep in mind that many at this time will find it too stuffy and not very comfortable for long walks. In winter, a vacation in Beijing is also possible, but you may not be able to take colorful and beautiful photos. Many are dissuaded from traveling to Beijing when the Chinese New Year is celebrated here, frightening them with crowds of tourists, but, as practice shows, at this time you can have a wonderful rest here without any discomfort. A nice bonus is various additional discounts in stores.
A nice bonus only for our readers - a discount coupon when paying for tours on the website until October 31:
- AF500guruturizma - promotional code for 500 rubles for tours from 40,000 rubles
- AFTA2000Guru - promotional code for 2,000 rubles. for tours to Thailand from 100,000 rubles.
- AF2000TGuruturizma - promotional code for 2,000 rubles. for tours to Tunisia from 100,000 rubles.
Today you can have an exciting time in one of the largest zoos in China, founded in 1906. Almost 15 thousand fauna representatives live here. On the territory of the zoo there are ponds and lakes dating back to the end of the Qing Dynasty. The Big Panda House deserves special attention, where the most popular mammals live, including the unique giant panda. You can get to the zoo by metro, line 4, Beijing Zoo station.
Another attraction of Beijing that certainly deserves attention is the Ancient Observatory. Today it presents a thematic museum, which displays ancient exhibits - astronomical equipment. The observatory was built in 1442. If you take the subway, then you need the first and second lines, Jianguomen station.
8 metro line
Also dedicate time to metro line 8 (Olympic Branch Line), the opening of which was timed to coincide with the Olympics, which took place in Beijing in 2008. You can visit the National Bird's Nest Stadium and the National Water Cube Swimming Center, which currently houses a water park.
Fifth day
Today we recommend visiting another unique place - Art Zone 798 (Dashanzi Art District). On site you can visit various exhibitions, which are updated frequently. Previously, visiting the Art Zone was absolutely free; today, for the most part, an entrance fee is required.
It is noteworthy that there used to be a factory on this territory, so galleries and exhibitions are located right in the workshops of abandoned buildings. The easiest way to get to the gallery is by taxi, since the metro does not go to this site. Get off at Lianmaqiao Station, which is on Line 10, catch a taxi and show the address: 大山子798艺术区.
Sixth day
Today we are going to visit the Great Wall of China. The easiest way to get to the place is to purchase a tour, which is sold in almost all hotels. This way you can get to the attraction you need comfortably and without any problems. Another option is to take a tourist bus, which leaves early in the morning from Tiananmen or Xuanwumen. Buy a ticket and get ready for an exciting excursion. The most courageous tourists who are not afraid of difficulties can get to Badaling on their own by purchasing a ticket for the train that departs from the northern station.
An important point, if you decide to buy excursions, then choose the Mutianyu wall section, since many hours of traffic jams await you on the way to Badaling. Also, do not count on a tour in English and, especially, in Russian. The narration is conducted exclusively in Chinese. Bring a light snack, as all snacks near the tourist site are very expensive. Before you go for an inspection, remember the number of the bus you arrived on and check the exact time of meeting with the guide.
Seventh day. Shopping in Beijing
It would be simply unforgivable to come to Beijing and not spend time shopping. Shopping can and should be combined with an excursion program. If you prefer such famous brands as: Uniqlo, Bershka, Stradivarius, Pull&Bear, H&M, Zara, GAP, then be sure to check out the U-Town shopping center or any other that comes your way. These brands are not uncommon in Beijing. If you are more interested in local designers, then pay attention to the Hot Wind brand. Also, for interesting shopping spots, check out The Place tower complex. Here you can see the LED screen, already familiar to everyone from photos on the Internet. We highly recommend checking out Charterhouse, a bookshop where you can buy literature in English.
You can bargain and purchase copies from the collections of famous brands at the Silk Market. If they tell you the cost of an item, you can safely divide it by 10. In general, you can have a lot of fun here.
If you are looking for interesting souvenirs for relatives, friends or colleagues, then head to Nanluoguxiang. Here you will definitely find something interesting. If you want, we recommend taking a walk to Houhai Bar Street, it is nearby. Here you can combine shopping and walking with exploring picturesque places. Since the place is touristic, the prices are correspondingly higher than in other places. If you want to save money, you can go to hutongs for a snack. The food here is no less tasty. If you want to buy interesting souvenirs made of stone or porcelain, ivory or bamboo, wood, or antiques, then go to Liulichang Street.
Do you prefer exquisite silk products? The shops you need are located on Xiushui Street. Branded items in Beijing can be bought on Xidan Street. The markets of Beijing deserve special attention. Five markets will be of interest to tourists. Wangfujing Market, which is essentially a shopping street and is located near the Forbidden City, offers tourists branded products in various boutiques, souvenirs, and bookstores. We recommend coming here in the late afternoon. It is at this time that a “food lane” opens here, where you can taste freshly prepared exotic kebabs, for example, scorpion skewers. You can also combine a walk and shopping with a visit to the Chinese Theater, entry to which is free for everyone.
To get to Xiushuijie Silk Market, you need to take the subway to Yonganli Station. The market itself is located in a multi-storey building, where mainly only tourists shop, since the prices here are very inflated. There will be no language barrier with the traders, as they all speak English. It is unlikely that you will be able to bargain on the price here; for the most part it is fixed. You can purchase similar goods as in the Xiushuijie market, but only more affordable in price and quality, in the Yasiu (Yashou) shichang market. We take the metro to Dongsishitiao station.
A must-see for all shopaholics is the Hongqiao Shichang Pearl Market. Here you can find the most reasonable prices and good quality products. Another popular market in Beijing is Yabaolu. Here you can buy all the goods that you see in shopping centers in Russia. This place is popular among Russian tourists because only here you can easily exchange rubles for dollars, and all the sellers speak Russian. The prices will also please you.
Where to go in Beijing at night
The main advice to all tourists is not to try strong alcoholic drinks in clubs, as in Beijing they are of very low quality. Even familiar luxury whiskey brands do not guarantee original content. In general, there is a high risk of running into burnt alcohol. One exception is the Mao Mao Chong bar. It’s cozy here, the food is delicious and they carefully monitor their reputation; I offer only high-quality alcohol. The interior of the bar is decorated with paintings painted by the owner of the establishment himself. He and his wife can often be found at the bar. They will offer you high quality service, attentive attitude and branded tincture.
If you are planning a trip to the Chinese capital, then you will have to spend at least a month exploring local attractions. But, as a rule, most tourists plan to explore Beijing in just 3 days. We have prepared for you a ready-made itinerary “What to see in Beijing in 3 days.”
Today we have on our program the largest square in the world, one of the local museums, a theater and a couple of parks.
Tiananmen Square (Tiananmen Guangchang)
Tiananmen Square is the largest square in the world. It has a size of 440 thousand square meters - just enough space for sixty football fields. Its length is eight hundred and eighty meters, and its width is exactly half a kilometer. There is room for half a million people here - the population of a small city. This place has seen a flurry of important and significant events in Chinese history and politics, many of the country’s ups and downs. Here a divergence occurred, here the Ninth December Movement took place, here Mao Zedong informed the people that from now on they were citizens of the People's Republic of China... And in nineteen eighty-six, Tiananmen Square was named one of the “sixteen main attractions of Beijing.” Now the flag is raised here in the mornings and lowered in the evenings - this is a whole ceremony, which crowds of people gather to watch.
- Address: Changan Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing
- Opening hours: open 24 hours a day.
- How to get there: You can get to the Tiananmendong stop by bus routes 2, 82, 59, 52, 5, 99.
Palace Museum of the Forbidden City
Gugong, also known as the Forbidden City, which is located in the middle of the Chinese capital, is a palace that was the residence of twenty-four emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Its territory is 720,000 square meters. m. And the construction area is 150 sq. m. m. Gugun began to be built in one thousand four hundred and six, and was completed in one thousand four hundred and twenty. Now this building serves as the National Palace Museum. Gugong is the most important monument of Chinese culture of the first class, a unique architectural monument, the best preserved wooden building on Earth, created in ancient times.
Address: Jingshanqian Street 4, Dongcheng District, Beijing
Opening hours:
From April 1 to October 31: Tue-Sun from 08:30 to 16:00
From November 1 to March 31: Tue-Sun from 08:30 to 15:40
How to get there: You can get to the Forbidden City stop by bus 103 or 685.
State Grand Theater of China
The National Grand Theater of China is located in the west of Tiananmen Square, west of the Great Hall, south of the street. Changanjie. Its parts are the main building, an underground gallery from the north and south, underground parking, there is also a man-made lake, and the surrounding area is landscaped. The entire theater occupies one hundred eighteen thousand nine hundred square meters. m, and the total construction area is one hundred sixty-five thousand square meters. m. There is an opera, a concert hall, a drama theater, and a small theater. This is the largest of all Asian theater complexes.
Address: Changan Street 2, Xicheng District, Beijing
Opening hours: Mon-Sun from 09:00 to 17:00
How to get there: You can get to the Tiananmenxi stop by bus No. 1 or, alternatively, No. 52.
Jinshan Park
Jingshan Park is a 4A national scenic spot and a major protected national cultural relic. It is located in the front street. Jingshan, which is located in Xicheng District. The park is located close to the lake. Beihai, to the north of here, also nearby, is the road from the Shenumen Gate of the Forbidden City. It was previously a garden that belonged to three dynasties - Yuan, Ming, Qing. This attraction is located in the central axis of the city fortifications of the Chinese capital, and in the middle of it is a mountain with the same name as the park. It was once Beijing's main peak. The area of Jinshan Park is twenty-three hectares.
Address: Shanxi Street 44, Xicheng District, Beijing
Opening hours: Mon-Sun from 6:30 to 18:00
How to get there: You can get to the Forbidden City stop by bus 103 or, optionally, 685.
Beihai Park
Beihai Park is among those gardens of the Chinese emperors that have been best preserved to this day. It is located in the middle of the city. This garden was laid out more than a thousand years ago, and now it is a real treasure of garden art of its country: the beauty of the palaces of emperors and the majesty of religious places are miraculously intertwined here. Currently an AAAA class attraction. The area of the park is seventy-one hectares.
This park became accessible to visitors in nineteen twenty-five, and in nineteen sixty-one it received government protection. In the west there is a beautiful mountain, and in the northwest there is a lake. Sanhai. This lake is a collection of smaller lakes: Zhonghai and Nanhai. The park is one of the ancient gardens of the emperors of China.
Address: Wenjin Street 1, Xicheng District, Beijing
Opening hours:
From April 1 to October 31: Tue-Sun from 6:30 to 20:00
From November 1 to March 31: Tue-Sun from 7:00 to 16:30
How to get there: You can get to the Beihaibeizhan stop by bus routes 13, 42, 107, 111, 118, 609, 701, 612, 623.
Ticket prices:
What to see in Beijing in 3 days: Day 2
Today we will see one of the main Chinese attractions, as well as a couple of temples and one interesting alley.
Mutianyu section of the Great Wall of China
Part of the Mutianyu Great Wall is located in Huairou, seventy-three kilometers northeast of the Chinese capital. You can visit it instead of the Badaling Wall. The section, stretching for two and a half kilometers, borders Jiuyongguan on the western side and Gubeikou on the eastern side. There are mountains around this place, so you can always admire beautiful views.
Mutianyu was built at the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, and this wall stands where the walls of the Northern Qi Dynasty previously stood. It became part of the Great Wall of China only at the beginning of the fifteenth century. In one thousand five hundred and sixty-nine the wall was rebuilt, very carefully and firmly strengthened. A granite wall, rising seven to eight meters and four to five meters wide, is what it now looks like.
Address: Mutianyu Village, Huairou District, Beijing
Opening hours:
From November 16 to March 15: Mon-Sun from 8:00 to 17:00
From March 16 to November 15: Mon-Fri from 7:30 to 18:00; Sat-Sun from 7:30 to 18:30
How to get there: You can get to the Mytianyuhuandao stop by bus H24.
Ticket prices: full – 40CNY, reduced – 20CNY
Yonghegong Temple (Lamaist Temple)
The Lama Temple is located in the northeast of Dongcheng district, on the eastern street. Yunhegong. This is the largest of the Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in the Chinese capital. In 1983, by government decree, it became one of the national Buddhist monasteries in the territory of the Han people. The monastery has three elegant arches and five large halls. The style of the building, its curved roofs, antique arches - all this is associated with great antiquity, and there are mountains on the western and eastern sides. The area of the temple itself is sixty-six thousand four hundred and forty square meters. m, and it contains more than a thousand rooms.
Address: Yonghegong Street 28, Dongcheng District, Beijing
Opening hours:
From April 1 to October 31: Mon-Sun from 09:00 to 16:30
From November 1 to March 31: Mon-Sun from 09:00 to 16:00
How to get there: You can get to the Yonghegong stop by bus No. 116, 117, 13, 684.
Ticket prices: full – 25CNY, reduced – 12CYN
Temple of Confucius and Imperial Academy
The Temple of Confucius, also known as Kunmiao, and the Imperial Academy, Guozijian, are located on the street. Guozijang, near Yonghegong Temple. The temple, located in the Chinese capital, is the second largest Chinese Confucian temple. The only larger temple is the Qiufu Temple, which is located in the village of Zhongni in Shandong Province, the birthplace of Confucius. Confucius was worshiped at the Beijing temple during the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties.
This temple, consisting of three courtyards, occupies an area of about twenty-two thousand square meters. m. It is planned in the standard way for Chinese temples: along the south-north axis. The main buildings here are the Gate of Great Success, the Hall of Great Success, and the Chongsheng Memorial Temple. Here it is recommended to take a closer look at the very large number of tablets made of stone, and at the old trees that grow in the temple courtyard.
Address: Guozijian Street 13, Dongcheng District, Beijing
Opening hours: Mon-Sun from 8:00 to 17:00
How to get there: You can get to the Yonghegong stop by bus No. 116 or, optionally, No. 117.
Nanluogu Lane
This alley is one of the oldest streets in Beijing. It is very popular among shopaholics and those who like to eat in restaurants and drink in bars.
It is known as one of the oldest alleys (hutongs) in this city. Now it’s not even an alley, but a whole street, where there are many retail outlets, bars, restaurants for city guests, and there are establishments here owned by foreigners. For example, an Indian restaurant here is run by a very real Indian citizen, T-shirts are sold in a store owned by a Briton, and the store that sells ceramics is staffed by Filipinos. There are very luxurious places here - but they are for the rich and high-ranking people. This place is also loved by young people, since there are many things you can buy here at a better price than in other parts of Beijing.
Address: Nanluoguxiang Alley, Dongcheng District, Beijing
Opening hours: open 24 hours a day
How to get there:
Take the subway to Nanluoguxiang station on line 6.
By bus to the Jiaodaokounan stop, bus routes No. 13, 107, 124, 113, 612, 758, 803.
What to see in Beijing in 3 days: Day 3
On the third and last day we will see another temple and two palaces.
Temple of Heaven (Tiantan)
Tiantan is a whole temple and monastery complex located in the central part of the city. There is the only round temple in Beijing - the Harvest Temple, which is often called the Temple of Heaven, this is the main temple in the complex. The area of the entire Tiantan is two hundred and seventy-three hectares. This is one of the Beijing symbols.
Tiantan was built in 1420, when the Ming Dynasty ruled China under the motto “Yongle”. At first, the building was called the Temple of Heaven and Earth, but in one thousand five hundred and thirty, when a separate Temple of the Earth was erected, only Heaven began to be worshiped there.
Tiantan is located southeast of the palace of the Chinese emperors. In terms of age from the date of construction, it is approximately the same age as Gugun. As stated above, it was built to worship not only Heaven, but also the Earth, hence the unique shape of its territory - a square south and a rounded north. In China, a circle is a symbol of Heaven, and a square is a symbol of Earth.
Address: Jia Tiantan Road 1, Dongcheng District, Beijing
Opening hours:
From March 1 to June 1: Mon-Sun from 8:00 to 17:30
From July 1 to October 31: Mon-Sun from 8:00 to 18:00
From November 1 to February 28: Mon-Sun from 8:00 to 17:00
How to get there: You can get to Tiantandongmen by bus routes 6, 34, 35, 36, 39, 41, 43, 60.
Ticket prices: 30CYN.
Summer Imperial Palace (Yiheyuan)
This attraction is among the most unique gardens of the Chinese emperors. Yiheyuan is located on the northwest side of the city, fifteen kilometers from the center. Its park covers an area of two hundred and ninety hectares, three quarters of which is a body of water. This park belonged to the emperors of China and was their residence and garden. Its huge lake supplied water to the entire city, and also had a connection with the river, which made it possible to use the reservoir for transport links with other places near Beijing.
Address: Xinjiangongmen Road 19, Haidian District, Beijing
Opening hours: Mon-Sun from 6:30 to 20:00
How to get there: You can get to Yiheyuan by buses No. 330, 331, 346, 508, 579, 584, 601, 608, 696.
Ticket prices: 30CYN.
Old Summer Imperial Palace
This attraction is located in the west of the Chinese capital, not far from the Summer Palace, and its parts are several parks: Summer Palace Park, Changchun, Yichun. This whole attraction has another name, unofficially - “Three Yuanming Parks”. This park complex was built at the beginning of the eighteenth century. In 1860, during the Second Opium War, it was burned by British and French troops, leaving only ruins. This park complex is large in scale, and various horticultural methods have been used here, all kinds of gardening styles have been combined, so that this entire attraction is the pinnacle of Chinese horticultural art.
Address: Qinghuaxi Road 28, Haidian District, Beijing
Opening hours: Mon-Sun from 7:00 to 19:00
How to get there: You can get to Yuanmingyuannanmen by bus routes 319, 320, 331, 432, 438, 498, 601, 626, 628, 664, 690, 696, 697.
Ticket prices: 25CYN
