Beijing
The Great Wall, the Forbidden City and six centuries of empire
Beijing is where most journeys in China begin, and four or five days is enough to understand why. Walk the 980 buildings of the Forbidden City, stand on the Great Wall, watch the flag raised at Tiananmen at dawn, sip tea in a courtyard house, and eat Peking duck in a restaurant that has served it for 150 years.
We use the Mutianyu and Jinshanling sections of the wall, away from the coach crowds, and we build in the things guidebooks skip: a morning in a neighborhood market, a calligraphy class, or a bicycle ride along the moat of the Drum Tower.
Places to see in Beijing
The highlights we build into almost every Beijing itinerary. Your own list can be longer, shorter, or somewhere else entirely.
Forbidden City
980 buildings and 24 emperors. Timed entry must be booked in advance — we handle the permits.
Great Wall at Mutianyu
The quietest restored section, with a cable car up and a toboggan down.
Temple of Heaven
Where emperors prayed for the harvest, and where Beijingers still practice tai chi at 6am.
Hutongs of the Drum and Bell Towers
Courtyard lanes, rickshaws, and lunch inside a real siheyuan family home.
Summer Palace
Imperial gardens around Kunming Lake — go late afternoon, when the light turns gold.
Tiananmen Square
The ceremonial heart of the country, best at the flag-raising ceremony.
Lama Temple
Beijing's most important Tibetan Buddhist monastery, with a 18-meter sandalwood Maitreya.
Jingshan Park
The hill opposite the Forbidden City's north gate — the classic overhead view of the palace roofs.
798 Art District
Former military factories turned galleries, design shops and weekend markets.
Beihai Park
A 1,000-year-old imperial lake and white dagoba, a ten-minute walk from the hutongs.
More places in China
Tell us what you want to see in Beijing
We do not publish fixed packages or prices, because almost nothing about a good trip to China is fixed. Send us your dates and interests and a specialist will design an itinerary around them — with a clear, itemized quotation.
- Your own English-speaking guide and private vehicle
- Hotels chosen for location, not for commission
- Tickets and permits booked on your behalf, including timed entries
- Free revisions until the trip is right
We reply to every inquiry within one business day.