china tour

1. The Great Wall

All right, not officially in Beijing proper, still you will see the best parts of it on a day-trip from Beijing. And to go to Beijing without seeing the Great Wall would be a terrible shame. There are many different sections of the wall to visit from Beijing. Some, like Badaling, are big tourist draws. But there are areas, like the hike from Jinshanling to Simatai, where you'll find seclusion. Don't miss the Great Wall when you're in Beijing.

2. The Temple of Heaven

The site of imperial offerings and rites to the heavenly gods during Ming and Qing dynastic times, the Temple of Heaven now offers visitors a view of imperial gardens and interesting architecture, unique to the site. UNESCO listed the Temple of Heaven as a World Cultural Heritage Site in 1998.

3. The Forbidden City

Also called the Palace Museum, the Forbidden City is probably Beijing's most famous sight. If you properly walk through it, visiting each pavilion, it will easily take you most of a day. Built for Ming emperors, the Forbidden City was inhabited by imperial Chinese until 1911 when the last Qing emperor, PuYi abdicated (he was allowed to inhabit the palace until 1924).