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Forbidden City

sightseeing

Imperial palace complex with 9,999 rooms, Palace Museum, and 600 years of dynastic history.

Tiananmen Square

history

World's largest public square with Mao's Mausoleum, monuments, and ceremonial flag raising.

Temple of Heaven

culture

UNESCO imperial temple complex with iconic Hall of Prayer, Echo Wall, and morning tai chi.

Summer Palace

sightseeing

Imperial garden with Kunming Lake, Longevity Hill, Long Corridor, and marble boat.

Nanluoguxiang Hutong

local

800m historic alley with traditional courtyard houses, boutiques, cafes, and local snacks.

Wangfujing Street

shopping

Premier shopping street with department stores, Snack Street, St. Joseph's Church, and night market.

798 Art District

art

Contemporary art zone in converted factory with galleries, studios, cafes, and street art.

Olympic Park

sightseeing

2008 Olympic venue with Bird's Nest stadium, Water Cube aquatics center, and observation tower.

Houhai Lake

nightlife

Historic lakeside area with bar street, boat rides, willow trees, and hutong rickshaws.

Qianmen Street

shopping

500-year-old pedestrian street with traditional shops, old Beijing brands, and tram rides.

Jingshan Park

views

Hill park with panoramic Forbidden City views, imperial garden, and historic pavilions.

Sanlitun

nightlife

Modern nightlife district with bars, clubs, Taikoo Li shopping, and embassy quarter dining.

Beijing

Beijing 2025: The Complete Travel Guide to China's Ancient Capital — Great Wall, Forbidden City & Hidden Hutongs

Beijing is a city where millennia of history collide with breathtaking modernity. Imperial palaces stand beside soaring skyscrapers, while narrow hutong alleyways weave between eight-lane boulevards. China's capital is ready to astound you with the magnitude of the Great Wall, the grandeur of the Forbidden City, and the relentless energy of a 22-million-strong metropolis that never sleeps.

This guide is written for travelers who want to experience the real Beijing in 2025:...

faq.title

faq.subtitle Beijing

Since 2023 visa-free transit up to 144 hours through Beijing, long stays require visa

Full day: Badaling (70km, 1.5 hours)—touristy, Mutianyu—scenic, Jinshanling—wild

Travel Tips

Useful tips for visiting Beijing

Set up Alipay before arriving - essential for payments

VPN essential - Google, WhatsApp, Instagram blocked

Air quality can be bad - check AQI, bring mask

Great Wall: Mutianyu less crowded than Badaling

Winter very cold (-10°C), summer hot and humid

Weather

Average temperature by month

Now

-5°

43%4 м/с

Today

2°-5°

Tomorrow

1°-6°

Thu

8°-3°

Fri

3°-3°

Sat

-2°-6°

Sun

-2°-7°

Mon

-7°-11°

2°

-8°Jan

5°

-6°Feb

12°

0°Mar

20°

8°Apr

26°

14°May

30°

19°Jun

31°

22°Jul

30°

21°Aug

26°

15°Sep

19°

8°Oct

10°

0°Nov

4°

-6°Dec

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3 ¥~0.43 $

Beijing Subway, Alipay

Massive network. 20+ lines. Alipay QR works.

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2 ¥~0.29 $

Beijing Bus

Extensive network. Pay with Alipay.

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13 ¥~1.9 $

Didi

Base fare ¥13. Use Didi app only.

location.transport.title	location.transport.price	location.transport.app	location.transport.note
location.transport.metro	3 ¥ ~0.43 $	Beijing Subway, Alipay	Massive network. 20+ lines. Alipay QR works.
location.transport.bus	2 ¥ ~0.29 $	Beijing Bus	Extensive network. Pay with Alipay.
location.transport.taxi	13 ¥ ~1.9 $	Didi	Base fare ¥13. Use Didi app only.

Prices

Cost of food, accommodation and services

Cafes & Restaurants

Lunch

36 ¥

~36.0 $

Restaurant dinner

181 ¥

~181 $

Breakfast

15 ¥

~15.0 $

Street Food

Local dish

15 ¥

~15.0 $

Drinks

Coffee

29 ¥

~29.0 $

Beer in bar

29 ¥

~29.0 $

Local beer

7 ¥

~7.0 $

Imported beer

22 ¥

~22.0 $

Wine bottle

87 ¥

~87.0 $

Fast Food

Big Mac

29 ¥

~29.0 $

Groceries

Water 1.5L

3 ¥

~3.0 $

Cigarettes

22 ¥

~22.0 $

Weekly groceries

290 ¥

~290 $

Prices are approximate and may vary by season and area.

Accommodation

Hotels and rental prices

Hostel dorm

87 ¥ / night

~87.0 $

Hostel private room

218 ¥ / night

~218 $

Guesthouse

254 ¥ / night

~254 $

Hotel 2★

290 ¥ / night

~290 $

Hotel 3★

435 ¥ / night

~435 $

Hotel 4★

725 ¥ / night

~725 $

Hotel 5★

1,450 ¥ / night

~1,450 $

Boutique hotel

870 ¥ / night

~870 $

Prices are approximate. Book in advance during high season.

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location.payment.accepted_cards

UnionPayAlipayWeChat Pay

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location.payment.atms

widespread

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AlipayWeChat Pay

location.payment.cash

Cash accepted throughout Beijing in 2025 with government regulations requiring acceptance at 3-star+ hotels, 5A/4A tourist attractions. Badaling Great Wall accepts cash, mobile, and foreign cards via POS. Over 95% of payments digital in Beijing, but by law no store can refuse cash. Most hotels, restaurants, and shops in travel itineraries accept cash. Carry ¥500-1000 for emergencies. Small vendors, street markets, and traditional stores prefer cash. Combination of mobile payment, cash, and cards recommended.

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Major banks in Beijing: Bank of China, ICBC, China Construction Bank, Agricultural Bank of China (Mon-Fri 9:00-16:00, passport required, 0.1%-0.5% commission). Bank of China booth at Beijing Airport arrival area open 24/7, no fees for traveler's checks. New in 2025: Foreign currency exchange counters at Wangfujing subway station (Line 8) for 40+ currencies including USD, EUR, JPY, Vietnamese dong, Egyptian pound, Malaysian ringgit. ATMs widespread, Bank of China machines accept most international cards (¥2,000-5,000 daily limit). Save receipts for converting RMB back. Avoid airport/hotel exchanges - poor rates.