Experience
Temple of Heaven
Not initially on our itinerary but we decided to go on the recommendation of the hotel concierge. It is an Imperial complex of religious buildings used by past dynasties to pray for good harvests.
Its located in a vast area surrounded by parks where in the mornings you can see locals practicing tai chi or just exercising.
The complex is nice but as expected very crowded and honestly if you don’t have time you can probably skip it.
Various places at the Temple of Heaven
Recommended visit duration- 2hrs+ as lots of walking
Bell Tower and Drum Tower
These are two historic towers facing each other across a courtyard. Used in the past to announce time, nowadays they are simply tourist attractions.
Drum Tower Bell Tower
We went mainly to climb the towers and see the views over Beijing. Both combined tickets and individual ones are available but be aware that both climbs are up steep, narrow stairs with high individual steps. It takes about 5 minutes to get to the top as stopping is generally not allowed and I was panting by the time I finished (truly unfit!). The way down which I thought would be a breeze was probably harder because of the strain on the poor old knees!
Steps up the towers
Views are decent if it’s a clear day and I really enjoyed the workout it included!
The courtyard was a lovely resting point between climbs and we were lucky to see some amazing ribbon twirling by locals who use the area to practice.
Recommended visit duration- 1hr+
Lama Temple *, Hutongs, Confuscious temple
I club these three together as they are close to each other.
There is a metro nearby and it’s a great way to avoid traffic and taxi costs.
The Lama Temple should be a must on your itinerary. A Buddhist temple of great beauty which even today is an active place of worship. You can offer prayers outside the various halls and clouds of incense are visible throughout the complex. The temple halls themselves have magnificent roofs, decorative arches and lovely frescos and you’ll end up taking many photographs trying to capture the beauty.
Beautiful Lama Temple buildings and largest statue carved from single white sandalwood tree as per Guinness World Records
Incense trough for offering prayers
Exiting the Lama Temple, you could meander through a few Hutongs,
Glimpse into a Hutong
(small narrow lanes within still inhabited courtyards) and get to the Confuscious temple. Please note that the Temple is closed on Mondays although no site mentions this- it was frustrating to find this out only when we were physically there. Even more annoying was that the “Closed” notice was displaced only at the main entrance, whereas the side entrance which is actually closer to the main road across from the Lama Temple, displayed directions to walk to the main entrance to buy tickets.
As I really wanted to see the place, we made an effort to return another day. However, considering how Confuscious is revered in China, the temple was rundown and in need of urgent attention and we were disappointed once again. It looked more like a deserted spot than a temple and we left soon after entering. Such a shame to let a historical place like this be forgotten….
In front of Confucious Statue Grounds of Confucious Temple
The Great Wall of China *
What can I say about this wonder of the world except it was everything we expected and more. It boggled the mind how it was built so many centuries ago with only bare hands, ingenuity and determination. It came at a price though and we were told the wall is also known as the largest graveyard in the world due to the staggering numbers who died in its construction and were buried within it. A sobering thought indeed.
Today it offers us an insight into history and although many sections have been destroyed, 4 are reasonably intact and open to the public. We visited the relatively quieter Mutianyu one. Although possible to climb part of the way up the mountain to a section of the wall, it’s a hard and long journey and the recommended option is to take the cable car up and leave yourself enough energy to walk along the wall itself. While my husband walked most of the section including the final steep climb at the end, I stopped short of the big climb. The wall is a great viewing point with panoramic views of the mountains but it is an exhausting walk with climbs up and down and several steep stairs to navigate. I took my time, enjoyed the views, took photographs and relished the fact that I was actually there.
Just a tip- the crowds at the starting point of the wall reduce the further you walk so keep going till you find someplace serene!
Wall for miles Aspects of the wall
Cable car up to the Wall
Made it to the Wall!
Recommended visit duration- minimum half a day with travel
As I customized our tour there isn't a link for it but click here for the company I used.
The Summer Palace *
Built by the emperor for his Mother the dowager queen, the Summer Palace is an area of lakes, gardens and smaller palaces. Kunming Lake, the main lake, covers ¾ of the entire area and is wholly man made and you can even enjoy a quick boat ride on it for a different perspective. With its beautifully curated gardens, long fresco covered walkways and historic palaces waiting to be explored, I wish we had had more time to relax there.
it is definitely worth a visit if you are in Beijing.
Fresco covered Walkway Flowers in bloom Kunming Lake
Recommended visit duration- half a day
Tiananmen Square
The massacre. That’s what I knew of Tiananmen Square but much to my surprise our lovely guide Lucy said the Chinese people hardly know of this event. Due to the Chinese blackout of social media, most locals don’t even know what happened here during the protests and to them it’s a place they visit to pay respects to Chairman Mao.
Physically it’s a huge square in the center of Beijing. On the north side of the square is Tianmen Tower which is the entrance to the Forbidden City. There is a huge portrait of Chairman Mao above the gate and the flag raising ceremony that happens here is a must see for most Chinese. Special parades also take place along the road in front.
Tianmen Square
Forbidden City/Palace Museum *
Wow what a place. A walled city in the center of Beijing, it used to be the home of the Emperor and his family. It was forbidden for commoners to enter until 1925 when it became the Palace Museum and opened up to the public.
I was fascinated by the stories of political and family intrigue, power struggles and especially daily life within the city that our guide told us about. The wives, the concubines, the eunuchs, the traditions, the lifestyles- everything was so interesting!
The actual buildings and public areas are amazing and I cannot find the words to accurately describe the place so I will leave it to some photos to try and do justice to the forbidden city’s beauty.
Part of the forbidden city grounds The Dragon staircase
Alleys to the concubine quarters Ceiling of a pagoda in the Garden
There’s even a small museum onsite with a few weapons, costumes and musical instruments of the time which is well worth a quick visit.
Theatrical Costumes
Tip: I was so taken by the Forbidden City that I even returned home and watched “The Last Emperor” to feed my curiosity of life within! If you plan to visit, maybe watch it before travelling!
Recommended visit duration- 4 hrs with guide
Click Here for the company I used for the Walking Tour
Eat
Peking duck of course! *
Beijing is the home of the Peaking duck and there are soooo many places recommended to eat it. Google says Da Dong is a very popular place for a good duck but I always prefer a local’s recommendation. Siji Minfu was a restaurant suggested both by the hotel concierge and our local tour guide. A lovely, busy restaurant with a HUGE menu, thankfully with pictures, and items we’ve never heard of. We stayed focused, however, as our aim was the duck. The Peaking duck here comes served with a fairly bland duck soup while the essential pancakes and toppings are charged extra. The whole glistening duck was brought tableside and carved in front of us and the aroma was absolutely drool worthy!
The first bite was a surprise for me as I had expected the skin to be crispy and it was not (later found out that there can be 2 preparations). This particular place does the duck with a melt in the mouth skin rather than a crispy one and after I came to terms with this I couldn’t stop amazing at just how flavorful and tender the meat was- it literally just melted in our mouth. We polished off 1 duck between us along with a side vegetable and were totally and blissfully stuffed!
Peking Duck
Dinner was again Roast duck in our hotel- this time it turned out the be the crispy variety and equally delicious!
I would suggest trying both preparations as to me each had something different to offer – in the end it boils down to personal preference but either ways you come out a winner!
Recommendations
Take a guided tour of Tiananmen Square and The Forbidden City to make the most of your time there. The process of doing this on one’s own looked too complicated and would waste a lot time. Viator has some great walking tours and we took the 4 hour one. Our guide Lucy was excellent in case you want to request her.We took a guide and car for The Great Wall and Summer Palace but they can be done on your own. There are tour groups, busses and taxis going to each but remember that the distances are quite far depending on which section of the wall you choose to visit so plan your time in advance.
Impressions
Beijing is one of China’s most historical locations…...and of course this means hordes of tourists all year so if you’re expecting a relaxed meaningful experience of the past- think again. From what I saw China doesn’t need any foreign tourists- the domestic traveler is enough to sustain them! Keeping in mind the sheer numbers of people, I was mighty impressed with the systems they have in place to ensure the smooth process of herding everyone through touristic areas. Be ready to stand in many queues but know that they do move along and eventually you will reach your destination.