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6 Ways To Conquer The Fascinating Beijing
A place that is fascinating as well as educational
A visit to Beijing was one of the mystery places on my bucket-list. A place that did not disappoint which was educational as well as fascinating. If you’re living in Asia or traveling, make it a point to visit Beijing. Experiencing Beijing with Viking River Cruises was amazing. I now have my backpack strapped in the front and my camera in hand this Expat was ready to immerse herself in the city and have fun. I will guide you on your adventure to the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Tiananmen Square, and the Sacred Way.
Feel the electricity in the air as you walk through the city visiting these magnificent ancient sites. Thank goodness for the translator/ tour guide to help navigate through a sea of people. Lets learn about the City of Beijing.
City of Beijing
Beijing is home to 21,150,000 people not including the many tourists who visit throughout the year. This city is characterized by hot and humid summers with cold, windy and dry winters.
The air-quality at times can be a concern. A lightweight jacket worked well in late winter but bundle up for your visit to the Great Wall. Travel clothes work well here and pack easily.
Places to visit in Beijing
Great Wall of China
Hiking along the Great Wall…
1. Great Wall; Badaling Hills
Badaling Hills this Great Wall is located approx. 50 miles northwest of urban Beijing and is the most frequented part of the wall. Built in 1504 in the Ming Dynasty and was a commanding and strategic position for protecting the Juyongguan Pass.
2. Forbidden City
In the heart of Beijing lies The Forbidden City which is ringed by a 52 meter wide moat. A well preserved collection of buildings. This Chinese Imperial Palace lasted from the Ming Dynasting to the Qing Dynasting. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987.
Summer Palace…
3. Summer Palace
A popular tourist destination with a vast ensemble of lakes, gardens and palaces. The construction started in 1750 for the Royal Families to rest and entertain in luxury. The Summer Palace was destroyed by fires from the allied forces, reconstructed and opened to the public in 1924. UNESCO World Heritage Site.
4. Long Corridor at the Summer Palace
Stop by and see the beautiful covered long corridor at the Summer Palace. This covers a distance of 728 meters and is considered the longest corridor.
Tiananmen Square in the rain…
5. Tiananmen Square
Tiananment Square is the largest city square in the center of Beijing. Named after the Tiananmen (Gate of the Heavenly Peace) contains the monument of the People’s Hero, The Great Hall of the People, National Museum of China, and the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong. This is the location of the 1989 Protests pro-democracy movement known as the June fourth incident.
The Sacred Way leading to the Ming Dynasty tombs…
The Sacred Way leading to the Ming Dynasty tombs
6. The Sacred Way leading to the Ming Dynasty tombs
Divine Road leading to heaven constructed in 1540 during the Ming Dynasty. The Emperor, known as the son of the Heaven, who arrived from Heaven to his country through the Divine Road and returns the same way. 12 Human Statutes, and 24 Animal Statues that line the way.
Visiting a local artist that paints inside of snuff bottles beautifully…
During my tour, we were able to visit a local family and hear about their life. A ride through their community with description about how the small community works together was interesting. Above is the daughter of the local house visited who is famous for her paintings in snuff bottles. Intricate and beautifully done.
Other Hong Kong
Three days four nights is all you need to visit Beijing. Use this as a stopover to visit the city, Xian to see the life-sized Terra-Cotta Warriors.
Depending on your home country, your passport visa can be slightly expensive but don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
With a variety of ways to visit Beijing, this 1Adventure Traveler enjoyed the Viking River Cruise “the Imperial Jewels of China”. However you decide to visit Beijing, make sure to experience the local people and culture. It’s amazing.
Visit my other Blogs at 1AdventureTraveler plus these others in Asia such as Japan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Cambodia. Trip Advisor is a great source to search your next destination and see my reviews. Make sure to see my latest reviews on your next destination.
Local Market
Remember to leave a comment on your favorite Hotel, Restaurant, and favorite things to do in that city.
Life is way too short, go out and have fun.
Please leave a comment. Have you been to Beijing? Please share what you found interesting and did you use a tour?
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I’m scheduled for a trip to China this fall and I was debating if I should go see Beijing. After reading your post I am convinced I should. Thanks for sharing this on #TheWeeklyPostcard
Thanks Anda, Hope you were able to visit Beijing this fall and seen some fascinating places. Looking forward to reading your blog…🙂
I’d really love to go one day and was sad when my family went without me because it was the first week of my second year of Uni. Unforgivable! haha Thanks for linking up with #TheWeeklyPostcard!
Thanks Lolo, Beijing is so fascinating and so sorry you missed it but Uni is very important 🙂. Hope one day you get a chance to visit!
Beijing is one of my favorite cities in the world. There is so much to see. I love the Pearl and Silk markets too. Shopping there is amazing, I bought so much great stuff. Would love to go back and spend more time there. Thanks for sharing on #TheWeeklyPostcard.
Thanks Anisa, I totally agree shopping is amazing! After shopping I had to purchase another suitcase…lol. Plus there is so much to see there…🙂
Great! Thanks for sharing it! It is indeed great article. I think I have to visit this place. I enjoyed looking at your photos.
Thanks 🙂
Glad you enjoyed my article & photos on Beijing and hope you get a chance to visit one day. I found for China that a tour worked well due to the educational information and transportation that was provided, along with the hotel recommendations. Chinese New Year is always a great time of year to try and visit.
Happy Travels, Stephanie (1AdventureTraveler)
I think the Forbidden City has been high up on our Bucket List longer than most places. Maybe it’s that human nature to want to go anywhere that’s “forbidden”? This is a nice reminder there is so much more to see in Beijing.
Hi Rob + Ann,
The Forbidden City is amazing. I wish more furnishings were still there but it is still worth moving with the crowds of people to see. I enjoyed Beijing and what made it nice and educational was having a local guide that provided interesting history.
Happy Travels, Stephanie (1AdventureTraveler)
This is a lovely post and your photos are great at complimenting the detail about all the places you visited. China is on my must do travel list and there seems to be so much to see and do!
Thanks Sam,
China was so amazing and glad you enjoyed my photos. I must have taken a thousand photos but still have yet to edit them all. I hope you get a chance to visit Beijing, Xian and other locations in China. It is so worth it and is a great stop over place to other parts of Asia.
Happy Travels, Stephanie (1AdventureTraveler)
Yes, a bucket list trip for sure! We’ve looked at a tour of China a few times, which included Beijing, but the timing hasn’t worked out yet. One day! In the meantime, I will save this post to reference when that day comes! You covered many of the areas we are hoping to visit when we make it! Thanks for sharing,
Thanks Jenn,
I hope you make it to China. I am not a cruise person but my parents talked me into the cruise to Beijing. We used Viking River Cruise and took the “Imperial Jewels of China”. They offer some other cruises but what I liked about it is that the cruises are smaller and local guides are provided in each city. Accommodations top notch along with 5 star hotels. Fabulous. We actually took Viking River cruises to Vietnam & Cambodia which was great. Hope the information helps and you get a chance to visit. They also offer 2 other Viking River Cruises.
Hope this is a good resource.
Happy Travels, Stephanie (1AdventureTraveler)
Never been attracted to China but recently I discovered some great posts about it that made me change my mind. Maybe in a few years I will be able to visit. Thank you for sharing, I will pin it for later!
Thank you…
Beijing can be very overwhelming. What I found is that a tour company sometimes is the way to go. I never thought I would visit countries that way but for Beijing there was so much to offer and with this tour company they provide local guides at every city. Hotels are picked in advance and its a trip of a life time. We used Viking River Cruises and sometimes they offer 2 for 1 specials. They are expensive but so worth it. I hope you make it to China one day.
Happy Travel 🙂 Stephanie (1AdventureTraveler)
Hi Stephanie! Beijing looks great. Loved your photos! Will add Beijing to our bucket list.
Thank You, Beijing is definitely worth a visit. There is so much history that finding a guide is worth the information 🙂
Happy Travels, Stephanie (1AdventureTraveler)
China has continued to escape me, but you’ve reminded me that there’s so much to see just in Beijing alone. I need to get there! What time of year do you think is best to visit?
Hi David,
Glad you liked my post and yes there are amazing places to see while there. The tip I recommend is a local guide that will give the history to the sites and make sure to walk the Great Wall. I went in early May which was a good time just a little chilly especially on the Great Wall. The only time you don’t want to go is when the air quality gets worse with the yellow dust storms. 🙂
I’ve been on a business trip to Bejing and did some sightseeing. It was incredibly crowded but other than that I liked some of the sights which you perfectly describe in your post.
Hi Marcelle,
Glad you liked my post and was able to visit Beijing and see some of the same sights. Beijing can be seen in just a few days, but what I found most enjoyable was the local guide that provided the history for the sights we saw. Make sure to add some other sights on a return trip to China is Xian, Shanghai & Hong Kong. 🙂
Great post Stephanie, Phil and I did a big tour of China last year, it was such a brilliant experience. We did most of what you did in Beijing, and we toured the city on our own which was interesting! sadly The Forbidden City was closed when we were there (it’s closed on Mondays) should have checked that bit! so instead we walked around it and to the top of Jingshan Park to see it from above! We also got the overnight sleeper train from Beijing to Xian which was another experience in Beijing’s huge train station trying to figure out how it all worked!
Hi Phil and Garth,
Thank you glad you liked my post. What a shame you missed The Forbidden City but how exciting to see it from above. What I find fascinating is the overnight sleeper train you took from Beijing to Xian. I always find overnight sleeper trains an adventure especially my train ride from Germany to Prague many years ago. I will have to see your post on your experience at the train station and more. 🙂
Beijing – and China as a whole – is still uncrossed on our Bucket List! I think you’ve definitely hit all the highlights on our wish list, and there is still so much more to see.
Hi Rob & Ann,
Thank you….Glad I hit the highlights on your wishlist. Just an overview to get travelers excited about Beijing. Just a few days needed there and I agree there is still so much to see like Xian, Shanghai, Hong Kong and more. Look forward to reading your posts when you visit. 🙂
Wonderful post – the Forbidden City sounds particularly interesting!
Hi UncoverTravel
Thank you! The Forbidden City was very interesting and one of my favorite places to visit in Beijing. Wish I had the chance to take night pictures of the amazing lightening!
I still need to visit China but I want to see as much as possible on the trip so need to dedicate time to it. Beijing would be very high on the list and I would love to explore the Forbidden City and all the other sights! Some really useful tips, thank you!
Hi Travel Lexx
Thank you! There are some great and amazing places to see in China and I was only able to visit just a few. I also want to return and see the Pandas and do some hiking in Tibet. Our guide talked about a group of travelers he guided on a hiking trip in Tibet and shared some amazing stories. Altitude seems to be a problem for some that go. The guide also mentioned taking groups hiking along the Great Wall of China out of town for a few days which sounded interesting too. Thought I would tease you with all those possibilities to do in China. Have fun planning your trip.
Love Asia and spent many years travelling around but never been to Beijing. Mostly been to south China so would love to check out the big city one day!
Hi Barry,
There are a few places that are a must to visit while in Beijing. The Forbidden City & Great Wall are a must. Xian where the Terra Cotta Warriors are another place to see but you must hop on a flight. I would love to go hiking in Tibet. The guide talked about how amazing it is but the altitude could be a problem. That is on my bucket list. Of course Shanghai is an amazing city farther south and so many other places to see. Look forward to reading more of your blogs as to where you have been. 🙂
Oh what a lovely post, it brought back some wonderful memories for me from our time here and we visited many of the same places you did. We loved China, it’s people and culture and I would love to return to Beijing to walk on a different part of the Great Wall. Thank you for this 🙂
Hi Angie,
Thank you for your kind words. I also enjoyed reading about your time in China. Glad you enjoyed my adventure through Beijing and I hope to return to see some other amazing places there. Happy Travels 🙂
Quite an adventure! Bejing has always intrigued me and it looks like Viking stops at great places. So much history, would love to see the terra cotta warriors.
Hi Lisa,
Thanks it was such a great adventure being in Beijing. Viking River Cruises offers a wonderful tour with 5 star hotels in between the river cruise plus local guides full of information. A must see are the terra cotta warriors. 🙂
These pictures of the country were beautiful. The people in the pictures were amazing, they looked so friendly. It was helpful the way you explained it. Good job.
After seeing these pictures I would really love to go to China.
Thank you…glad you enjoyed my photos and explanations on the sites to visit while in Beijing. All it takes is just a few days to visit this interesting city. 🙂 Check back again to see one my upcoming blog on Xian when I share my visit to see the Terracotta Warriors.
Stephanie
1AdventureTraveler