Go Bohemian at Factory 798: We left Factory 798 out of a previous version of this guide, reasoning that an ad hoc gathering of performance artists, painters, and sculptors in a former military complex wasn't something the regime would tolerate. We were wrong. Market rents are now…
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Beijing Attractions
Beijing Attractions
Beijing's boastful art and architecture defines our pick of local attractions. Try telling Lama Temple Buddhist devotees that size doesn’t matter – they're immensely proud of their 55-foot high sandalwood Buddha. And Tiananmen's grand double-roofed pavilion presents some impressive political posturing.
46 Results
- Museum
Ancient Observatory (Gu Guanxiang Tai)
This distinctive tower is a historic reminder of how stargazing was conducted before telescopes were invented. Built in 1442, during the Ming Dynasty, and later expanded in the Qing Dynasty, this observatory is among the world's oldest. Several of the huge original bronze instruments…$Dongcheng District
- Religious Site
Bai Ta Si (White Dagoba Temple)
Seemingly continuously under renovation, this Liao dynasty temple features the largest Tibetan pagoda (also called chorten, dagoba, or stupa) in China, towering over the neighborhood at 51m (167 ft.) tall. A Nepali architect built it over 700 years ago (completed 1279) by order of… - Religious Site
Baiyun Guan
If the incense here somehow smells more authentic, it's because this sprawling complex, said to have been built in 739, is the most active of Beijing's Daoist temples. Chinese visitors seem intent on actual worship rather than smug tourism, and the blue-frocked monks wear their hair… - Park/Garden
Bei Hai Gongyuan (Beihai Park)
An imperial playground dating back to the Tartar Jin dynasty (1115-1234), Bei Hai lies to the north of Zhong Hai and Nan Hai, which were also opened to the public in 1925. In the best tradition of Animal Farm, the Communist leaders created a new Forbidden City and named it Zhong Nan… - Zoo/Aquarium
Beijing Haiyangguan (Beijing Aquarium)
"The world's largest inland aquarium" attracted plenty of opposition from local environmental groups when it opened in 1999, and the logic of keeping countless marine animals so far from the sea is questionable. Efforts to compensate are obvious -- an environmental message is laid on… - Park/Garden
Beijing Huanle Gu (Happy Valley Amusement Park)
Beijing's answer to Disneyland, this theme park features stomach-turning roller coasters, and themed sections called Shangri-La Land, Mayan Aztec Village, and Greek Town. Lines for rides can be 3 hours long, so arrive early and avoid the weekends. Opened by overseas Chinese investors… - Museum
Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall (Beijing Guihua Bowyuguan)
Seeing the enormity of Beijing sprawled at your feet is quite the sight. At this surprisingly fun and interactive museum, the history of the capital comes to life. Children and adults alike will be astounded by the museum's centerpiece—a complete scale model of this city of 20…$Tiananmen Square - Museum
Capital Museum (Shoudu Bowuguan)
Focusing on traditional Chinese arts, this museum houses a large collection of ancient porcelain, bronze, calligraphy, and painting. The building itself is sleek and modern, with clever references to traditional Chinese architecture. Exhibits tell the story of Beijing's history and…$Xicheng - Landmark
Chairman Mao's Mausoleum (Mao Zhuxi Jinian Guan)
This is one of the eeriest experiences in Beijing. The decision to preserve Mao's body was made hours after his death in 1976. Panicked and inexperienced, his doctors reportedly pumped him so full of formaldehyde his face and body swelled almost beyond recognition. They drained the… - Museum
China National Film Musuem (Zhongguo Dianying Bowuguan)
If you love Chinese movies, you can easily spend a few hours here. The exterior of this modern black and white complex was loosely designed to look like a giant screen and movie clapperboard. The central atrium has a constantly changing light fixture that bathes the hall in cool…$Caochangdi - Religious Site
Da Zhong Si (Great Bell Temple)
An attraction to bring out the hunchback in anyone, this Qing temple now houses the Ancient Bell Museum (Gu Zhong Bowuguan), best visited on the way to the Summer Palace or in conjunction with Wanshou Si, which lies to the southwest along the Third Ring Road. The temple was known as… - Historic Site
Dixia Cheng (Underground City)
A sign near the entrance proclaims this seldom-visited attraction a HUMAN FAIRYLAND AND UNDERGROUND PARADISE. Far from it. Aside from odd recent additions, such as a silk factory, these tunnels are dark, damp, and genuinely eerie. A portrait of Mao stands amid murals of ordinary folk… - Religious Site
Dong Tang (East Church or St. Joseph's Cathedral)
This gray Gothic structure has endured a torrid history. Built on ground donated by the Shunzhi emperor in 1655, this Jesuit church was toppled by an earthquake in 1720, then gutted by fire in 1812, after which it was leveled by an increasingly antiforeign regime. It was rebuilt… - Religious Site
Dong Yue Miao
Reopened to the public in 1999, one of Beijing's most captivating Daoist temples stands largely disregarded. Founded in 1322 by the devotees of the Zhengyi sect, the temple is dedicated to the god Dong Yue, who resides in the sacred mountain of Tai Shan. Aside from coping with the… Factory 798 (Qijiuba Gongchang)
Optimistically billed as a rival to New York's Soho district, this Soviet-designed former weapons factory is a center for local modern art and fashion. Factory 798's long-term survival is uncertain, with Beijing's mayor musing that they would "look, regulate, and discuss" the use of…- Religious Site
Fahai Si
Located in the far west of Beijing, this early Ming temple, a must for those with an interest in Buddhist art, is easily combined with a visit to the cemetery for eunuchs, Tian Yi Mu. The decoration of this temple in 1443 was funded by Li Tong, a wealthy eunuch who attracted artists… - Religious Site
Fayuan Si (Source of Dharma Temple)
Despite guides droning on about a long and glorious history, most of Beijing's sights are relatively new, dating from within the past 600 years. This temple, constructed in 645 in what was then the southeast corner of town, retains both an air of antiquity and the feel of a genuine… - Museum
Gudai Qianbi Zhanlanguan (Ancient Coin Exhibition Hall)
Housed in the Deshengmen Gatehouse, this museum is an interesting spot for a quick visit by travelers who are into ancient currency. Packed into three rooms are the various coins, shells, and paper used as money over China's 5,000 years of history. Those with kids might find it a…$Xicheng Qu - Religious Site
Guo Zi Jian and Kong Miao
Buried down a tree-shaded street west of the Lama Temple , Kong Miao, China's second-largest Confucian temple, is on the right, and Guo Zi Jian (Directorate of Education) is on the left; both were originally built in 1306. Two stelae at the front (xia ma bei) instruct you to park… - The Performing Arts
Huguang Guild Hall (Huguang Huiguan Xilou)
This combination museum-theater, housed in a complex of traditional buildings with gray tile roofs and bright red gables, has a connection with Beijing Opera dating back to 1830. To the right of the main entrance is a small museum filled with old opera robes and photos of famous… - Park/Garden
Jing Shan Gongyuan (Jing Shan Park)
If you want a clear aerial view of the Forbidden City, you'll find it here. The park's central hill was created using earth left over from the digging of the imperial moat and was the highest point in the city during the Ming dynasty. It was designed to enhance the feng shui of the… - Historic Site
Lao She Jinianguan (Former Residence of Lao She)
The courtyard home of one of Beijing's best-loved writers, Lao She (1899-1966), is the most charming of many converted homes scattered around Beijing's hutong. Despite being granted this home by Zhou Enlai in 1950, the writer refused to become a cheerleader for the regime, and his… - Religious Site
Lidai Diwang Miao (Temple of Past Emperors)
Lidai Diwang Miao is where Ming and Qing emperors made sacrifices to the emperors of previous dynasties. Built on the grounds of a former Buddhist temple (Bao'an Si), there's nary a Buddha in sight. Rulers didn't always come in person, but their representatives diligently carried out… Liu Ren Papercut House (Liu Ren Jianzhi Wu)
The art of paper cutting might not sound exciting, but self-taught artist Liu Ren, who works out of a charming courtyard house, works up such a good spiel you may be converted. Paper cuttings (jianzhi) were gifts in rural China, to be stuck on windows, doors, or lanterns. There's…- The Performing Arts
Mei Lanfang Grand Theatre
This brand-new, multistory theater was built specifically for Peking Opera. The performance quality and times vary so be sure to check the schedule ahead of time. If you don't want to chance sitting through a bad Peking opera show, the ultramodern glass theater and the giant bust of… - Museum
Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution (Junshi Bowuguan)
If you're into military hardware, this four-story museum houses examples of the vast amount of vehicles and weaponry accumulated by China's military during the 20th century. Head past the marble Mao Zedong statue at the entrance into the giant Hall of Weapons. You'll see Cold War-era…$Fuxing - Park/Garden
Milu Yuan (Milu Park)
Located on the site of the Southern Marshes (Nan Haizi), where Yuan, Ming, and Qing emperors would hunt deer, rabbit, and pheasant, and practice military exercises, this ecological research center is the most humane place to view animals in Beijing. The main attraction is Père… - Park/Garden
Ming Chengqiang Gongyuan (Ming City Wall Park)
The section of wall presented here, running a mile east-to-west from Dongbian Men to Chongwen Men, was originally built in the Yuan dynasty (1279-1368) and reconstructed in the mid-1500s by the Ming. Modern restoration work on the section began in 2002 and is still in progress, using… - Museum
Museum of Ancient Architecture (Gudai Jianzhu Bowuguan)
Housed inside a restored Ming Dynasty temple, this interesting museum features a large model of old Beijing and exhibits of traditional architecture, giving a glimpse of life as it was before the city walls were torn down. The building itself is an example of ancient architecture, as…$Xicheng - Museum
National Arts & Crafts Museum (Zhongguo Gongyi Meishuguan)
Modern Chinese craftsmanship gets its own space in this museum located on the fifth floor of the Parkson department store. The exhibits showcase contemporary artisans' work in materials from clay and cloisonné to lacquerware and ceramics. Enormous and elaborate carvings in jade and…$Fuxingmen - Museum
National Museum of China (Guojia Bowuguan)
Reopened in 2011 after a $400 million, decade-long renovation, this massive museum showcases China's long history and its rise to power. With more than 2 million sq. ft. of space, there's ample room to impress visitors with an exhaustive collection of a million cultural relics from…$Tiananmen Square - Religious Site
Niu Jie Libai Si (Ox Street Mosque)
This is Beijing's largest mosque and the spiritual center for the city's estimated 200,000 Muslims. Built in 996, the complex looks more Eastern than Middle Eastern, with sloping tile roofs similar to those found in Buddhist temples. Halls are noticeably free of idols, however. A… - Park/Garden
Olympic Park (Aolinpike Gongyuan)
Everything in Beijing is big. Tian'an Men Square is roughly the size of 90 football fields, wandering through the Forbidden City feels like a minimarathon, and of course the Great Wall is . . . very long. It is fitting then that hosting the Olympics in Beijing meant building… - Historic Site
Prince Gong's Mansion (Gong Wang Fu)
This splendid imperial residence belonged to several people, including the sixth son of the Guangxu emperor (Prince Gong) who, at the age of 27, was left to sign the Convention of Peking in 1860, after the Qing royal family took an early summer holiday when British and French forces… - Historic Site
Qian Men (Front Gate)
The phrase Qian Men is actually a reference to two separate towers on the south side of the square which together formed the main entrance to the Tartar (or Inner) City. The southernmost Arrow Tower (Jian Lou) is no longer open to the public. You can, however, still climb up inside… - Park/Garden
Ri Tan Gongyuan (Ri Tan Park)
The Temple of the Sun (Ri Tan) served as an altar where the emperor conducted annual rites. Built in 1530, Ri Tan is a pleasant park with a delightful outdoor teahouse and a rock-climbing wall. Fishponds, a pedal-powered monorail, kites, and a bonsai market also keep the locals… - Historic Site
Song Qingling Guju (Former Residence of Soong Ching Ling)
Song Qingling is as close as you'll get to a modern Chinese Communist saint -- wealthy, obsessed with children, and a friend of Mao to boot. She married Sun Yat-sen, 30 years her senior, a diminutive man acknowledged as the "father of modern China" (even though he was in Denver… - Museum
Sony ExploraScience (Suoni Tan Meng)
Kids of all ages will love this museum's interactive displays, including highlights like robotic dogs, musical sculptures, soap bubble rings blown out of a machine, and light and sound distortion machines. The interior is futuristic and very high-tech. Add in live shows on science…$Chaoyang Park - Historic Site
Tai Miao
Sometimes the biggest surprises are under your nose. Just east of Tian'an Men stands the only example of an imperial ancestral hall (zu miao) remaining in China; here are grand imperial edifices in a sleepy, atmospheric setting. Laid out in accordance with the ancient principle from… - The Performing Arts
Teahouse of Prince Gong's Mansion (Gong Wang Fu Chaguan)
Not a traditional opera venue, Prince Gong's teahouse is nevertheless picturesque, with a rare bamboo motif on the exterior beams and columns and an intimate interior outfitted with polished wood tables and pleasing tea paraphernalia. This is opera for tourists, kept short and sweet,… - Historic Site
Tian Yi Mu
The first Ming emperor had a dim view of eunuchs, noting "not one or two of these people out of thousands are good . . . These people can only be given sprinkling and sweeping jobs," but upon the accession of the Wanli emperor (reign 1573-1620), the Imperial City housed nearly 20,000… - Historic Site
Tian'an Men (Gate of Heavenly Peace)
This gate is the largest in what was once known as the Imperial City and the most emblematic of Chinese government grandeur. Above the central door, once reserved for the emperor, now hangs the famous portrait of Mao, flanked by inscriptions that read: LONG LIVE THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC… - Museum
Wanshou Si (Beijing Art Museum)
Wanshou Si, otherwise known as Longevity Temple, was built by a eunuch in the 16th century to house Buddhist scripture. It became a favorite rest stop for the Qianlong Emperor and his successors as they made their way to the Summer Palace by boat. This beautiful temple now houses…$$Haidian - Religious Site
Wu Ta Si (Five Pagoda Temple)
More correctly known as Zhenjue Si (Temple of True Awakening), the one ancient building remaining on this site is a massive stone block with magnificently preserved Indian Buddhist motifs carved out of the bare rock. Peacocks, elephants, and dharma wheels adorn the base, which is… - Religious Site
Yonghe Gong (Lama Temple)
If you visit only one temple after the Temple of Heaven, this should be it. A complex of progressively larger buildings topped with ornate yellow-tiled roofs, Yonghe Gong was built in 1694 and originally belonged to the Qing prince who would become the Yongzheng emperor. As was the… - Park/Garden
Yuan Ming Yuan
An amalgamation of three separate imperial gardens, these ruins create a ghostly and oddly enjoyable scene, beloved for years as a picnic spot. Established by the Kangxi emperor in 1707, Yuan Ming Yuan is a more recent construction than the New Summer Palace to the west, but it is…
More About Beijing Attractions
Beijing Shopping
Shopping in Beijing
Forget the big brand names. Pick up handcrafted porcelain dishes, delicate paper lanterns and finely painted figurines. Or browse for horse-hair embellished sandals and jade jewellery. You might also need to buy a bigger bag to take it all home.
More About Beijing Shopping
Beijing Nightlife
Beijing Nightlife
You’ll find colour and character in our nightspot picks. Quirky Bed Bar offers the seductive joy of sipping sangria on an antique four-poster bed. For more traditional Chinese entertainment, experience the lavish costumes and clashing cymbals of Peking Opera.
7 Results
- Nightlife
Bar at Migas
This hugely popular rooftop terrace and bar is attached to a Spanish restaurant, but it's best known for its rocking dance parties. A well-heeled crowd comes for an industrial-chic dance floor with a skyline view. Local and visiting DJs spin house, soul, disco, and funk. There's an…$$Sanlitun - Nightlife
El Nido
This local dive bar began with the simplest of ideas: Provide a wide selection of international beers and a few picnic tables and the customers will come. The formula has worked like magic. El Nido is the ultimate hutong drinking hole, with ample varieties of alcohol from around…$Dongcheng District - Nightlife
Great Leap Brewing
Beer lovers, rejoice! This microbrewery, which got its start in a tiny hutong space, has made a big splash with its roomy second location. Great Leap's expansion into the popular Sanlitun neighborhood brings in the crowds. The rowdy but convivial atmosphere is reflected in the…$Sanlitun - Nightlife
LAN Club
This opulently luxe bar and club was designed by French superstar Philippe Starck over a decade ago, but it still has its "wow factor." The enormous interior is eclectic and wild: Think rhino heads, Chinese vases, gold-plated Kalashnikov lamps, Hindu icons, animal-print seats, and…$$$CBD - Nightlife
MAO Livehouse
Tucked into one of the single-story storefronts in the historic Drum and Bell Towers neighborhood, this mid-sized venue is a popular stop for Chinese bands and touring alternative acts. The unfinished, industrial interior feels more organic than a neon-flashing techno dance club.…$$Gulou - Nightlife
Q Bar
This lounge bar set the original standard for mixed cocktails in the capital, and it remains ever-popular. Don't be put off by the shabby interior of the hotel that houses Q Bar. Once you emerge on the top floor, you're in an oasis of style, dim lighting, and good music. A long bar…$$Sanlitun - Nightlife
Temple Bar
One of the hot spaces for live music in Beijing, this mid-sized bar on the second floor of a hutong courtyard near the historic Drum and Bell Towers draws on a loyal fan base. An unassuming entrance leads up to a large interior with a few sofas and tables and a low stage. The décor…$Gulou
More To Do in Beijing
Best Hotel Bets in Beijing
Best Newcomer: With the glut of hotels that opened in time for the Olympics, there are plenty of places to choose from, but the definite winner in this category is the Opposite House, a stylish Japanese-designed boutique hotel on Sanlitun Bar Street. With modern minimalist rooms,…
Frommer's Favorite Experiences in Beijing
Strolling Around the Back Lakes: You'll find everything around these man-made lakes, from historic courtyard homes, to tranquil spots, to amusing entertainment. Speedo-clad elders dive into the lake year-round -- including the chilly winter months -- and ducks congregate on a small…
