Beijing

The 400,000 square metres large area is the key historic centre of Beijing. It was here that the former Communist Party leader, Mao Zedong, declared the founding of the People’s Republic of China on 1st October 1949. Today, thousands of visitors come here every year to see Mao’s remains in the mausoleum. Visit the Great Hall of the People that houses the country’s National People’s Congress and admire the 15th century Qianmen City Gate, which once divided Beijing’s ancient inner city and the suburban areas.

Built by Emperor Yongle in the early 15th century, the 720,000 square metres of Forbidden City was home to the imperial household. It was opened to the public in 1949. The well-preserved area boasts more than 800 buildings and 9,999 rooms. The Hall of Supreme Harmony, beautifully decorated with thousands of Dragons, was used to celebrate the Chinese emperor’s birthday. The Palace of Heavenly Purity served as the emperors’ living area and features several bedrooms.

The Summer Palace was once used by the imperial family as a retreat from the stress of Beijing city life. The grounds include a range of buildings and gardens including the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity, as well as the stunning Fragrant Buddha Tower, which offers superb views of Kunming Lake.

This enormous park was built in the early 15th century, around the same time the Forbidden City was constructed. The park hosts several intriguing buildings. In the north of the park, a stone carved stairway leads up to the entrance of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests with its cylindrical blue-tiled roof and a beautifully decorated ceiling. It was struck by lightning and burnt to the ground in 1889 but was carefully reconstructed the following year. The Hall of Abstinence was used by emperors for fasting. In the south you will find the Round Altar—a three-tiered marble platform.

Originally built in 1694 as the residence of the future Yongzheng Emperor, this complex of beautifully designed buildings was transformed into a Tibetan Buddhist Temple in the mid-18th century. The Falun Dian, the temple’s teaching and assembly hall, features a large bronze statute of Tsongkapa, the founder of the Buddhist Yellow Hat sect.

This well-known art centre is based inside a defunct, 1950s concrete factory with works of artists from all over the world. It features photographic exhibitions, video installations, sculptures and other artwork. Displays change regularly. Restaurants and cafes serve fabulous food.

This street is a must for antique-hunters: be it Chinese paintings, ancient books, calligraphy brushes or ink stones you are sure to find it in Liulichang. A favourite among calligraphers and scholars in the old days, the 750 metres long street was restored and expanded in the late 1980s.

Undoubtedly one of the world’s top tourism destinations, the Great Wall is a stunning monument stretching over 5,000 kilometres, and is even visible from space. When in Beijing, the most convenient place to view the wall is from Badaling in Yanqing County, situated around 70 kilometres from the Chinese capital. Other sights open for tourists to explore the wall are Mutianyu, Huanghuacheng, Simatai and Jinshanling.

Set up more than 90 years ago by royal chefs, the Fangshan serves Chinese dishes such as Beijing Duck and other specialities of the Chinese Imperial cuisine. It is based inside a grand mansion in a beautiful location next to Lake Beihai. The traditional royal style of decoration features a bright yellow theme and exquisite pieces of china.

China Grill serves international cuisine with the best meat, fish and seafood. Here you will find Beijing-style breakfast dishes including lunch and dinner as well as a great wine selection and 360 degree views of Beijing. The restaurant is located inside the hotel Park Hyatt Beijing.

Nobu Beijing serves a new-style luxury Japanese Cuisine permeated with South American flavours. Try their marvellous signature dishes or local specialities like rock shrimp tempura with cream spicy sauce, sashimi salad with matsuhisa dressing or foie gras tacos.

Have some authentic Chaozhou and Cantonese cuisine on a floating fishing boat. The Old Dock Restaurant has won the “Chinese Tourism Industry’s Landmark Gold Prize” for its rustic design and romantic atmosphere. The pleasant environment ensures you have a relaxing evening while water flows gently underneath.

Gonin Byakusho Japanese Restaurant is a dining room in a five-star hotel serving kaiseki ryori (a traditional dish of Japanese cuisine), teppanyaki (a cooking style with an iron griddle, where dishes are prepared by the chef before diners' eyes), sushi, sashimi, teriyaki, and all manner of Japanese food.

Located in a Siheyuan (a courtyard house, the most iconic type of Chinese historic architecture in Beijing), Xi He Ya Ju serves traditional Chinese cuisine. Their most famous dishes are Peking duck, Chinese Yam with Blueberry, and sweet and sour shrimp.

This is a Chinese-style fast food chain-restaurant, with more than 60 stores in Beijing, whit many of them open 24 hours. It has a simple yet chic interior design, and serves up delicious dim sum, dumplings, rice and noodles, and other dishes at a low price.

A vegetarian restaurant opened in 1922. This well-known and historic place offers Chinese vegetarian food at a reasonable price: steam buns with veggies, Chinese lamb skewers (fake meat), and Buddha's delight are the common dishes. The staff are kind and helpful.

Beijing’s top shopping centre boasts 120,000 square metres of shops and a modern ambience. It consist of shopping areas with different themes and the biggest music fountain in the city centre. It is home to well-known Western and Asian brands, and houses a Sony Science Museum and a cinema.

This is a premier choice for the city’s well-off, with all the famous designer brands from Christian Dior to Gucci represented. With an excellent array of choice in both luxury and affordable brand departments, as well as appliance boutiques and home decor shops, this is where you can fulfil all your (higher-end) shopping needs.

This chain sells high-quality tea from across the region. The friendly staff brews small cups of tea for customers to sample. The brand has promoted more than 1800 types of products, and this is where you can try the impressive traditional Chinese tea, as well as purchase tea products, tea sets, tea supplies, etc.

HongQiao Market, also known as the Pearl Market, has 3 floors of pearls and jewellery to shop for. Here you can also find electronic equipment, clothes and traditional Chinese artefacts. Browse around the shops and compare the prices, since price disparity from one shop to the next is rather common.

Qianmen Street is one of oldest and well known shopping streets of its kind in Beijing. Here you can shop for longstanding and newer brands across a large variety of stores. It is home to many old shops selling traditional Chinese goods such as fine teas, soft silk and cotton fabrics, and shoes.

Liulichang Street is great for antiquities and has been a long-time favourite among scholars and calligraphers. Shops here sell ink sticks, ink paste and other cultural goods, as well as some jewellery. If you think about taking up calligraphy, the sophisticated Chinese writing art, pay a visit to one of the stores on Liulichang to choose the most suitable equipment.

Xiushui Street literally meaning "the beautiful water Street" in Chinese, and is another popular option for clothes. It is where both tourists and locals hunt for bargain fabrics of all textures and colours, as well as other traditionally Chinese products such as silk, accessories, crafts, etc.