Beijing

Beijing's story begins over 3,000 years ago with the walled city of Ji, but its imperial destiny started in 1153 when the Jin dynasty made it their capital 'Zhongdu'. The Mongol Yuan rebuilt it as Dadu in 1267, the Ming gave it the Forbidden City and the central axis, and the Qing refined it into the masterpiece of palaces, temples and gardens visitors see today. For eight centuries it has been the political heart of China.

The municipality covers 16,410 km² — mountains close the western and northern horizons, and the city grid opens southward along the 7.8-km Central Axis, now a UNESCO World Heritage site. Around 21.9 million people live in its 16 districts: Dongcheng and Xicheng hold the hutong core and imperial monuments; Chaoyang carries the CBD and embassy zones; Haidian hosts the universities and Summer Palace; and Tongzhou is the fast-growing sub-center on the Grand Canal.

Beijing has two major airports. Capital Airport (PEK, 25 km northeast) is the long-standing international gateway; the newer Daxing International (PKX, 46 km south) is one of the world's largest single-terminal airports, connected to downtown by express rail in 19 minutes.

Five main railway stations serve the high-speed network — Beijing South (Tianjin/Shanghai), Beijing West (Xi'an/Guangzhou), Beijing Chaoyang (Northeast), Qinghe and Beijing Fengtai. Inside the city, 27 metro lines with bilingual signage cover virtually every sight; a subway ride costs ¥3–9, buses ¥2, and ride-hailing is inexpensive. The airport express and the Great Wall trains from Huangtudian station make day trips easy.

Beijing cuisine is imperial and hearty — built around roast duck, court dishes, wheat staples and Muslim-era lamb traditions. The city eats early and well: breakfast stalls, century-old 'laozihao' restaurants and buzzing night markets each have their own scene.

• Peking duck — Siji Minfu near the Forbidden City for classic service; Da Dong for the crisp modern style.
• Zhajiangmian — noodles with fermented soybean paste, the city's everyday comfort dish.
• Instant-boiled mutton (shuan yangrou) — copper-pot hotpot, best at Julong or Dong Lai Shun.
• Douzhi & jiaoquan — the acquired-taste fermented mung drink with fried rings; try Huguosi Snacks.
• Lu dagun & ai wowo — glutinous-rice imperial snacks at Huguosi or Daoxiangcun counters.
• Where to go: Qianmen & Dashilar for laozihao, Ghost Street (Gui Jie) for spicy crayfish till dawn.

Beijing shopping runs from imperial-market alleys to luxury flagship malls. The Qianmen–Dashilar district keeps century-old brands in restored hutong storefronts, while Guomao's China World Mall and the famed SKP anchor the high-fashion scene.

• Wangfujing Street — the classic pedestrian mall, steps from the Forbidden City.
• SKP & SKP-S — the world's highest-revenue department store, art-driven retail.
• Qianmen & Dashilar — laozihao brands, tea houses and snuff bottles.
• Panjiayuan Antique Market — Beijing's famous weekend curio and collectibles bazaar.
• Silk Street (Xiushui) — tailoring and souvenir bargaining near Yong'anli metro.
• Local specialties: cloisonné, jade, calligraphy supplies from Liulichang, and fruit-wood duck gift boxes.

Beijing nights blend lakeside calm with big-city energy. Houhai's lakeside bars and hutong courtyards give way to Sanlitun's glass-fronted clubs, while Chang'an Avenue's monumental lighting and the CBD skyline offer an evening spectacle of their own.

• Houhai Bar Street — lake-front terraces, acoustic bars and winter skating.
• Sanlitun Taikoo Li — the trendsetting nightlife and fashion district.
• Gui Jie (Ghost Street) — 24-hour lantern-lit restaurants for late-night feasting.
• Chang'an Avenue night walk — Tiananmen and the Big Rooster illuminated after dark.
• Deyunshe crosstalk — live xiangsheng comedy shows, book ahead.

Autumn (September–November) is Beijing at its best — crisp air, blue skies and golden ginkgo around the temples. Spring is mild but windy with occasional dust in April; summers are hot and the July–August rains bring humid heat; winters are dry and cold but transform the Forbidden City under snow into a photographer's dream. Golden Week (Oct 1–7) and Chinese New Year bring the year's biggest crowds.