Tiananmen Square
- Admission: Free (reservation required)
- Opening hours: 5:00 AM to 10:00 PM
- Reason: The People’s Republic of China was proclaimed here. Tiananmen Square is super big; it can fit hundreds of thousands of folks for rallies and events.
——— 10-minute walk ———
Forbidden City
- Admission: 60 CNY ( ≈ 8.50 USD)
- April – October: 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM (last entry at 4:00 PM)
November – March: 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM (last entry at 3:30 PM) - Reason: The place where 24 emperors in Chinese history wielded their power.
——— 20-minute walk ———
Jingshan Park
- Admission: 2 CNY ( ≈ 0.30 USD)
- Opening hours: 6:30 AM to 9:00 PM
- Reason: The best viewpoint for a panoramic view of the Forbidden City and Beijing’s central axis.
——— 20-minute taxi ride ———
Shichahai
- Admission: Free (no reservation needed)
- Opening hours: all day
- Reason: Shichahai is one of the largest and best-preserved historic districts in Beijing.
