Beijing

Beijing is where China's imperial history is most complete and most visible. For almost six centuries the city was the seat of emperors, and its layout still reflects that: a central axis running north to south, with the Forbidden City at its heart and temples, altars and gardens arranged around it according to rules of ritual and symbolism. Understanding that plan is the difference between ticking off monuments and seeing how a capital was designed to express power.

The Forbidden City is the obvious starting point, and it rewards preparation. Tickets must be booked online in advance with your passport details, daily numbers are capped, and the palace is closed on most Mondays. The main halls along the central axis are where everyone walks; the side courtyards to the east and west, including the treasure galleries and the former living quarters, are calmer and often more interesting. Afterwards, climb the small hill in Jingshan Park directly to the north. From the pavilion at the top, the palace roofs spread out below you in a sea of yellow tiles, and the scale of the place finally makes sense.

The Temple of Heaven, to the south, is where emperors prayed for good harvests. The round hall with its triple blue roof is the famous image, but the surrounding park is the real draw early in the morning, when retirees gather to practise tai chi, play cards, sing and dance under the cypress trees. Arrive around seven and you see the city at its most sociable. The Summer Palace, on the northwest edge of the city, offers a different mood: a lakeside imperial retreat with a long painted corridor, bridges and pavilions, and boats crossing Kunming Lake.

No trip to Beijing is complete without the Great Wall, and choosing the right section matters. Badaling is the closest and the most crowded. Mutianyu, around an hour and a half away, is restored but less busy, with watchtowers set against forested hills and a cable car up and a toboggan down for those who want them. Jinshanling offers a longer, more varied walk along partly restored stretches. Jiankou, steep and unrestored, is spectacular but suited only to experienced hikers with a guide. For most travellers, Mutianyu or Jinshanling on a weekday gives the best balance of scenery, access and space.

The hutongs, the lanes of courtyard houses that once made up most of the old city, show a quieter Beijing. Nanluoguxiang is the best known and the busiest. The lanes around the Drum and Bell Towers, and the streets near Houhai lake, keep more of their residential feel, with neighbours chatting on stools and bicycles parked against grey brick walls. A slow walk here, with a stop in a courtyard café or at a family-run noodle shop, is one of the most rewarding ways to spend an afternoon. The Lama Temple, a working Tibetan Buddhist temple with incense smoke and a towering sandalwood Buddha, is nearby and worth combining with the lanes.

Food is a serious reason to visit. Roast duck is the city's signature, carved at the table and wrapped in thin pancakes with scallions and sweet bean sauce. Beyond duck, look for jiaozi dumplings, zhajiang noodles with fermented soybean sauce, and the lamb hotpot that warms Beijing through its winters. For contemporary culture, the 798 Art District, a converted factory complex in the northeast, holds galleries and studios in former industrial buildings.

The best months are September and October, when skies are often clear and temperatures pleasant. April and May are also good, though spring can bring wind and occasional dust. Summer is hot, humid and wet, and winter is cold and dry, often with blue skies and very few visitors at the main sights. Avoid the national holiday weeks at the start of May and October, when domestic crowds peak.

Beijing has two international airports, Capital and Daxing, both linked to the city by express rail. High-speed trains reach Shanghai and Xi'an in roughly four and a half to five and a half hours. China has widened its visa-free and transit rules for many nationalities in recent years, so check the current conditions for your passport before booking. As elsewhere in the country, Alipay and WeChat Pay are used almost everywhere, and both accept foreign cards.

Four days fits the city's main sights into a comfortable rhythm. Start with the Forbidden City and Jingshan Park, then walk the hutongs around the Drum and Bell Towers into the evening. On the second day, head out early to the Great Wall and return in time for a roast duck dinner. Give the third morning to the Temple of Heaven, when the park is at its liveliest, and the afternoon to the Lama Temple and the lanes around Houhai. The fourth day suits the Summer Palace, with a late visit to the 798 Art District if energy allows. The metro is efficient and signed in English, but distances between sights are long, so a private car on the Great Wall day saves hours. Carry your passport at all times: it is needed for tickets, trains and hotel check-in.

Four days lets you see the city properly, including a full day on the Great Wall. We time each day to stay ahead of the tour groups, and we build in the side courtyards and hutong lanes that most visitors walk straight past.