The capital of China and one of its 6 ancient cities, Beijing is the cultural heart of this remarkable country. The city is said to have been inhabited for 3000 years, and 34 emperors have lived and ruled from the city.

The city has a population of around 15 million, and covers an area of 6336 square miles (16410 kms). There are four seasons in Beijing and the best time to visit is from May to October, as the weather is most clement at this time. Winters can get extremely cold so if visiting in this season it is very important to take appropriate clothing.

Just being in Beijing you feel the buzz of China and with such a large and important history it will not come as a shock that there are many places to visit when you visit this amazing city. In truth a one or two day trip will not give you sufficient opportunity to see the city in anything like its real glory, however for a whistle stop tour, below are some of the places you should see no matter how short or long your trip.

The Forbidden City – This was the imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty. It is the largest imperial palace complex in the world and now houses the Palace museum. The forbidden city is enclosed by a larger wall called the Imperial city, but its own wall is 7.9 meters high and is surrounded by a moat. To describe the majesty of this palace complex is nearly impossible, it is a truly remarkable place of epic proportions

The Great Wall – Another epic piece of engineering, the great wall was designed as a defensive barrier to prevent the warring nomadic Mongols from raiding the Chinese border towns and cities. The great wall is the longest and largest (in terms of surface area) man made structure ever built. In truth much of the wall is now in a state of disrepair, but in areas such as north Beijing the wall has been renovated, so that it’s former glory can be appreciated by tourists, visitors and residents.

The Summer Palace – This is a classic Chinese garden and is a fantastic place to spend a day (preferably a warm day). Dominated by longevity hill and Kunming lake it covers an area of 726.5 acres. There are a variety of temples and structures built into longevity hill including the cloud-dispelling hall and the sea of wisdom hall, in the center stands the 41m Tower of Buddhist incense. Whilst this whole area is extremely popular it is also very tranquil and a few hours can easily be spent here.

There are so many sites throughout Beijing that you will be able to spend many days enjoying this amazing city and it is worth spending the time to experience the city. Being in Beijing you will experience the heart of Chinese culture and the buzz and excitement of the country, it is an amazing city in an amazing country.