Beijing is home to many world cultural heritage sites, including the Palace Museum, the Great Wall, the Temple of Heaven and the Summer Palace. First-time visitors to Beijing often struggle with choices and do not know which attractions are really worth their time. This Beijing attractions ranking is compiled based on real tourist feedback, listing ticket prices, opening hours, transportation information and practical precautions for each attraction. From must-see core landmarks to niche choices for in-depth tours, this article offers clear suggestions and reminds you of reservation tips and crowd-avoiding ways, helping you plan ahead, arrange your itinerary reasonably, save time, improve your travel experience and avoid detours.
No. 1 The Palace Museum: World’s Largest and Best-Preserved Wooden Palace Complex
The top spot in the Beijing attractions ranking is undoubtedly the Palace Museum. Formerly known as the Forbidden City, it was the residence of emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties, and is now the world’s largest and best-preserved wooden palace complex.
Tickets
Peak season (April 1 to October 31): 60 CNY per person; Off-season (November 1 to March 31 next year): 40 CNY per person. The Treasure Gallery and the Clock Museum cost 10 CNY per person each.
Opening Hours
Peak season: opens at 8:30, stops admission at 16:00, closes at 17:00; Off-season: opens at 8:30, stops admission at 15:30, closes at 16:30. Closed on Mondays (except legal holidays).
How to Get There
Take Subway Line 1 to Tian’anmen East Station, Exit B, and walk through the Tian’anmen Rostrum to reach the Meridian Gate. The Meridian Gate is the only entrance, please note.
- Tickets must be reserved in advance. Reservations can be made up to 7 days in advance, and tickets are released at 20:00 every night. Tickets sell out quickly during peak season, so it is recommended to set a reminder in advance to purchase on time.
- The central axis (Hall of Supreme Harmony, Palace of Heavenly Purity, Divine Might Gate) is the most classic section with the largest number of visitors. You can visit it early in the morning or after 14:00. The Six Eastern and Western Palaces are relatively quiet and suitable for taking photos.
Front View of the Meridian Gate of the Palace Museum
No. 2 Badaling Great Wall: The Most Accessible Section of the Great Wall
The saying “He who has never been to the Great Wall is not a true man”summarizes the status of the Great Wall. Several sections of the Great Wall in Beijing are open to tourists. Badaling is the most famous, most accessible and best-equipped section, so it ranks first among Great Wall attractions in the Beijing attractions ranking.
Tickets
Peak season (April 1 to October 31): 40 CNY per person; Off-season (November 1 to March 31 next year): 35 CNY per person. Half price for students with valid certificates.
Opening Hours
Peak season: 6:30 to 16:30; Off-season: 7:30 to 16:00.
How to Get There
The fastest way is to take a high-speed train from Beijing North Railway Station or Qinghe Railway Station to Badaling Great Wall Station, which takes 20 to 30 minutes, and the exit leads directly to the cable car entrance. You can also take Bus 877 from Deshengmen directly, but the queuing time is long during peak season.
- You can take the cable car or pulley to save energy. The cable car goes directly to the 7th North Tower, and you can walk to the 8th North Tower, the highest point of Badaling, with a wide view.
- The northern section opens from Tower 1 to 12, and the southern section opens from Tower 1 to 7. The southern section has a gentle slope, suitable for tourists with average physical strength.
- There are fewer tourists when it opens in the morning, and you can avoid large group tours.
Alternative: Mutianyu Great Wall
If you want to avoid large crowds, Mutianyu is a good choice. It has many foreign tourists, beautiful scenery and fewer visitors. The view at the top is good, and you can experience the slide down the mountain. The ticket is about 45 CNY per person.
No. 3 Temple of Heaven: World’s Largest Existing Complex for Heaven Worship
The Temple of Heaven was the place where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties held heaven worship ceremonies. The blue glazed tile dome of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests has become one of the iconic images of Beijing. It ranks high in architecture and photography categories in the Beijing attractions ranking. Built in 1420 (the 18th year of Yongle reign in the Ming Dynasty), the Temple of Heaven is the world’s largest existing complex for heaven worship.
Tickets
Park entrance ticket: 15 CNY in peak season, 10 CNY in off-season. Combined ticket (including Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, Echo Wall, Circular Mound Altar): 34 CNY in peak season, 28 CNY in off-season. Be sure to buy the combined ticket, otherwise you cannot enter the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests.
Opening Hours
Park entrance: peak season 6:00 to 22:00 (stop admission at 21:00), off-season 6:30 to 22:00. Core attractions (Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, Echo Wall, Circular Mound Altar): peak season 8:00 to 17:30, off-season 8:00 to 17:00.
How to Get There
Take Subway Line 5 to Temple of Heaven East Gate Station, Exit A for the east gate; or take Subway Line 8 to Tianqiao Station, Exit C near the west gate.
- The best shooting angles for the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests are slightly left or right of the front, which can avoid crowds and fully present the architectural form.
- Core attractions are closed on Mondays (except legal holidays), but the park entrance remains open.
- Local residents can be seen practicing Tai Chi and Peking Opera in the morning and evening in the park, with a strong local life atmosphere.
No. 4 Summer Palace: A Model of Chinese Imperial Gardens
The Summer Palace is a model of Chinese imperial gardens. The water of Kunming Lake, the pavilions on Longevity Hill, and the sunset at the Seventeen-Arch Bridge constitute classic landscapes. Tourists who love gardens often rank the Summer Palace first among garden attractions in the Beijing attractions ranking.
Tickets
Entrance ticket: 30 CNY in peak season, 20 CNY in off-season. Combined ticket (including Tower of Buddhist Incense, Suzhou Street and other gardens within the garden): 60 CNY in peak season, 50 CNY in off-season. First-time visitors are recommended to buy the combined ticket.
Opening Hours
Entrance: peak season opens at 6:00, closes at 20:00; off-season opens at 6:30, closes at 19:00. Gardens within the garden (Tower of Buddhist Incense, Suzhou Street, Dehe Garden): peak season 8:00 to 18:00, off-season 8:30 to 17:00.
How to Get There
Take Subway Line 4 to North Palace Gate Station, and walk for a few minutes to arrive.
- Recommended route: enter from the North Palace Gate, walk to the Tower of Buddhist Incense, overlook Kunming Lake from a high place, and then walk along the lake to the Seventeen-Arch Bridge. It is better to visit in the afternoon, and the sunset shines on the bridge holes for a beautiful scenery.
- The Summer Palace is adjacent to the Old Summer Palace. If you have enough physical strength, you can visit both on the same day.
No. 5 Old Summer Palace: A Ruin Park Carrying Historical Memory
The Old Summer Palace is adjacent to the Summer Palace. Most buildings only remain ruins, and the Dashuifa in the Xiyanglou Ruins has become its most iconic landscape. In the Beijing attractions ranking, the Old Summer Palace is suitable for tourists interested in history to visit carefully.
Tickets
Entrance ticket: 10 CNY, combined ticket (including Xiyanglou Ruins, sand table panoramic model): 25 CNY. The Xiyanglou Ruins require a combined ticket to enter.
How to Get There
Take Subway Line 4 to Old Summer Palace Station.
- The Xiyanglou Ruins are the core part of the Old Summer Palace, so be sure to visit them.
- The closing time is slightly earlier than that of the Summer Palace, please pay attention to the schedule.
No. 6 Prince Gong’s Mansion and Shichahai: Integration of Qing Dynasty Prince’s Mansion and Old Beijing Waterscape
Shichahai is the only open water area in the old town of Beijing. You can skate in winter and row boats in summer. Walking around the lake, you can enjoy old hutongs and small pubs. The adjacent Prince Gong’s Mansion was originally the residence of Heshen, known as “One Prince Gong’s Mansion, Half the History of the Qing Dynasty”. Tourists who love the local customs of old Beijing often stay here all day in the Beijing attractions ranking.
Tickets for Prince Gong’s Mansion
40 CNY per person. Half price for students and people over 60 years old.
Opening Hours
Peak season (April 1 to October 31): opens at 8:30, closes at 17:00 (stop admission at 16:10); Off-season (November 1 to March 31 next year): opens at 9:00, closes at 16:00 (stop admission at 15:40). Closed on Mondays (except legal holidays).
How to Get There
Take Subway Line 6 to Beihai North Station, Exit B, and walk for about 10 minutes.
- There is a “Fu”character stele in Prince Gong’s Mansion, and many tourists queue up to touch it for good luck.
- After visiting Prince Gong’s Mansion, you can walk along Shichahai to Nanluoguxiang, which takes about 15 minutes. Then turn into Yu’er Hutong and Mao’er Hutong, these branch hutongs retain the quiet appearance of old Beijing.
- The Shichahai area is suitable for walking or cycling. The Houhai Bar Street is lively at night and quiet during the day.
- Reservations are required for Prince Gong’s Mansion, which can be made 10 days in advance through the official website of Prince Gong’s Mansion Museum, with tickets released at 20:00 every night.
Front View of the Front Sea of Shichahai
No. 7 Yonghe Temple: The Most Popular Tibetan Buddhist Temple in Beijing
Yonghe Temple was originally the residence of Prince Yong, and later converted into a Tibetan Buddhist temple. It is one of the most popular temples in Beijing. In the Beijing attractions ranking, Yonghe Temple ranks among the top temples all year round, and local residents and foreign tourists often visit it.
Tickets and Opening Hours
Ticket: 25 CNY, including free incense. Summer and autumn (April 1 to October 31): opening hours 9:00 to 17:00 (stop admission at 16:30), winter and spring (November 1 to March 31 next year): 9:00 to 16:30 (stop admission at 16:00).
How to Get There
Take Subway Line 2 or 5 to Yonghe Temple Station.
- After visiting Yonghe Temple, you can walk to Wudaoying Hutong, where there are many cafes and characteristic shops, quieter than Nanluoguxiang.
- No loud noise is allowed in the temple, and people with untidy clothes are not allowed to enter.
Transportation and Visa Guide for Beijing Attractions
Visa and Entry
At present, eligible tourists can enjoy the 240-hour transit visa-free policy in Beijing (stay for 10 days), applicable to 24 provinces, cities and autonomous regions including Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei. This policy is for citizens of 54 countries, who must hold valid international travel documents (valid for no less than 3 months) and connecting tickets with confirmed date and seats within 144 hours.
Entry Services at Capital Airport
The Capital Airport has a special area for temporary entry permit processing, providing one-stop issuance services. The airport also jointly launches a free half-day Beijing tour. You can join the group for free with flight ticket information, with multiple time slots available, covering popular attractions such as Badaling Great Wall, Temple of Heaven and Qianmen Street, including vehicles, tour guides and tickets.
Flight Selection
Chinese airlines at Capital Airport and Daxing Airport have dense routes covering major cities around the world. Airlines such as Air China continue to increase route networks to many European, North American and Asian countries. It is recommended to pay attention to air ticket prices at least 2 to 3 months in advance. Prices are high during peak season (June to August), and traveling in off-season is more economical.
How to Reserve Attractions
Beijing has officially launched a scenic spot ticket purchasing service platform, covering 74 municipal scenic spots. The platform provides an English version, and foreign tourists can purchase tickets with passports. When reserving on the official website of the Palace Museum, you can complete real-name ticket purchasing with a passport. Same-day tickets are not sold at the Palace Museum. Tickets are on sale at 20:00 7 days before the visit, so be sure to plan in advance.
General Travel Tips for Beijing Attractions
- Book tickets as early as possible. Tickets for the Palace Museum are released 7 days in advance and sell out quickly during peak season. Prince Gong’s Mansion and Badaling also need to be reserved in advance.
- Avoid Mondays. The Palace Museum, Prince Gong’s Mansion, Yonghe Temple, and the core attractions of Temple of Heaven and Summer Palace are all closed on Mondays (except legal holidays), please pay attention when arranging your itinerary.
- The best visiting seasons are spring (April to May) and autumn (September to October), with suitable temperatures for long-term outdoor activities. It is hot in summer with many tourists, cold in winter with lower ticket prices and fewer tourists.
- Accommodation can be chosen in Dongcheng District or Xicheng District within the Second Ring Road, close to the main attractions; tourists with limited budget can choose areas near the Third Ring Road. Beijing has a developed subway network, and taking a few more stops can save accommodation costs.
- All scenic spots implement real-name admission, and you need to swipe your passport or ID card to enter. The documents filled in during reservation must be consistent with those used on site.
This Beijing attractions ranking provides a clear travel reference for tourists. If you need assistance with ticket booking and itinerary arrangement, China Dragon Travel can provide relevant services. From transportation to tickets, the professional team can handle it in one stop. Wish you a pleasant travel experience in Beijing.
