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The Great Wall's stone battlements catch golden late-afternoon light as they curve over forested mountain ridges near Mutianyu.
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BeijingTravel Guide

China5 stories

China's imperial capital — the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven and the Great Wall rippling across the mountains to the north.

Is Beijing right for you?

When to come

Autumn

Around 32°C by day in July, 3°C in January — recorded at the local weather station.

What it costs

It depends where you stand. There is a cheap version and an expensive one — the guides below say which is which.

What we've planned, and who for

We publish a multi-day route for this one.

When to go
January: around 3 degrees by day, -7 at night, 2 millimetres of rain, cold, some precipitation.
February: around 7 degrees by day, -4 at night, 6 millimetres of rain, dry.
March: around 13 degrees by day, 2 at night, 10 millimetres of rain, dry.
April: around 21 degrees by day, 9 at night, 22 millimetres of rain, dry. We recommend this month.
May: around 28 degrees by day, 15 at night, 35 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
June: around 31 degrees by day, 20 at night, 85 millimetres of rain, wet.
July: around 32 degrees by day, 23 at night, 210 millimetres of rain, very wet.
August: around 31 degrees by day, 22 at night, 120 millimetres of rain, wet.
September: around 27 degrees by day, 16 at night, 53 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
October: around 20 degrees by day, 8 at night, 28 millimetres of rain, dry. We recommend this month.
November: around 11 degrees by day, 0 at night, 15 millimetres of rain, dry. We recommend this month.
December: around 4 degrees by day, -5 at night, 3 millimetres of rain, dry.
Cold to hot, by dayDry to wetWhen we would go

Autumn

Average daily highs, recorded at Beijing (Haidian District, 46 m), 1991-2020 normals.

Where this comes from

China Meteorological Administration (English Wikipedia, 'Beijing') — Article carries six boxes (Haidian, Chaoyang, Miyun, Pinggu, Capital Airport, plus a recent-year table). Used the Haidian District station, the standard Beijing normals.

Budget level

Mixed

Typical cost profile for visitors

Combine it with

Nothing else we cover is within a comfortable hop — this one is a trip of its own.

Plan itWhere to stay in Beijingad · Booking.comTours and tickets
On the map

Finding Beijing

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The stories

Reading Beijing

A snow-covered Chinese pavilion behind a stone moon-arch bridge and a half-frozen pond in a Beijing park, bare willow branches hanging down across the frame.
01
Hidden Gems

Beijing Off-Season: Its Secret Best Months

Empty palace courtyards, frost on golden roofs and the Great Wall without the queues — the case for Beijing in the months the crowds ignore.

China · 2 min
The Great Wall of China snaking along a mountain ridge between watchtowers, surrounded by autumn foliage in shades of orange and gold
02
The List

Beijing, Ranked: The Experiences That Define China's Capital

The Great Wall snaking over autumn mountains, the vermilion vastness of the Forbidden City, duck carved tableside — Beijing's essential experiences, in order.

China · 2 min
The Forbidden City in Beijing seen from the hill in Jingshan Park, the Gate of Divine Prowess in the foreground and rank after rank of golden tiled roofs stretching away into soft autumn haze
03
Itineraries

Five Days in Beijing: Start on the Axis, End on the Wall

The old city is a single straight line of a little under eight kilometres, and reading it south to north before you step off it is what turns five days in Beijing into a route instead of a scramble.

China · 12 min
The triple-tiered blue-tiled roof of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests at Beijing's Temple of Heaven, seen head-on above its white marble terraces and central staircase.
04
Destinations

Beijing by Season: An Honest Guide to Choosing When to Go

Autumn is glorious, spring is short, summer is a crowded steam bath and winter is secretly wonderful. A frank season-by-season guide to timing a Beijing trip well.

China · 2 min
A chef in whites carving a glossy roast duck tableside in a Beijing restaurant
05
Food

The Markets of Beijing: What to Eat, and When to Show Up

Beijing's street food lives by the clock — jianbing at dawn, skewers after dark, candied hawthorn in winter. A dish-led guide to eating the capital's markets and hutongs well.

China · 2 min
In pictures

Beijing, framed

Wall without the crowds, Beijing
Photo: Ling Tang / Unsplash
The old town of Beijing, China
Photo: Kitty A / Unsplash
Wall without the crowds, Beijing
Photo: Ajmal MK / Unsplash
Watchtowers and ramparts of the Great Wall rise from a hillside blazing with orange and red autumn foliage.
Photo: Hanson Lu / Unsplash
Our picks

What we'd do in Beijing

See and do

Eat and drink

Before you go

Practical essentials for China

Money

Renminbi, or yuan (CNY); Hong Kong uses the Hong Kong dollar (HKD) and Macau the Macanese pataca (MOP)

Language

Standard Mandarin is the national language; Cantonese dominates in Hong Kong and Macau, where English and Portuguese respectively are also official, and English is limited on the mainland outside hotels.

Power

Type A/I, 220V 50Hz on the mainland; Type G in Hong Kong and Macau

Getting around

Metros cover every large city and most visitors pay with a transit QR code in Alipay or WeChat Pay linked to a foreign card, though Shanghai and Beijing now also accept a tapped foreign contactless card, and Hong Kong runs on the Octopus card.

Tipping

Tipping is not traditionally practised on the mainland and can cause confusion; Hong Kong and Macau restaurants usually add a 10% service charge instead.

Tap water

Tap water is not drinkable anywhere in mainland China, including the major cities; bottled water is sold everywhere.

Driving

Right-hand side on the mainland but left in Hong Kong and Macau; an International Driving Permit has no legal standing in China, so visitors who want to drive must obtain a temporary Chinese provisional permit.

Emergency

110 police, 120 ambulance, 119 fire; 999 in Hong Kong and Macau

Country-level guidance, checked against official sources. Currency, fares and entry rules change — confirm anything time-critical before you travel.

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