Beijing Capital International Airport 27 min
Summer Palace (30 min) Lakefront palace renowned for its ornate temples & artworks plus its lavishly landscaped grounds. National Museum of China (20 min) Free, massive (2.2 million-sq.-ft.) museum of Chinese history & art with more than 1 million relics. Tiananmen (17 min) Symbolic, famed gateway to the Forbidden City dating to the 15th century but rebuilt many times. The Palace Museum (20 min) Massive palace complex & museum featuring tours, art exhibits & restaurants. Lama Temple (12 min) Ornate Tibetan Buddhist temple complex built in 1694 & featuring bronze statues & incense burners. Temple of Heaven (26 min) Renowned temple complex from 1420 featuring distinctive circular buildings set in a popular park. Beijing Zoo (14 min) Venerable zoo, founded in 1906, with traditional landscaping & native animals such as pandas. Mausoleum of Mao Zedong (18 min) Famed museum & mausoleum devoted to Mao Zedong & housing exhibits plus the former leader's remains. Drum Tower and Bell Tower of Beijing (10 min) Red watchtower reconstructed in 1420, offering views & performances with replica Ming dynasty drums. Houhai (15 min) Picturesque lake known for its shoreline of bustling bars, cafes, souvenir shops & restaurants. Tiananmen Square (17 min) Historic, massive city square (one of the world's largest) & meeting place, featuring a 37m obelisk. Jingshan Park (16 min) Historic 57-acre park located on a hill & offering views of the Forbidden City. National Stadium (20 min) Iconic stadium known as the Bird's Nest built for the Olympics & now hosting concerts & sports. Forbidden City (18 min) Completed in 1420, this palace complex with 980 buildings features a museum with art & artifacts. Beihai Park (17 min) First opened to the public in 1925, this 69-hectare former imperial park features a massive lake. |