Old City Wall

A burgeoning megacity with one foot in the past, Beijing is a marvellous melange of UNESCO-listed heritage buildings set within an ever-more tech-forward cityscape. Come for the culture, the people, and of course the food.

Once a site for esoteric imperial rites, this marvellous complex of temples, altars and pavilions is set in a sprawling grove of knotted cypress trees. One of Beijing’s must-see sights.

Overlooked by a giant portrait of Mao Zedong, this vast and politically-sensitive public space sits at the very heart of modern China, both literally and symbolically.

A magnificent and unique 15th-century complex of imperial palaces that served as the home of Chinese emperors for 500 years. Beijing’s must-see attraction.

Beijing’s best park is also one of its only central hills, offering inspiring views of the Forbidden City. It’s also where elderly locals come to sing, dance and let off steam.

A fantastic array of arcane astronomical contraptions, cast in bronze and carved with writhing dragons, can be seen at this museum on the site of a Chinese observatory formerly built into Beijing’s mighty city walls.

Built to honour a corrupt and powerful eunuch, this is Beijing’s best-preserved Ming dynasty temple. The walls of the remarkable Ten Thousand Buddhas Hall are filled from floor to ceiling with tiny niches, each housing an effigy of Buddha.

The National Museum of China contains a humongous cache of bronzes, ceramics, Buddhist art and jade dating back through the dynasties. The bombastic ‘Road to Rejuvenation’ exhibition traces China’s rise from the 1840-42 Opium War with Britain to the country’s 21st century space programme.

Visitors line up in droves to shuffle past Mao’s embalmed corpse, on display in a mausoleum in the middle of Tiananmen Square. Guards keep the crowds moving through to the gift shop full of Mao-themed souvenirs.