Looking out over the Great Wall of China snaking across the mountains

China

Beijing

The Great Wall · Tiananmen · 5 must-see spots

The trip

One of our favorite trips, hands down.

We walked a lot in Beijing — and loved every minute of it. From the vastness of Tiananmen Square to the quiet lanes of the old hutongs, the city keeps unfolding. But the Great Wall was the highlight of the whole trip for us: standing on it, watching it ripple over the mountains, is something we'll never forget. Here's exactly where we went, what we'd tell you to do differently, and the tickets we booked ahead. We visited in April and the weather was perfect — mild, clear days that made all that walking a joy. We visited in April 2026.

The list

5 spots worth the trip

Us on the Great Wall with the mountains stretching behind The Great Wall snaking into the misty mountains at Mutianyu
Spot 01 · Our #1 highlight01

The Great Wall at Mutianyu

📍 Mutianyu Great Wall · ~1.5 hrs north of central Beijing

This was the moment of the whole trip for us. We chose Mutianyu over Badaling and were so glad we did — it's restored, dramatic, and far less crowded, with a cable car up and a toboggan ride back down. Our biggest tip: go with a tour group that handles the drive out to the wall. It's a long way from the city and public transport is a hassle; letting a tour sort the transfer (and often lunch) made the whole day effortless. Give yourself a few hours up top — we could've stayed all day.

Book a tour for transportMutianyu > BadalingCable car + toboggan
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From Beijing: Mutianyu Great Wall Tour with Options

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Us in Tiananmen Square in front of the Gate of Heavenly Peace The Gate of Heavenly Peace, entrance to the Forbidden City
Spot 02 · Most historic02

Tiananmen Square & the Forbidden City

📍 Tiananmen Square → Forbidden City · Central Beijing

We started at the enormous Tiananmen Square and walked straight through the Gate of Heavenly Peace into the Forbidden City — hours of imperial courtyards, halls and gates. One thing that caught a lot of people out: you must reserve your Tiananmen Square entry online at least 24 hours ahead, and bring your passport. We used the registration service below to sort it (it also works for last-minute), then paired it with a Forbidden City tour so we didn't waste the visit wandering aimlessly.

Passport requiredReserve 24h+ ahead
GetYourGuide Reserve ahead — we used this

Beijing: Tiananmen Square Registration Service / Ticket

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GetYourGuide We booked this

4-Hour Private Tour to Tian'anmen Square & Forbidden City

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Us in front of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests at the Temple of Heaven Looking up at the tiered blue roof of the Temple of Heaven
Spot 03 · Most beautiful03

The Temple of Heaven

📍 Temple of Heaven Park · Southeast Beijing

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests stopped us in our tracks — a perfectly round, triple-eaved temple in deep blue and gold, built entirely without nails. We loved that the surrounding park is where locals actually hang out: people practicing tai chi, dancing, playing cards. We grabbed an entry ticket in advance and wandered the whole grounds.

Go for the park tooMorning is calmest
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Temple of Heaven: Entry Ticket

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Lantern-draped old Beijing street front Walking a lantern-lined avenue in old Beijing
Spot 04 · Most atmospheric04

The old hutongs

📍 Hutong lanes · Old Beijing

Some of our favorite hours were just wandering the hutongs — the narrow lantern-strung lanes where old Beijing still lives. Courtyard homes, tiny noodle spots, red lanterns overhead at dusk. We did a walking tour to get the history and the shortcuts, then kept exploring on our own.

Go at duskEat where it's busy
GetYourGuide We booked this

Beijing City Walk: Explore Hutongs, Life & Old Beijing

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A painted pavilion framed by pink spring blossoms in Beijing
Spot 05 · Best in spring05

Cherry blossoms at Jingshan Park

📍 Jingshan Park · Behind the Forbidden City

We timed our trip for spring, and the blossoms were everywhere. Jingshan Park, on the hill right behind the Forbidden City, wraps its painted pavilions in pink and gives you the best panorama over the palace's golden rooftops. If you come in blossom season, don't skip the climb up.

Spring onlyBest Forbidden City view

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The most Instagram-worthy shots

If you only chase a handful of frames, chase these. Tap through to see them on our feed.

The Great Wall Tiananmen Square Temple of Heaven Beijing cherry blossoms Old Beijing lanterns Great Wall walkway

The full roll

More from Beijing

Us at Mutianyu Great Wall Temple of Heaven roofline Willow-lined park in Beijing Gate of Heavenly Peace A night out in Beijing Old Beijing lantern street Great Wall and mountains Jingshan pavilion and blossoms