Status: Away – Beijing
Estimated read time: 3:20
Insider tips from one of our travel experts
Laurent K., from the Air Canada Vacations team, recently visited Beijing and he’ll be sharing his itinerary, as well as some insider tips for making the most out of your trip to the northern capital.
Quick Tips * Things to do * Things to eat * Plan your trip
China
China is an incredible country to visit. As you travel, it’s almost like going through time because you can see the different periods through the architecture, which is all well preserved. The landscapes and natural scenery are also spectacular. There’s really nothing else like it.
We stayed for 3 weeks, just after the Mid-Autumn Festival in September, seeing Beijing, Xi’an and Zhangjiajie, with the rest of the time spent visiting family.
Today, we’ll be focusing on Beijing.
Quick tips
- Grab a Yikatong or a T-Union card from the airport or any subway station for easy transit access across the country, or just tap with your phone and go
- An eSIM and a VPN are essential for accessing social media, as well as translation services or maps
- Hiring a local guide, or consulting a guidebook is a great way to learn more about the area’s history
Beijing
We stayed for about 5 days, which I think is the perfect amount of time to visit Beijing for. Our hotel was not too far from the Forbidden City on Wangfujing, which is the main pedestrian shopping street. It’s changed a lot from the last time I visited, it’s much more luxurious now, full of megastores and upscale malls. It’s a beautiful street and reminds me of the Champs Elysees.
Beijing is such an interesting city to explore, you can really see the different eras of history, with Ming, Qing and modern buildings all juxtaposed next to each other. It creates a huge contrast as you can visit something like the Forbidden City, wander through hutongs (small alleys) and then see skyscrapers in the financial district or around the Olympic Village.
It’s also really easy to get around Beijing. You can buy a transit card that works across the whole country or just tap your phone like the locals do. There’s so many subway lines, you can really explore the whole city that way. It’s safe, clean and efficient.
Things to do in Beijing
The Forbidden City is an absolute must-see. It’s enormous. There’s genuinely so much to see that you can’t do it in one day. I’d recommend hiring a local guide to take you through the rooms because there’s so much history in these walls.
After, we walked through Jingshan Park, just north of the Forbidden City, to Houhai, which is a great hub for nightlife. It’s right by a lake and at night the whole street lights up with bars, restaurants and food stalls. Each bar is competing for your attention, so they all have a special gimmick, like live bands or singers.
The next day, we took to the Great Wall. You really want ideal weather conditions for it because the stairs are uneven, narrow and very slippery. They’ve been worn down and smoothed by centuries of people climbing. We did the Mu Tian Yu section because it’s closest to Bejing. It doesn’t take too long, but you should be in pretty good shape; you climb through five towers and head back. At the end, there’s a mountain coaster you can take back down. It goes fast so make sure you know where the brakes are! Along the way, you get to see the Great Wall all around you.
We were supposed to visit the Summer Palace, but the weather wasn’t great, so we ended up visiting the Temple of Heaven instead, which is stunning. I’d recommend a guidebook as the explanations for the temple’s functions and construction are in Chinese. The Summer Palace is also well worth visiting. It’s this huge park around a serene lake, and it’s so rich with history.
Things to eat
The food in China is superb, and in Beijing you get to taste a nice variety as it’s the capital. While there, you must try the Peking Duck at Bianyifang Roast Duck. It’s delicious, they carve it tableside for you and serve it in these delicious wraps. Another classic, local dish is zhajiangmian, which you can enjoy at Guo’er Tiao Noodle Shop (锅儿挑面馆).
We got to try food from so many different cuisines, with food from Sichuan, Shaanxi, Hunan and Henan. The other thing you need to have is hot pot. You order meats and veggies and cook them yourself in a big soup. At Bā Yé Shuàn Ròu (八爷涮肉), we even had one where the broth was made of tea!
Plan your Beijing trip
If you’d like to read more about Laurent’s travels, check out his itinerary for Peru. If you’d like to experience some of this trip for yourself, feel free to look through one of our comprehensive guided China tour packages, which all include round-trip flights, accommodations, English-speaking guides & more.
This interview was conducted on January 13, 2026. Certain details may have changed.