Travel Guide Pekin 北京
If China is the Middle Kingdom, then Beijing is the middle of the Kingdom! Nothing less, nothing more! Protected from external aggression by the Great Wall, this multifaceted capital city offers a summary of the country and its contradictions. This is what a tourist guide to Beijing will show you. The architectural tradition of the Forbidden City and the imperial buildings are matched by the very design buildings of the business district, the malls of Sanlitun - and notably the Village or the towers of Soho - or the concentric peripheries of a city that has become sprawling. A few hundred meters are enough to go from the China of the Ming dynasty to that of the 21st century, from the trendy neighborhoods to the popular residences. And the heart of the city is a real historical journey, which allows you to navigate from the time of the emperors to that of the proclamation of the People's Republic. From Tian'anmen Square to Mao's mausoleum, from the street of antiques to the office towers, everything reminds us that Beijing is today an essential business center, a world city. Both a consumerist capital and a spiritual city, Beijing feels its heart beating in different tempos. Between excessive modernization and ancestral traditions, welcome to Beijing!
What to visit Pekin 北京?
Suggested addresses Pekin 北京
When to go to Pekin 北京?
The high tourist season covers the periods from March to October and the low season from November to February. Basically, spring/summer and autumn (high season) and winter (low season). Based on the lunar calendar, special events are held to celebrate Chinese New Year's Day (January to February), Lantern Festival (15 days after Chinese New Year) and around October 1st (national holiday). Be aware that at this time, it is difficult, not to rent a room but to visit anything as many provincial Chinese are so numerous to visit Beijing! Spring and autumn are generally the best times to travel to Beijing. Note: despite its temperatures well below zero, winter can be a good season to discover Beijing under blue skies if you are not too afraid of the cold.
Weather at the moment
Beijing enjoys a continental climate (cold and dry in winter, hot and humid in summer) with temperatures that easily drop to -20°C in winter and rise - just as easily - to +40°C in summer. Spring and autumn are generally the best times to travel to Beijing. Nevertheless, winter can be a good time to discover Beijing under a blue sky if you are not too afraid of the cold.
The currency is the yuan or renminbi (RMB). The myth of China as an inexpensive destination is long gone! Today, a stay in Beijing costs about the same as a stay in a major Western city. Please note: in Beijing, many things are negotiated. Therefore, bring plenty of cash (it is easy to withdraw money from an ATM).
To travel to China, you need a passport (valid for more than 6 months after the planned departure from the country) and a visa. The tourist visa (L visa) is valid for a maximum of 1 month. It costs 26 € and is available in 5 working days. To obtain the latter, you must present: a return flight ticket, a letter of invitation and/or proof of accommodation or a copy of hotel reservations for the entire duration of the stay, as well as a bank statement (to prove that you can support yourself once in Beijing) or a certificate from your employer and proof from your insurance company that you are covered in the event of medical repatriation.
No vaccinations are required to travel to Beijing. Neither you nor your children are at risk, as long as you remember not to drink tap water (not drinkable) and to wash your hands as often as possible. These tips, along with basic hygiene, should help you make the most of your stay in Beijing.
A new virus, nCoV coronavirus, has been identified by Chinese authorities. It appeared in December 2019 in Wuhan, Hubei province, and is transmitted from human to human by air and causes illnesses ranging from a cold to more severe pathologies. Symptoms are similar to those of the flu (fever, cough and shortness of breath). In early February 2020, there were 500 deaths and 25,000 people infected. If you are planning to travel to China, you are strongly advised to consult theWHO and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs websites.
Practical information
- When to travel?
- Weather forecast
- Budget
- Formalities
- Health
- How to travel by yourself?
- How to get organized?
- Getting around
Media
How to go to Pekin 北京? Our advice & tips
Many tour operators offer Beijing as a program. The Chinese capital is often integrated into a tour that includes the rest of China. In this case, you will spend a few days there. But many tours will propose you to stay in Beijing, and to focus on its must-sees which combine imperial and modern China.
Discover our selection of travel agencies for this destinationYou will have no difficulty in getting to Beijing. Many airlines offer daily direct flights or flights with stopovers to the Chinese capital. There are no security concerns. Beijing has become very safe for the whole family, although you should beware of pickpockets in the markets and tourist areas. The repression for aggressions committed on foreigners is also very severe. So don't be afraid!
Beijing is a very large city, but very well served (recently, and the network is constantly expanding): public transportation (subway, bus, minibus) will allow you not to waste time to reach the many points of interest in the city. However, be careful during rush hours because you will quickly see what "crowded" means...
Finally, cabs are an excellent way to get around, even if they are less available than a few years ago.
