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10 Things to Do in Beijing 2025: An Updated Guide
10 Things to Do in Beijing 2025: An Updated Guide
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Oct 08, 2025
8:56 PM
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10 Things to Do in Beijing 2025: An Updated Guide for Curious Travelers
When I planned my first trip to China, Beijing wasn’t even on the list. I had Hong Kong and maybe Thailand in mind, until a friend told me, “You’ll regret skipping the capital.” So I added a few days — and it completely changed the trip. Instead of the gray, crowded place I imagined, I found parks where grandparents danced at sunrise, food stalls perfumed with cumin smoke, and friendly locals laughing at my clumsy Mandarin. That sense of surprise defines Beijing. If you’re wondering about the best things to do in Beijing, it starts right there — in moments you don’t see coming. For deeper itineraries and planning tips, check this full [Beijing travel guide](https://www.travelofchina.com/beijing-things-to-do/).
Beijing doesn’t unfold like a postcard right after landing. Your first view is the bright airport terminal — coffee shops, noodle bars, spotless corridors. Then the decision comes: a 120 RMB taxi that snakes through traffic, or the Airport Express at 25 RMB, which gets you downtown in 30 minutes. You can also order a Didi with no ticket fuss. For help, here’s a guide on [how foreigners can set up and use Didi in China](https://www.travelofchina.com/didi-ride-hailing-app-in-china-how-to-easily-use-it-as-a-foreigner-2025/).
It’s all sleek and organized until you reach Dongzhimen. Then Beijing hits you — horns, aromas of street food, and a dizzying sense of scale. That jump from sterile airport calm to vibrant chaos sets the rhythm for everything that follows.
My first wander in Dongcheng showed how Beijing mixes its timelines without hesitation. A bubble tea sign blinked above a decades-old steamed bun stall. Just a few blocks away stood Tiananmen Square, quiet yet enormous, while nearby hutongs hummed with retirees chatting and children chasing each other between siheyuan courtyards. The metro, just 3 RMB a ride, pulls you into the city’s pulse, shoulder-to-shoulder with students and office workers. That’s the moment Beijing stops being an idea and becomes an experience. If you’re searching what to do in Beijing, this collision of eras is the start.
This colossal palace complex, a UNESCO World Heritage site, stands as China’s most enduring architectural statement. Built in the 15th century, it served Ming and Qing emperors until the early 1900s. The symmetry, the golden tiles, and the scarlet walls all radiate authority. Tickets cost 60 RMB in peak season and must be bought online through Ctrip to avoid being turned away. Visit early, around 8:30 a.m., before tour groups crowd the grounds. Beyond the main halls, wander into side courtyards where incense lingers and silence replaces spectacle — that’s where the city’s heart still beats.
Beijing’s hutongs might look rough around the edges, but that’s their charm. At Nanluoguxiang, I grabbed a jianbing for 10 RMB while the vendor flipped eggs one-handed, scrolling WeChat with the other. Tourist lanes like Yandaixie Jie get busy, but one wrong turn lands you in real life — laundry swaying above, a neighbor leaning out to chat. Rickshaw rides are about 100 RMB an hour, though walking lets you catch the details — a cat lounging in a courtyard, a kid flying a paper plane. It’s not polished, but it’s alive, and that’s what makes it unforgettable.
Standing in Tiananmen Square feels weighty. It’s vast, bordered by the Great Hall of the People and the National Museum. Admission is free, though security lines are long and passports are checked. The sunrise flag ceremony draws early crowds; voices echo softly across the stone expanse. It isn’t about beauty here, but gravity — a place tied to change and memory. After the cameras lower, the quiet sits heavier than before.
You’ve heard of Quanjude and Dadong — the classics — with meals around 200–300 RMB per person. Watching the chef slice that glistening duck skin table-side is almost performance art. You dip the first crisp piece into sugar, and suddenly the hype makes sense. Down narrow alleys, Li Qun’s smoky, no-frills setup feels the opposite: dim light, wooden tables, unforgettable crunch. You’ll debate which version wins, but both define Beijing’s culinary pride.
Outside Jingshan Park, I queued with locals for dumplings — **15 RMB** for a plate, vinegar on the side. The vendor folded, steamed, shouted, and smiled, all in rhythm. Night markets like Wangfujing add drama: glowing skewers of scorpions, syrupy hawthorn sticks, blaring signs. Step aside into smaller lanes, though, and you’ll find sesame buns straight from the oven. Beijing’s street food thrives on imperfection — messy, loud, unforgettable.
At Panjiayuan Market, bargaining feels like theater. I watched a jade bracelet’s price fall from 300 RMB to 80. Authentic or not, the ritual matters more than the item. Then 798 Art District flips the mood — graffiti walls, design stores, small galleries charging **30–60 RMB** entry, oat milk lattes in hand. Once an industrial zone, now it’s the city’s creative pulse. Together they show that Beijing isn’t stuck in history; it keeps reinventing itself.
The Olympic Green glows differently after dark. Families skate beneath the Bird’s Nest, its steel curves still radiant years after 2008. Entry is free, though the Water Cube’s park area costs around **160 RMB**. Joggers, wedding photographers, vendors with flashing balloons — it’s a shared rhythm. These landmarks feel less like relics and more like open-air living rooms, reminders that Beijing’s future still hums with community energy.
For the Great Wall at Mutianyu, buy through Ctrip: **40 RMB** entry plus **100 RMB** for the cable car. Bring your passport for Forbidden City tickets. Crowds thin near sunset, perfect for softer light. The Summer Palace is **30 RMB**; boats cost extra. Booking online saves you queues — and patience.
The metro runs on flat fares between **3–6 RMB** with English signs throughout. Use MetroMan or Baidu Maps (offline mode helps when the signal drops). Didi rides require linking an international card to Alipay or WeChat Pay. Stay in Dongcheng or Chaoyang, where hotels marked “foreigners accepted” appear on Trip.com. Rooms start near **200 RMB**, mid-range around **500 RMB**, and upscale hotels easily top **1,000 RMB**. Staying central keeps your steps high and your stress low.
Looking for more practical tips? [Uncover more favorites now](https://www.travelofchina.com/beijing-things-to-do/) and see the highlights others loved in Beijing 2025. The city never stops surprising — that unpredictability might just be its best story.
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