COOL THINGS IN JAPAN YOU MUST SEE
Built during the Ming Dynasty in the early 1400s, the Forbidden City was the home and central administration point of China’s Emperors during the Ming and Qing dynasties.
Badaling is the most frequented being less than an hour from Beijing. The most impressive sight in Badaling is the massive guard tower you see as you first drive up to the wall.
With the Forbidden City at its north, the Great Hall of the People and the National Museum to its east and west and the tomb of Mao Zedong on its south side, this is the largest public square in the world.
The gardens, the delicately carved Chinese bridges on the lake and the Ming dynasty structures are breathtaking. A great place to spend the day and have lunch and is one of my favorite Beijing highlights.
To get a feel for the authentic Beijing, consider staying in a refurbished hutong hotel. Or check out a wider selection of western-style hotels in Beijing.
The best book I ever read about Beijing is “Midnight in Peking.” The book accurately conveys the feel of old Beijing through the fictionalized true story about the murder of an Englishwoman in Beijing. If you get to Beijing, you will enjoy seeing the locations described in the book.