Sightseeing in Beijing
The best way to enjoy your trip to Beijing is to do a bit of research before you even leave home. There are so many glorious things to see in Beijing that it would help to make a shortlist of the places you really want to visit, especially if your stay in Beijing is fairly short.
The first thing to do to ensure that you fully enjoy sightseeing in Beijing is to pack well for your trip. The weather can be extreme in China, with the humidity causing tourists to sweat it out during the hot summer months. Winters on the other hand can be very cold in Beijing. Once you’re in the know about the climate, then you can enjoy sightseeing in Beijing better.
To get around, it’s advisable to take advantage of Beijing’s public transportation system. Buses and subways can take you to popular tourist attractions such as the Earth Altar, a structure that was built in the 1500’s. Here, tourists can dive into the political life of that era, and have a taste of China’s ancient traditions.
The park in which the Earth Altar stands has other structures that are also available to tourists. Each structure has its own function, such as the Zai Sheng Ting, which was used for slaughtering animal offerings to the gods. The Zhai Gong served as the emperor’s residence during the yearly ceremonies and is now a wax museum.
Another popular sightseeing spot for tourists in Beijing is the Yonghegong Lamasery, which served as a residence to one of the sons of Emperor Kang Xi. Later on, this was converted into a lamasery for the Tibetians and the Mongolians. The Yonghegong Lamasery has been known to have housed some Dalai Lamas.
Since Beijing is the capital of China, it is teeming with many cultural and historical sights. One remarkable place to visit is Tiananmen Square where China was first declared a People’s Republic. The square is so large that it can accommodate one million people at a time. The Forbidden City is also another popular tourist spot. Known as the Imperial Palace during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it now contains the Palace Museum. If you want to see where emperors once strolled and relaxed, you can visit the Summer Palace.
Little Quirks in Beijing
Aside from majestic ancient structures and cultural spots, you might also find simple everyday Beijing quirks quite interesting. Unlike any other city, Beijing is teeming with establishments that like to secure their stores with bike locks. Whereas other more Western countries secure their stores with sturdy locks, Beijing store owners seem to find that bike locks suffice.
Quite aptly, Beijing is a good place to ride bikes. Also unlike other cities, you’ll find that Beijing still has a good number of bike riders. You’ll also find that tea jars and tea stores are quite popular in Beijing, which takes the place of coffee culture in western cities. You can spend hours just biking around Beijing’s neighborhoods, capturing the sights of contemporary China.