Jingshan Park
Looming over the Forbidden City, this man-made mound provides the best panoramic views in Beijing. Jingshan was made out of rubble left over from the construction of the Imperial Palace, providing the perfect platform to admire the wonder from above.
Summer Palace
Regarded as the largest imperial garden in China, Beijing's Summer Palace is in fact a park-styled royal retreat extending out over 10 square miles in northwest suburban Beijing. Once a summer resort for emperors, this 290-acre partk-palace is still a retreat for visitors, who can take a rest here or wander around old pavilions, buildings, temples, bridges and the huge lake - Kunming Lake.
With masterly design and artistic architecture integrating the highlight of Chinese garden arts, the Summer Palace has earned a title of "Royal Garden Museum". It is a royal garden most completely preserved with richest landscapes and large compact buildings. The Summer Palace was listed as the world cultural heritage in1998.
Yuyuantan Park
Sitting in the shadow of the Central Radio and TV Tower, this park comes alive every spring when thousands of cherry trees bloom. Photographers flock to Yuyuantan Park each April and May to see the blossoming pink petals, a gift from the Japanese government back in the 1970s.
Forbidden City
Beijing is an old capital city developing at a fast pace. The Forbidden City is the ideal place for you to begin your exploration of Beijing by opening its mysterious face. With over 9,000 rooms and over 250 acres, this large palace building was built between 1406 and 1420. It Forbidden City burned down and was rebuilt, sacked and renovated for times, so most of the architecture you can see today dates back to the 18th century in the Qing Dynasty. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes as you have to walk a lot!
Black Dragon Pool
Black Dragon Pool is a popular summer resort located in Miyun County about 93 kilometers northeast of Beijing. Lying itself in a 220-meter high, 4-kilometer long valley, which is commonly called Gulu Valley. There are three waterfalls and eighteen pools in the valley. It is always appraised as being fresh, astonishing and steep. It is an erosion-type pool scenic spot formed by streams flowing in the valleys, also called Wheel Valley, it is winding and twisting, with steep cliffs on both sides.
Beijing Capital Museum
Arts and culture buffs are extremely well catered to in Beijing. Of particular interest is the excellent Beijing Capital Museum, one of the country's leading art museums. Opened in 1981, the museum boasts a vast collection of artifacts, including ancient items of porcelain and bronze, traditional calligraphy and artwork, along with many fine statues from Chinese and other Asian cultures.
Other highlights of its collection of more than 200,000 important cultural artifacts - many originating from in and around Beijing, include the huge stele of Emperor Qian Long, weighing more than 40 tons, standing nearly seven meters in height, and containing ancient scripts and writings. Another modern Beijing landmark worth visiting is the National Centre for the Performing Arts (Guójia dà jùyuàn), also nicknamed the Giant Egg.
Tiananmen Square
What is the most representative place in Beijing? The answers are various. But Tiananmen Square is unarguably on the top list. Lying in the heart of Beijing City, it is the place for massive parades and gathering. It boasts of the largest square of such kind in the world.
This was the place when in 1949, from a rostrum on Tiananmen (the Gate of Heavenly Tiananmen Square Peace), Chairman Mao announced the establishment of the People's Republic of China.
Tiananmen Square is circled by Tiananmen (Gate of Heaven Peace) on its north; the Great Hall of the People on its west; on the east of Tiananmen Square lies the National Museum of China, there are Monument to the People's Heroes and Chairman Mao's Mausoleum on the south.