Top 5 places every traveler needs to see in Beijing

 Top 5 places every traveler needs to See in Beijing

Beijing is an enormous city, although many of the main sights within its borders are right in the middle of it. 

In addition, it is very easy to visit them all, because Beijing, like all other Chinese cities, has an excellent public transport system, and its metro system is among the finest in the world. 

There are so many things to see and do in the capital of the People's Republic of China, so if you're planning to visit it soon, you might want to consider our recommendations on the most popular and important sights in the city.

1. Tiananmen Square.  If you asked any previous visitor to Beijing what you should visit in this city, the first answer would definitely be Tiananmen Square. It is a gigantic market of unbelievable size. It is the third largest street market in the world, ahead of only the Praca dos Gerasues market in Palmas, Brazil, and Merdeka Square in Jakarta, Indonesia. The size of the truly colossal Tiananmen Square is 440,000 square meters.

There are always interesting events and daily activities to do here, and there are guards and cameras everywhere to prevent any trouble. Unfortunately for many people around the world, they still associate this market with the massacre that took place here in 1989. This year government forces crushed pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square, killing hundreds of civilians.

The best time of day to visit the market is at sunset. Since at that time every day, the flag of the People's Republic of China is carefully lowered and folded by the guards, in a ceremony in which the soldiers show their national pride. If you are someone who prefers to start your day early, you can also attend the flag-raising ceremony that takes place at dawn every day.

2. Donghuamen Night Market.  Donghuamen Night Market is located a few blocks away from Tiananmen Square and is organized every day after sunset on Wangfujing Pedestrian Street. Here you will find souvenirs and different culinary dishes which is a very different experience compared to the markets that we usually see in European cities.

In the market, you will find Chinese delicacies such as scorpions, tarantulas, and many other creatures that you may not see anywhere else in the world. Wander around the market and explore the very different cultures of these wonderful people. But be warned, the prices are higher than in other city markets, although not exactly astronomical.

3. Forbidden City. Close enough to Tiananmen Square, you will get another amazing place to visit in the Chinese capital of Beijing which is the Forbidden City. Here you will find the Imperial Palace, which was the home of the Ming Dynasty and later members of the Qing Dynasty, who ruled the Chinese Empire for nearly 500 years until the revolutionary movement of the early 20th century.

Like most tourist places in China, the scale of the Forbidden City complex is quite gigantic. In addition to the impressive Imperial Palace, the complex includes some 980 buildings. It goes without saying that the Forbidden City is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is also considered one of the largest groups of ancient wooden structures in the world in very good condition.

This is one of the most popular tourist attractions in China and hence you should avoid visiting it on weekends. Here large numbers of visitors can make you feel quite uncomfortable.

4- The Great Wall of China. Although the Great Wall of China is not technically in Beijing, it can easily be visited as part of a city day trip. The nearest and most famous part of the wall is at Badaling, which is only 80 kilometers from Beijing. It is an easy place to reach with public transportation, especially by train.

5- The Grand National Theatre.  The National Grand Theater opened in 2007 and may not be included in the list of top attractions in Beijing, but if you are a fan of original Chinese architecture, then you must miss this place.

The amazing theater building is located near Tiananmen Square and consists of three large halls: the opera room, the music room, and the stage. It was designed by French architect Paul André and has a structure similar to a dome made of titanium and glass. As it is surrounded by water, the building can only be accessed through an underground tunnel.

Even by Chinese building standards, the theater building was incredibly expensive so it's hard to imagine something so imposing anywhere else given the current economic climate. So make sure that on your trip to Beijing, you will also pay a visit to the National Grand Theatre. We guarantee that you will stand amazed in front of him.

The capital of the People's Republic of China is definitely a destination that any traveler should include in their itinerary at least once in their life. It is a vibrant, traditional, and modern city at the same time that reveals the history of China better than any other place.