The Great Wall of China: declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Great Wall of China is such an extensive and significant construction that it is visible from space. Visitors to Beĳjing should be mindful of the Chinese saying that translates as ‘You are not a man if you have not been to the Great Wall’ and make every effort to visit what is classed as one of the Seven Wonders of the Medieval Mind. Tour operators offer trips to the wall or you can make your own way there by public transport.

The Ming Tombs: are located 50kms northwest of the city and are the final resting places of 13 emperors from the famous Ming Dynasty. The site contains the perfectly preserved mausoleums and necropolises of the respective emperors however visitors are permitted access to the Changling and Dingling tombs only. Trips to the tombs are invariably made as part of tours offered by local agencies or visitors can arrange to get there by taxi or public transportation.

Tiananmen Square: covers 40.5 hectares and is the world’s largest public square. It has great cultural significance for China, as it was the site of several key events in the country’s history. Tiananmen or the Gate of Heavenly Peace which sits to the north of the square is responsible for its name. The square is perhaps most famous outside of China for the Tiananmen Square Massacre which occurred in 1989 and saw student, intellectual and labour activist protesters gunned down by the military for their part in protests against the Communist Party of China.

Temple of Heaven: located just south of Tiananmen Square, the Temple of Heaven is the biggest Buddhist temple in China and dates back to the 15th century when it was built as a place to pray for the coming of good harvests. Like the great Wall, this is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and offer visitors views of exquisite architecture as well as some scenic grounds in which it is set.

The Summer Palace: otherwise known as the Forbidden City, is a huge park area that was built in 1888 by the Empress Dowager Ci Xi and originally used as the summer residence for emperors of the Qing dynasty. Covering a hefty 290 hectares, the park is hailed as the country’s best preserved imperial garden. Among the more interesting sights on offer is a large marble boat sitting static in the middle of a large lake.