A first trip to China usually links three very different cities. Beijing has the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven and the Great Wall at Badaling. Xi'an has the Terracotta Army and a Ming city wall you can walk on. Shanghai pairs the old Bund with the towers of Lujiazui and canal towns such as Zhujiajiao. Most travelers move between them by train, booked on China Railway's official 12306 app or website with a passport.
This page starts with our ranked picks for a first visit, best first, each with a practical tip on timing or booking. Below them you will find every sight we cover in Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai, city by city, with opening notes and checked entry fees where we have them, then answers to the questions travelers ask most.
The 17 best things to do in China
Ticket and tour links search Klook in a new tab. TravPa earns a commission if you book; your price stays the same.
- 1BeijingBook ahead
Walk the Forbidden City from south to north
For more than five centuries the Forbidden City was the seat of imperial power. It was built between 1406 and 1420 under the Ming emperor Zhu Di, and 14 Ming and 10 Qing emperors took the throne here. Since 1925 it has been the Palace Museum. Walls 10 m high and a moat 52 m wide enclose a complex 961 m long from north to south, approached from the south through Tian'anmen, with Jingshan directly to the north. Inside are halls, courtyards and gardens with nearly 10,000 rooms, and a collection of more than 1.8 million objects. The museum suggests two-hour, half-day and full-day routes, so plan on at least a morning.
Tip: Tickets are not sold on the day, so book online well ahead with your passport number, and remember the museum is closed on Mondays except on national holidays.
Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: UNESCO World Heritage Centre; The Palace Museum; The Palace Museum (official)Apr to Oct: CN¥60 (about $9) · Nov to Mar: CN¥40 (about $6) · Book online ahead; no same-day ticketsLast verified
- 2Beijing
Climb the Ming Great Wall at Badaling
The Great Wall was built and rebuilt from the 3rd century BC to the 17th century, and its most famous masonry dates from the Ming dynasty. Badaling, in Beijing's Yanqing District, was an outpost guarding Juyong Pass. It is the best-preserved and most representative Ming section, which is why it became the first to open to visitors, after repairs in 1953. Today you can walk 3,741 m of wall, 1,176 m in the south section and 2,565 m in the north, past 16 fortified towers, with the wall following the ridgelines over steep ground. Line S2 trains run to Badaling from Huangtudian Station, next to Huoying subway station on Lines 8 and 13.
Tip: The north section is steeper but has the better views, so it draws the most people; start early and wear shoes with good grip.
Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: UNESCO World Heritage Centre; Visit Beijing (Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism); Visit Beijing (Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism); Visit Beijing (Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism); Visit Beijing (Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism)Apr to Oct: CN¥40 (about $6) · Nov to Mar: CN¥35 (about $5) · Real-name tickets; reserve ahead at busy timesLast verified
- 3Xi'anBook ahead
Face the Terracotta Army outside Xi'an
In March 1974, farmers digging a well near Xiyang village in Lintong found pieces of pottery figures, and archaeologists went on to uncover Pit 1 of the Terracotta Army. The figures guard the tomb of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor to unify China, who died in 210 BC, at the foot of Mount Li about 35 km northeast of Xi'an. Pit 1 alone measures 230 m by 62 m and is thought to hold about 6,000 figures of soldiers and horses, and no two are alike. The museum site also includes Lishan Garden, the park around the burial mound; each part takes about 1.5 hours, linked by a free shuttle bus.
Tip: Entry is by real-name reservation, so book a dated ticket on the museum's official website with your passport, and arrive well before ticket checks stop at 5:00 PM.
Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: UNESCO World Heritage Centre; Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum (official, Chinese text); Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum (official, Chinese text); Xi'an Municipal Government (official English site)Adult, includes Lishan Garden: CN¥120 (about $18) · Book online ahead with your passportLast verified
- 4Shanghai
Stroll the Bund and look across to Pudong
The Bund runs 1.5 km along the Huangpu River, from East Yan'an Road in the south to Waibaidu Bridge in the north. After Shanghai became a trading port, foreign banks, trading houses, clubs and newspapers gathered here, and 52 neoclassical buildings in a mix of styles still line the waterfront. Across the river rises Lujiazui, where the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Shanghai Tower and Jin Mao Tower form the city's best-known skyline. At the north end, Waibaidu Bridge, where Suzhou Creek meets the Huangpu, was China's first fully steel riveted bridge. Metro Lines 2 and 10 both stop near the Bund.
Tip: Walk it twice if you can, once in daylight for the old facades and again after dark, when the Pudong skyline is lit up across the water.
Search tours on KlookSources: Meet in Shanghai (Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism); Meet in Shanghai (Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism); Shanghai Municipal People's Government (official English site)Free to visit - 5Beijing
Walk to the Temple of Heaven's Hall of Prayer
Ming and Qing emperors came to the Temple of Heaven to offer sacrifice to heaven and pray for good harvests. It was completed in 1420, together with the Forbidden City, and its 273 hectares are laid out with a rounded north and a square south, after the old belief that heaven is round and earth square. Walk the raised Danbi Bridge, 360 m long, between the three-tiered Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, 38.2 m high, and the Circular Mound Altar, where every count of stones, balustrades and steps is nine or a multiple of nine. More than 3,500 old pines and cypresses shade the outer grounds. Take Metro Line 5 to Tiantandongmen, Exit A.
Tip: The park opens early in the morning, while the main halls open at 8:00 AM and close on Mondays except public holidays; foreign visitors can book through the temple's official WeChat ticketing account with a passport.
Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: UNESCO World Heritage Centre; Beijing Municipal People's Government (official English site); Visit Beijing (Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism)Combo ticket, high season: CN¥34 (about $5) · Park daily; halls closed Mondays except public holidaysLast verified
- 6Beijing
Circle Kunming Lake at the Summer Palace
The Summer Palace began in 1750 as Emperor Qianlong's Garden of Clear Ripples. It was largely destroyed in 1860, rebuilt for Empress Dowager Cixi, and has been a public park since 1924. Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake frame the garden, and water covers about three quarters of it. Walk the Long Corridor along the shore, look up at the Tower of the Fragrance of Buddha, and cross the Seventeen-Arch Bridge, over 150 m long and the longest bridge in China's imperial gardens. The palace lies about 15 km from central Beijing; on Metro Line 4, Xiyuan Station serves the East Palace Gate and Beigongmen Station the North Palace Gate.
Tip: Around the winter solstice the setting sun lights up all 17 arches of the bridge; foreign visitors can book tickets on the palace's official WeChat account with a passport.
Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: UNESCO World Heritage Centre; Beijing Municipal People's Government (official English site)Apr to Oct: CN¥30 (about $5) · Nov to Mar: CN¥20 (about $3) · Park daily; extra-ticket halls closed off-season MondaysLast verified
- 7Xi'an
Walk the Ming city wall in Xi'an
Xi'an, known in ancient times as Chang'an, still sits inside its Ming dynasty (1368 to 1644) city wall, the largest and best-preserved city wall in China. Walking along the top shows you the shape of the old city at once. Most visitors climb up at Yongning Gate, the south gate, which stays open into the late evening. After dark the gates, such as Anding Gate, are lit, and at the heart of the old city the Bell Tower, also built under the Ming, glows every night and is a favorite with visitors, especially those dressed in traditional hanfu.
Tip: In hot weather, climb in the early morning or after 5:30 PM, when the evening breeze makes the walk pleasant and you can stay on for sunset and the night views.
Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: Xi'an Municipal Government (official English site); Xi'an Municipal Government (official English site); Xi'an Municipal Government (official English site); Xi'an City Wall scenic area (official, Chinese text); Xi'an Municipal Government (official English site); Xi'an Municipal People's Government¥[fee] - 8Shanghai
Explore Yu Garden's rockeries and dragon walls
Yu Garden was built by Pan Yunduan, a Ming dynasty official, as a gift to his parents, and work on it went on from 1559 to 1620. It is small, about 2 hectares, but packed with pavilions, ponds, rockeries and covered walks in the Suzhou style. Cross the Nine Zigzag Bridge to the entrance and Sansui Hall, climb the Huge Rockery, almost 14 m high, and find the Yu Ling Long, a rock riddled with holes that is the garden's prized treasure. Look closely at the walls, too: several are shaped like dragons. Around the garden, lanes of bazaars, restaurants and snack stalls fill the old city. Metro Line 10 serves the area.
Tip: Pair it with a Huangpu River cruise from Shiliupu Quay, which is close to both the garden and the Bund.
Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: Shanghai Municipal Information Office (official); Meet in Shanghai (Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism); Shanghai Municipal People's Government (official English site); Meet in Shanghai (Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism)Apr to Jun, Sep to Nov: CN¥40 (about $6) · Jul to Aug, Dec to Mar: CN¥30 (about $5) · Buy at the gate or in the official mini programLast verified
- 9Shanghai
Cruise the Huangpu River after dark
Shanghai makes the most sense from the water. The classic sightseeing cruise of about an hour leaves from Shiliupu Tourist Quay, close to the Bund and Yu Garden, and passes the towers of Lujiazui, the Oriental Pearl TV Tower up close and the whole row of Bund buildings, which look more unified from the river than from the street. Other routes start at Jinling Road E. Quay, the Oriental Pearl Tourism Wharf in Pudong and the North Bund cruise terminal, whose route passes the area of the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum. A Yangpu route shows old shipyards and power plants turned into parks. Evening sailings under the city lights are the most sought after.
Tip: For weekend and holiday evenings, book ahead in the official Huangpu River cruise mini-program in WeChat or Alipay, or at the Shiliupu ticket windows, and arrive at least 30 minutes before departure.
Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: Meet in Shanghai (Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism) - 10Beijing
Look over the palace roofs from Jingshan Park
Jingshan Park faces the north gate of the Forbidden City, on the center of Beijing's north-south axis. It was an imperial garden under the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, and its hill was once the highest point in central Beijing. The hill has five summits, each topped by a pavilion. Climb to the middle one, the Wanchun Pavilion, the highest point on the central axis: looking south, the golden roofs of the Forbidden City spread out below you, and the view takes in the whole line of the old capital's axis. On the way up, the walking route passes the spot where the Ming emperor Chongzhen died.
Tip: Foreign visitors are asked to reserve by phone at least a day ahead with passport details, so check the current rule, then come soon after the early opening for the calmest view.
Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: Beijing Municipal People's Government (official English site); Visit Beijing (Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism); Beijing Municipal People's Government (official English site)Adult, standard: CN¥2 (about $1) · Pay at the gate; exhibition periods cost moreLast verified
- 11Beijing
Wander the hutongs and lakes of Shichahai
Shichahai joins three lakes, Qianhai, Houhai and Xihai, with the hutong lanes around them. Most people start at Qianhai and stroll north to Yinding Bridge, where restaurants and bars line the water. Nearby, Yandai Xiejie, a diagonal lane under 300 m long, is packed with small shops and snack stalls, and Nanluoguxiang keeps the fishbone street grid of a Yuan dynasty hutong more than 740 years old. From spring, rowboats, pedal boats and electric boats go out on the water, and Shichahai is the only place in Beijing with night boat tours. In summer, lotus flowers cover the lake at Lotus Market.
Tip: Come in the late afternoon and stay into the evening, when the lights come on and the air cools; Metro Lines 6 and 8 stop at Nanluoguxiang Station.
Sources: Visit Beijing (Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism)Free to visit - 12Xi'an
Visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda at dusk
The Big Wild Goose Pagoda, also called the Giant Wild Goose or Ci'en Pagoda, stands in the courtyard of Ci'en Temple. It was built in 652 under the guidance of the monk Xuanzang to house the Buddhist statues and scriptures he brought back from India, and its seven brick tiers have watched over the city's changes ever since. At its foot begins the Grand Tang Mall, a 2,100 m pedestrian avenue themed on the Tang dynasty (618 to 907), when the city was the capital Chang'an. It is busiest after dark, when performances and crowds fill the street, and on holidays it can draw more than 300,000 people a day.
Tip: Visit the pagoda in the late afternoon, then stay for the avenue after dark, when it is at its liveliest.
Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: Xi'an Municipal Government (official English site); Xi'an Municipal Government (official English site); Xi'an Municipal Government (official English site)¥[fee] - 13Shanghai
Ride up to the Top of Shanghai Observatory
Across the river from the Bund, Lujiazui is Shanghai's modern face, where Shanghai Tower, Jin Mao Tower and the Shanghai World Financial Center stand side by side near the Oriental Pearl TV Tower. The Top of Shanghai Observatory is on the 118th floor of Shanghai Tower, 546 m above the ground, with a 360-degree view over the city: the bends of the Huangpu, the old Bund on the far bank and the skyline in every direction. Back at street level, Lujiazui has observation decks, malls and riverside walks, and the Museum of Art Pudong pairs contemporary exhibitions with river views. Metro Line 2 serves the Oriental Pearl Tower area.
Tip: Save it for a clear day, then walk down to the Pudong riverside to see the Bund across the water.
Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: Shanghai Municipal People's Government (official English site); Meet in Shanghai (Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism); Meet in Shanghai (Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism); Shanghai Municipal People's Government (official English site)¥[fee] - 14Shanghai
Spend a day in the Zhujiajiao water town
Zhujiajiao, about 40 km from central Shanghai where Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai meet, grew from a village market before the Song dynasty into a trading town that flourished under the Ming and Qing. Its canals are crossed by 36 old bridges. The best known, Fangsheng Bridge, a Ming dynasty five-arch stone bridge 70.8 m long over the Caogang River, is the longest of its kind in the Shanghai area. Have tea at Jiangnan No 1 Tea House on North Street, write a postcard at the 1903 post office, take a wooden boat along the canals, and walk through Kezhi Garden. Metro Line 17 runs there from Hongqiao Railway Station.
Tip: Stay into the evening for Kunqu opera and night views at Kezhi Garden, or spend the night at a guesthouse in town.
Search tours on KlookSources: Shanghai Municipal People's Government (official English site); Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism; Shanghai Municipal People's Government; Shanghai Municipal People's Government (official English site)Free to visit - 15Beijing
Visit Beijing's Lama Temple, a royal lamasery
Yonghegong began in 1694 as the residence of Prince Yong, the future Yongzheng Emperor, and in 1744 it became a Tibetan Buddhist temple and the Qing government's center for Tibetan Buddhist affairs. Because it was an imperial home, it carries yellow roof tiles and red walls like the Forbidden City. Its halls, laid out along a 480 m north-south axis, mix Han and Tibetan styles: look for the smiling Maitreya at the Yonghe Gate, the bronze statue of Tsongkhapa in the Falun Hall, and in the Wanfu Pavilion a giant Buddha carved from a single piece of white sandalwood. It is one of the largest Tibetan Buddhist temples in the world.
Tip: Treat it as the place of worship it is: keep your voice down in the halls and give way to people who are praying.
Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: Visit Beijing (Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism); Visit Beijing (Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism)¥[fee] - 16Shanghai
Trace 3,600 years of bronzes at Shanghai Museum East
The Shanghai Museum, founded in 1952, holds one of the most complete collections of ancient Chinese art, and its east branch in Pudong gives it far more room. The bronze gallery covers about 3,600 years, from the Xia to the Qing dynasty, and there are galleries of sculpture, jade, seals, painting and calligraphy, ceramics and more than 6,000 coins, plus a gallery that tells Shanghai's own story through over 2,000 archaeological finds. Individual visitors need no reservation: bring your passport and enter through the B1 East Gate after a security check. Take Metro Line 2 to Shanghai Science and Technology Museum Station, Exit 8.
Tip: Rent the English audio guide, which starts playing as you approach each object, or book an English guided tour of the bronze and ceramics galleries at the service desk inside.
Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: Shanghai Municipal People's Government (official English site); Shanghai Municipal People's Government (official English site)Walk in with your passport - 17Beijing
Walk around Beihai's lake to the White Dagoba
Beihai Park is the earliest and best-preserved classical imperial garden in China, laid out around Beihai Lake over 69 hectares, more than half of them water. Cross Yong'an Bridge to Jade Islet, where the White Dagoba rises above Yong'an Temple, then work around to the north shore for the Nine-Dragon Wall, built in 1756, about 25.5 m long and covered on both sides in glazed tiles. The park suggests a two-hour loop of the Round City and Jade Islet, or about four hours for the whole park, taking the ferry from Yilan Hall to the north bank.
Tip: Foreign visitors are asked to reserve by phone at least a day ahead with passport details, so arrange it before you go, and note that the scenic halls close on Mondays except public holidays.
Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: Beijing Municipal People's Government (official English site)Basic park entry, Apr to Oct: CN¥10 (about $2) · Basic park entry, Nov to Mar: CN¥5 (about $1) · Pay at the gateLast verified
Every sight, city by city
Badaling Great Wall
A section of the Great Wall 60 km northwest of Beijing, listed by UNESCO in 1987.Entry: Real-name tickets; reserve ahead at busy timesSearch tickets and tours on KlookBeihai Park
One of the oldest imperial gardens in China, laid out around a lake with Qionghua Island at its heart.Entry: Pay at the gateSearch tickets and tours on KlookDi'anmen Outer Street
The street running north to the Drum Tower, with time-honored snack and paomo restaurants.Entry: Pay as you goGuijie (Ghost Street)
One of Beijing's earliest snack streets, known for crawfish, with many restaurants open around the clock.Entry: Pay as you goHuguosi Street
A lane of time-honored snack shops, including the Huguosi Snacks flagship founded in 1956.Entry: Pay as you goJingshan Park
A hilltop royal garden directly north of the Forbidden City, on Beijing's central axis.Entry: Pay at the gate; exhibition periods cost moreSearch tickets and tours on KlookLama Temple (Yonghe Temple)
Beijing's largest Tibetan Buddhist temple, a former imperial residence that is still an active place of worship.Entry: ¥[fee]Search tickets and tours on KlookNanluoguxiang
A pedestrian hutong district laid out in a grid in the Yuan dynasty, open all day.Entry: Free to visitNiujie
Ox Street, Beijing's Muslim quarter, known for halal Beijing snacks and long-standing restaurants.Entry: Pay as you goPalace Museum (Forbidden City)
The walled imperial palace of the Ming and Qing emperors, entered from the south through the Meridian Gate.Entry: Book online ahead; no same-day tickets. Closed MondaysSearch tickets and tours on KlookQianmen Street
A pedestrian street south of Tiananmen Square, home to time-honored roast duck and shaomai restaurants.Entry: Pay as you goSeventeen-Arch Bridge, Summer Palace
The long stone bridge across the Summer Palace lake, famous for low winter sun shining through its arches.Entry: Included in Summer Palace entrySearch tickets and tours on KlookShichahai lakeside at Yinding Bridge
A lakeside hutong area north of Beihai Park, known for the Yinding Bridge and old Beijing lanes.Entry: Free to visitSummer Palace
A Qing imperial garden of halls, corridors and pavilions around a lake, rebuilt and renamed in 1886.Entry: Park daily; extra-ticket halls closed off-season MondaysSearch tickets and tours on KlookTemple of Heaven
The largest surviving complex where emperors worshiped Heaven and prayed for good harvests.Entry: Park daily; halls closed Mondays except public holidaysSearch tickets and tours on KlookXisi North Street
A north-south street of time-honored Beijing eateries, from Yanji cold noodles to steamed buns.Entry: Pay as you goCaohe Street, Zhujiajiao
A canal-side old-town street for a final walk and a local meal before returning to Shanghai.Entry: Pay as you goChangli Road food street
A Pudong late-night food street known for seafood, barbecue and snacks.Entry: Pay as you goFangsheng Bridge, Zhujiajiao
A Ming dynasty five-arch stone bridge, 70.8 m long, the landmark of the Zhujiajiao water town.Entry: Free to visitSearch tours on KlookHuanghe Road
A food street by People's Square with scallion pancakes, soup dumplings and other cheap local dishes.Entry: Pay as you goJiangnan No 1 Tea House, Zhujiajiao
A historic North Street tea house for a break during a water-town walk; ask locally about any current performances.Entry: Pay as you goJing'an Temple
One of the earliest Buddhist temples in Shanghai, first built in 247 and rebuilt in the Song style.Entry: ¥[fee]Search tickets and tours on KlookKezhi Garden, Zhujiajiao
A Jiangnan garden of pavilions, a lake and a rockery inside the Zhujiajiao water town.Entry: Buy at the gate; normally 8:30 AM to 5 PMSearch tickets and tours on KlookNanjing Road Pedestrian Street
A 1.5 km shopping street between People's Square and the Bund, mixing flagships and time-honored shops.Entry: Free to visitNorth Bund by the International Cruise Terminal
The public Hongkou waterfront outside the international cruise terminal, facing the Lujiazui skyline; the terminal is the map landmark.Entry: Free to visitSearch tours on KlookNorth Street, Zhujiajiao
The old town main shopping lane, with local food shops, small restaurants and narrow canal-side passages.Entry: Pay as you goShanghai Hongqiao Airport arrival food areas
Public arrival-floor food areas for a meal before traveling into the city; the map marks the airport, not a particular counter.Entry: Pay as you go; follow signs in your arrival terminalShanghai Jewish Refugees Museum
The former Ohel Moshe Synagogue, telling the story of about 20,000 European Jewish refugees in Shanghai.Entry: Pay at the entrance; closed Mondays. Closed MondaysSearch tickets and tours on KlookShanghai Museum (People's Square)
The central Shanghai Museum branch, with exhibitions of Chinese and international art; check the current program before visiting.Entry: Walk in with your passport; peak periods need booking. Closed MondaysSearch tickets and tours on KlookShanghai Museum East
The large new Pudong branch of the Shanghai Museum on Century Avenue.Entry: Walk in with your passport. Closed TuesdaysSearch tickets and tours on KlookShanghai Tower
The tallest tower in Lujiazui, with the Top of Shanghai observation deck on floors 118 and 119.Entry: ¥[fee]Search tickets and tours on KlookThe Bund
A 1.5 km riverfront of former banks and trading houses facing the Lujiazui skyline across the Huangpu.Entry: Free to visitSearch tours on KlookTianzifang
A renovated shikumen lane complex full of craft shops, boutiques and cafes.Entry: Free to visitWujiang Road
A pedestrian food street behind West Nanjing Road, known for local snacks such as Wang Jia Sha.Entry: Pay as you goWukang Mansion (Wukang Road)
A ship-shaped 1924 apartment building at the head of the Wukang Road and Anfu Road leisure block.Entry: Free to view from the streetXijing Street, Zhujiajiao
A pedestrian street beside the canals, with old houses and small bridges in the historic town.Entry: Free to visitXintiandi
Restored shikumen houses turned into a district of restaurants, shops and performances.Entry: Free to visitYu Garden
A Ming dynasty garden of pavilions, rockeries and ponds in the old city, begun in 1559.Entry: Buy at the gate or in the official mini program. Closed MondaysSearch tickets and tours on KlookYunnan Road South food street
Shanghai's oldest food street, home to century-old restaurants and newer local favorites.Entry: Pay as you goYuyuan Bazaar
The crowded old-style market around Yu Garden, selling snacks, tea sets and traditional crafts.Entry: Pay as you goZhujiajiao Post Office
A historic post office building from 1903 with Qing-style bronze mailboxes still in use.Entry: Interior admission ¥[fee]; check current accessSearch tickets and tours on KlookBell Tower of Xi'an
A Ming dynasty tower at the center of the city, lit up every night.Entry: ¥[fee]Search tickets and tours on KlookBig Wild Goose Pagoda
A Tang dynasty pagoda in the Da Ci'en Temple, where the monk Xuanzang translated scriptures from India.Entry: ¥[fee]Search tickets and tours on KlookGrand Tang Mall
A Tang-style pedestrian street of dining, shops and performances at the foot of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda.Entry: Pay as you goLishan Garden (Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor)
The burial park of the First Qin Emperor, with the bronze chariots gallery and excavated pits.Entry: Included in the Terracotta Army ticketSearch tickets and tours on KlookMuslim Quarter (Beiyuanmen)
The historic quarter near the Drum Tower, busiest after dark, with snacks, ethnic food and a night market.Entry: Pay as you goTerracotta Army (Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum)
The pits of life-size terracotta warriors and horses found in 1974, east of the city at Lintong.Entry: Book online ahead with your passportSearch tickets and tours on KlookXi'an City Wall (Yongning Gate)
The south gate of the Ming city wall, where the scenic area stages performances through the day.Entry: ¥[fee]Search tickets and tours on KlookYongxingfang
A lane of Shaanxi snacks and time-honored food stalls near the east side of the city wall.Entry: Pay as you goQuestions travelers ask
What are the best things to do in China for a first trip?
Start with the classics in three cities. In Beijing, walk the Forbidden City, climb the Great Wall at Badaling, and see the Temple of Heaven and the Summer Palace. In Xi'an, face the Terracotta Army and walk the Ming city wall. In Shanghai, stroll the Bund, take a Huangpu River cruise and visit Yu Garden. With more time, add a day in the Zhujiajiao water town or an evening in Beijing's Shichahai hutongs.
Sources: Visit Beijing (Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism); UNESCO World Heritage Centre; Meet in Shanghai (Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism); Shanghai Municipal People's GovernmentHow many days do you need in China?
For Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai together, plan on at least a week, and more if you can. The Forbidden City alone has suggested routes from two hours to a full day, and Badaling is a separate trip out of the city by train. Outside Xi'an, the Terracotta Army museum and Lishan Garden take about 1.5 hours each, about 35 km from the center. In Shanghai, give the city sights a few days and add a full day for Zhujiajiao.
Sources: The Palace Museum; Visit Beijing (Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism); Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum (official, Chinese text); UNESCO World Heritage Centre; Shanghai Municipal People's GovernmentWhat is the best time to visit China for sightseeing?
Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons in the north. Beijing's tourism board names May, September and October as the best months, with autumn's dry, sunny days the favorite, and leaves in parks such as the Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven turn from late October into early November. Early spring can bring sandstorms, and summer is hot, rainy and busy. Xi'an summers can reach 37 to 40°C, so sightsee early or in the evening then.
Sources: Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism (Visit Beijing); Beijing Municipal People's Government (official English site); Xi'an Municipal Government (official English site)Which China attractions should you book in advance?
Several major sights use real-name booking with your passport. The Palace Museum sells no tickets on the day and limits visitors to 40,000 a day. The Terracotta Army museum takes reservations on its official website. Foreign visitors book the Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven on their official WeChat accounts, and Jingshan and Beihai parks ask them to reserve by phone a day ahead. Shanghai Museum East needs no booking for individual visitors.
Sources: The Palace Museum; Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum (official, Chinese text); Beijing Municipal People's Government (official English site); Beijing Municipal People's Government (official English site); Beijing Municipal People's Government (official English site); Beijing Municipal People's Government (official English site); Shanghai Municipal People's Government (official English site)Is China easy to get around for first-time visitors?
Yes, especially by train and metro. Book trains only through China Railway's official 12306 website or the Railway 12306 app, which you can switch to English and use with a passport. Tickets are electronic, so you swipe your passport at the station gates to board. In the cities, metro lines reach most sights, such as Line 4 for the Summer Palace and Line 17 for Zhujiajiao, and you can pay for the metro by phone.
Sources: Beijing Municipal People's Government (official English site); Shanghai Municipal People's Government (official English site); Beijing Municipal People's Government (official English site); Shanghai Municipal People's Government (official English site); Shanghai Municipal People's Government (official English site)How do you pay for things in China as a visitor?
Mostly by phone. Alipay and Weixin Pay (WeChat Pay) let overseas visitors link an eligible foreign bank card without a local bank account, and you pay by scanning the merchant's QR code or showing your own payment code. Larger payments may carry a 3 percent service fee, so check the payment page. Foreign cards also work where the card network's logo is shown, including ATMs that display it. Set up an app before you arrive: you can register with an overseas phone number.
Sources: Shanghai Municipal People's Government (official English site); Shanghai Municipal People's Government (official English site)