Olympic Park

#1 Tiananmen Square Up there with Times Square, Red Square, and St. Peter's Square, Tiananmen Square is among the world's most famous public spaces. Almost anyone can recognize the Gate of ... Read more » watchsmart / Flickr

#2 The Great Wall of China Just north of Beijing, you'll find one of the most famous monuments in the world—the Great Wall of China. Although it's unlikely you'll see the whole ... Read more » firepile / Flickr

#3 Summer Palace (Yiheyuan) When the bustle of Beijing becomes too much for you, do as the emperors would do and retreat to the Summer Palace. Located in the northwest suburbs, this oasis—literally ... Read more » firepile / Flickr

#4 Forbidden City (Imperial Palace) Operating under the official title of "The Palace Museum," the Forbidden City (also known as the Imperial Palace) has been a place of wonder and mystery for over 500 years ... Read more » giladr / Wikimedia Commons

#5 Beihai Park (Beihai Gongyuan) After the concrete jungles of Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, head to nearby Beihai Park for a breath of fresh air. Whether you're under a tree overlooking the ... Read more » IvanWalsh.com / Flickr

#6 Nanluoguxiang North of the Forbidden City, this neighborhood (also called a "hutong") packs so much character into its narrow streets. Nanlouguxiang continually surprises you with exciting discoveries in boutique shops and ... Read more » dimitris.argyris / Flickr

#7 Dashanzi Art District and 798 Space Fact: The arts are booming in Beijing. You only need to tour the Dashanzi Art District to witness this creative surge. The epicenter of this artistic explosion is 798 Space ... Read more » Banalities / Flickr

#8 Ming Tombs On your way to the Great Wall, consider stopping at the Ming Tombs. As the final resting place of 13 of the 16 Ming Dynasty emperors (who ruled between 1368 ... Read more » Wikimedia Commons

#9 Lama Temple (Yonghegong) Originally an imperial residence, this "lamasery" (a monastery for Lamaist monks) features decadent gateways and intricate artwork. You'll immediate notice the rigid symmetry of the complex, which derives from ... Read more » Alberto.. / Flickr

#10 Olympic Park Deemed China's coming-out party, the 2008 Olympic Games placed Beijing in the world spotlight, and the city put on the most remarkable Olympic-display to date. Beijing carved out huge ... Read more » kyle simourd / Flickr

#11 National Museum of China For a survey of Chinese history, head to the National Museum of China. Positioned on the eastern edge of Tiananmen Square, the exhibits in this museum neatly outline the nation ... Read more » <3erin / Flickr

#12 Bell and Drum Towers (Hutong) The Bell and Drum Towers crown the charming Nanluoguxiang district. Amid the maze of alleys, you'll appreciate having these two historical pillars to guide your exploration of the neighborhood ... Read more » Patrick Streule / Flickr

#13 Temple of Heaven Park (Tiatan Park) To reach the Temple of Heaven, you don't have to have an untimely passing. Just get off the subway at Tiantan Dongmen. As you'd expect, this green space ... Read more » IvanWalsh.com / Flickr