北京

Beijing carries the weight of eight centuries as China's political center, and it shows: this is a city built at imperial scale, where the Forbidden City alone covers 180 acres and the ceremonial axis running through Tiananmen Square, the Drum and Bell Towers, and the old city wall gates stretches for miles. First-time visitors consistently underestimate how much ground there is to cover — distances between major sites are large, blocks are long, and a comfortable visit needs a minimum of four to five days rather than the two or three people often budget.

The city rewards contrast. Alongside the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven sit hutongs — the narrow grey-brick alleyways of courtyard housing that once made up the entire old city and now survive in pockets around Nanluoguxiang and Shichahai, best explored on foot or by rented bike in the early morning before the crowds arrive. The Great Wall is the other non-negotiable, and the choice of section matters: Mutianyu, about ninety minutes from the city center, is restored, less crowded than Badaling, and set in a genuinely dramatic mountain landscape, with a cable car and a toboggan run down for anyone who doesn't want to walk back.

Beijing sits in a dry continental climate, which means genuinely cold, dry winters (temperatures well below freezing are normal in January) and hot, occasionally smoggy summers. Spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October) are by far the most pleasant windows, with clearer air and mild temperatures. The subway system is extensive, cheap, and signed in English, making Beijing one of the more straightforward Chinese cities to navigate independently despite its size — and Peking duck, ideally eaten at a proper roast-duck restaurant rather than a hotel buffet, is worth planning a dinner around.