Northern China
Beijing
Imperial scale, hutong intimacy, and the best dumplings most travelers will ever eat.
Why Beijing
Beijing is the capital that every dynasty rebuilt. You can spend a week on the imperial axis alone — Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace — and still not have eaten at the jianbing stall everyone at your hotel argues about.
When to Visit
Late September to early November is the magic window: dry air, golden light on the grey-tile rooftops, and the maple at the Summer Palace actually turning. April and May are a close second. Avoid July and August unless you like 36°C with the humidity of a steam bath.
Neighborhoods We Love
- Gulou & the Drum Tower hutongs — the last unscrubbed courtyard lanes
- Sanlitun — where diplomats eat
- 798 Art District — cold-war factories turned into galleries
- Shichahai — lakes, bars, the most photographed bridges in the city
