Chinese sights featuring the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Shanghai, West Lake and Hongya Cave

Discover China

Sights worth planning around

Explore landmark guides with the context, booking details and practical routes needed for a confident visit.

Find the view that stays with you

From imperial landmarks to waterfront skylines, discover the places that can shape your next journey through China.

16 sight guides

Hall of Supreme Harmony and its white marble terraces

Beijing

Forbidden City

Walk north through the ceremonial and residential heart of the Ming and Qing imperial palace, now home to the Palace Museum.

Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests reflected in water

Beijing

Temple of Heaven

Follow the imperial ritual route from the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests to the Echo Wall and Circular Mound Altar.

Beijing

Yuanmingyuan Ruins Park

A vast ruined imperial garden where waterways, foundations and the surviving stonework of the Western Mansions still reveal the former scale.

Beijing

Summer Palace

Walk between palace courts, Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake in one of Beijing's best-preserved imperial garden landscapes.

Beijing

Great Wall

Compare Badaling's easy rail access with Mutianyu's wooded ridges and close-set watchtowers before choosing your day trip.

Beijing

Nanluoguxiang

A busy commercial hutong street that works best as an entry point to the quieter lanes between the Drum Tower and Shichahai.

Beijing

Qianmen Street

A restored commercial street on Beijing's central axis, known for historic brands, the Qianmen archery tower and a sightseeing tram.

Beijing

Tian'anmen Square

The square, flag ceremony and surrounding national institutions each have their own security and reservation rules.

Beijing

798 Art District

Former electronics factories now house contemporary art museums, galleries and public installations among preserved industrial structures.

Beijing

Beijing Olympic Park

The Bird's Nest, Water Cube and Olympic Tower preserve the architectural legacy of the 2008 and 2022 Games.

Waibaidu Bridge with the Lujiazui skyline across the Huangpu River

Shanghai

The Bund

Walk Shanghai's two timelines along the west bank of the Huangpu: historic Bund buildings behind you and Lujiazui's towers across the water. Arrive before dusk to catch sunset and the evening lights in one route.

Shanghai

Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street

Walk from People's Square to the Bund past old department stores, food shops and newer pop-culture retail. It works best as an eastbound city route, not just a shopping list.

Yuyuan Bazaar buildings and water around the Zigzag Bridge at night

Shanghai

Yu Garden

Yu Garden and the surrounding Yuyuan Bazaar are two different visits. Buy a ticket for the classical garden by day, then stay in the open commercial lanes for shops and evening lights.

Shanghai

Lujiazui

See Lujiazui once from street level and once from above. Walk between the towers, choose one observation deck, then look back across the river to the Bund's lower historic skyline.

Shanghai

Shanghai Museum

Spend half a day with ancient Chinese art at the People's Square museum, then continue to nearby Nanjing Road. Shanghai Museum East is a separate Pudong venue with different exhibitions and directions.

Shanghai

Shanghai Disneyland

Shanghai Disneyland needs a full day and a short priority list. Choose the rides and shows that matter most, then use the official app for current times; the named ticket, matching ID and trip home matter more than completing everything.