Beijing: The Closest Major City to the Great Wall of China

The Great Wall stretches across northern China, but the nearest major city is Beijing. The popular Badaling section is only ~70 km (43 miles) northwest of Beijing's center, reachable in 1.5–2 hours by car or bus. Other nearby municipalities include Tianjin (~120 km), Hebei Province (surrounding Beijing), and Inner Mongolia (farther north). Beijing's proximity makes it the primary gateway for Wall tourism.