Tiananmen Square is now synonymous with video captured during the 1989 protests that took place there. Images of the solitary protester standing in defiance before a line of tanks recorded on June 4, 1989 will forever live on as a symbol of democracy. The square has played a major role in several key events in Chinese history; it was the site of the 1919 May 4th Movement and the place where Mao Zedong proclaimed the People's Republic of China in 1949. Visitors to Beijing should not pass up the opportunity to see the square, which is the largest public square in the world.
No trip to China would be complete without a visit to the Forbidden City, the symbol of Beijing. Built between 1406 and 1420, the massive palace complex is spread over 250-acres and has a total of 9,000 ornate rooms that can take a whole day to explore. Hiring a guide at one of the gates is highly recommended to really understand the history, significance and visual impact of the palace. The Palace Museum, which is housed in the Forbidden City, has an extensive collection of Qing and Ming dynasty artifacts and artwork. Designated a World Heritage Site in 1987, the Forbidden City is a great jumping-off point to a sightseeing tour of Beijing.
In addition to major tourist attractions around Beijing, one of the best places to visit are the old, traditional neighborhoods of the city. Hutongs are the narrow, alley-like city streets of old Beijing, with countless passageways to hidden courtyards, traditional compact houses and the "real life" of the local people. Hutongs are best visited aboard a pedicab, which is an old-fashioned mode of transportation preserved for visitors in order to really experience the slow, traditional way of life. A tour of the hutongs will inevitably lead visitors to local sights such as the Drum Tower, Prince Gong's mansion and a walk through Pipe Tobacco Alley. Fashionable cafes, boutiques and markets are found scattered around the hutong neighborhoods, which are interesting to explore.
When in Beijing, one of the mandatory places to go is to one of the restaurants that specialize in the city's most famous dish, roast duck. Once called Peking duck, the iconic dish is known the world over. Everyone in Beijing considers themselves an expert on which restaurant makes the most authentic roast duck, but general consensus is that it is one of three establishments: Qianmen Quanjude, Hepingmen Quanjude, and Wangfujing Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant. Choose one or try all three.
Qianmen Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant
32 Qianmen Dajie
Chongwen District
Beijing, China
+86-10-6710-1379
Hepingmen Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant
14 Qian Men xi Dajie
Xuanwu District
Beijing, China
+86-10-6301-8833
Wangfujing Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant
9 Shifuyuan Hutong, Wangfujing Dajie
Dongcheng District
Beijing, China
+86-10-6525-3310
