Attraction Booking Guide

The imperial palace complex was constructed from 1406 to 1420 and entered the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987.

Booking

Advance real-name online booking is required via the Meridian Gate (午门, south) as the ONLY entrance; exit via Shenwu (north) or Donghua (east) Gate. Bring the same identity document used for booking.

Tiananmen Square is the ceremonial and political center of contemporary Beijing and one of the world's largest city-center public squares, while Tiananmen Gate is the historic southern entrance to the imperial city. Both are components of the Beijing Central Axis UNESCO World Heritage site (inscribed 2024).

Booking

Tiananmen Square and Gate Tower are TWO SEPARATE reservations on different platforms. The square is free but still requires real-name booking; the Gate Tower costs ¥15 and uses its own platform. Book both well in advance. Present the original identity document used for booking at each entry point. Security screening is mandatory at all square entry checkpoints.

The National Museum of China is a comprehensive history and art museum on the east side of Tiananmen Square, holding more than one million artifacts across Chinese civilization.

Booking

Free general admission, but a timed real-name reservation is required; present the original passport at the north gate.

Mutianyu is a Great Wall visitor area in Beijing's Huairou District with cable-car, ropeway, and toboggan facilities.

Booking

Real-name reservations can be made up to 30 days in advance, with one ticket per identity document per day.

The Temple of Heaven is the ceremonial complex where Ming and Qing emperors performed the annual winter-solstice sacrifice to Heaven; it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1998.

Booking

No permanent real-name pre-booking for standard admission; reserve during peak periods.

The Summer Palace is a Qing dynastic imperial garden centered on Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1998.

Booking

No permanent real-name pre-booking for standard admission; boat rides and combined tickets sold separately.

Jingshan is an artificial hill immediately north of the Forbidden City, piled from the excavated earth of the palace moat in the early Ming dynasty. Its Wanchun Pavilion provides the defining elevated view over the Forbidden City's golden roofs and the Beijing Central Axis, making it the natural coda to a palace visit.

Booking

No permanent real-name pre-booking for standard admission. During major holidays, timed entry may apply via the Changyou Park WeChat platform. Foreign visitors can buy at the gate with a passport.

The Terracotta Army is a collection of thousands of life-sized clay soldiers and horses guarding the tomb of Qin Shi Huang, China's first emperor. The site comprises three main pits (Pit 1 the largest and most iconic), a bronze chariot hall, and the separate Lishan Garden (丽山园) mausoleum area ~1.5 km away, linked by a free shuttle. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (1987) and one of the great archaeological discoveries of the 20th century.

Booking

Advance booking strongly recommended. Foreign passports are officially supported on the official channel.

The Shaanxi History Museum is one of China's premier museums, with over 1.7 million artifacts spanning prehistory through the Tang dynasty, when Chang'an was among the world's largest cities. The basic exhibition is FREE but requires an advance reservation that sells out within minutes; paid halls (Treasure Hall, Tang murals) guarantee entry. A separate Qin-Han branch (秦汉馆) opened in 2024 with no reservation required.

Booking

Free tickets vanish within minutes at 17:00; paid halls guarantee entry. Passport is officially supported.

Shanghai Tower is China's tallest building at 632 meters. The Top of Shanghai Observatory (上海之巅观光厅) on the 118th-119th floors at 546 meters offers the highest publicly accessible indoor observation deck in China, with 360-degree views over Shanghai on clear days. A separate add-on exhibition on the 125th-126th floors (Tian Shi 632 Art Space, featuring the building's mass damper) is available as an upgrade.

Booking

Use an official or authorized channel for a real-name timed ticket, and carry the original booking document. Check visibility before committing to a sunset slot.

Lujiazui is Shanghai's futuristic financial district on the east bank of the Huangpu River, directly opposite the Bund. It contains China's densest cluster of supertall skyscrapers — Shanghai Tower (632m), Shanghai World Financial Center (492m), Jin Mao Tower (421m), and the Oriental Pearl Tower (468m) — forming China's most iconic modern skyline. The public streets, elevated walkways, and riverfront promenade (Binjiang Dadao) are free to explore.

Booking

Free public area. Observation decks require paid tickets (see shanghai-tower record).

Jing'an Temple is an active Buddhist temple and one of Shanghai's most famous religious landmarks, located in the heart of the Jing'an district on West Nanjing Road. Its distinctive gold-tiled roof stands in striking contrast to the modern shopping malls and office towers surrounding it. Originally dating to the Three Kingdoms period (3rd century CE), the current buildings are modern reconstructions (the temple was damaged and rebuilt multiple times). It is an active place of worship — monks practice here and worshippers burn incense daily.

Booking

Plan around on-site ticketing and confirm the live payment process. Dress and behave respectfully in this active worship space.

The Huangpu River public ferry is Shanghai's cheapest river crossing, used by local commuters daily. For tourists, the Dongjin Line (东金线) is the most useful route, connecting the Bund (East Jinling Road) directly to Lujiazui (Dongchang Road) for just 2 RMB per crossing. It is NOT a tourist cruise — it is a working commuter ferry with no commentary, no guaranteed seating, and basic amenities — but it offers unbeatable views of the Bund and Lujiazui skylines for a fraction of the cost of tourist cruise boats.

Booking

No booking. Pay 2 RMB per person per crossing with cash or transport card at the dock. Ferries run on a schedule; no reserved seats. Check last crossing time carefully.

Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street is Shanghai's most famous shopping thoroughfare, a 1,033-meter car-free stretch of Nanjing East Road running from People's Square east to the Bund. It features a mix of historic department stores, modern shopping centers, old-brand establishments (老字号), and tourist-oriented shops. It is particularly lively in the evening when neon signs are illuminated.

Booking

Open public street. No tickets, no reservation. Beware of pickpockets in crowded periods.

The Former French Concession, officially known as the Hengshan-Fuxing Historic Conservation Area (衡复历史文化风貌区), is a leafy, walkable district of plane-tree-lined boulevards and preserved 1920s-30s residential architecture. It is one of Shanghai's most charming neighborhoods for strolling, coffee, and experiencing the city's European-influenced history. Wukang Road and the Wukang Building (Normandie Apartments) are the most famous landmarks; Anfu Road is known for cafes and boutiques; Xintiandi is the most commercialized shikumen redevelopment.

Booking

Open public neighborhood. No tickets or reservation. Wukang Road photo spot may have crowd control on weekends.

Tianzifang is a revitalized shikumen (stone-gate) lane neighborhood off Taikang Road in the former French Concession area, converted into a maze of narrow alleys filled with art studios, craft shops, cafes, bars, and small restaurants. It retains the residential character of a 1930s lilong (里弄) neighborhood while hosting a thriving creative and commercial scene. Unlike the more polished Xintiandi, Tianzifang is less renovated and retains more of its original lane-house texture.

Booking

Open public neighborhood. No tickets or reservation. Can be very crowded on weekends — visit on weekdays if possible.

The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is the world's most accessible place to see giant pandas up close — a large, hilly breeding and research park in Chenghua District divided into a panda-dense south zone and a newer west zone, with red-panda and museum areas. It is NOT the Dujiangyan Panda Valley (都江堰熊猫谷), a separate attraction ~60 km away with different tickets. Because it uses a strict real-name, timed, capacity-controlled reservation system, advance planning is essential.

Booking

Mandatory real-name timed reservation with a 14-day booking window. Foreign visitors without a Chinese mobile number should use Trip.com or the on-site Cash and Cards window if tickets remain. Daily cap: 85,000.

Panda Tower Tuesday closure cancelled

The Panda Tower's (熊猫塔) former Tuesday closure was cancelled by an official 2026-04-01 notice; the tower now opens on its normal schedule (a separate free tower reservation may still apply).