The Temple of Confucius was built in 1302 and is the second largest temple constructed for Confucius, the great thinker and educationalist from the days of ancient China. People flocked here to pay homage during the Yuan, Ming and Qing…

Built between 1750 and 1764, it is an outstanding masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design. Dowager Empress Cixi took up permanent residence here for a while, giving rise to some wonderful tales of extravagance and excess.

Beijing started life as a provincial backwater before becoming a junction for traders and travellers journeying between Manchuria and Mongolia. As China’s capital city, these days it attracts people from all over the world.

Tiananmen Square is the symbolic heart of China and a gathering place for the masses. It is one of the largest public squares in the world and can hold one million people.

Telling stories of fortune, prosperity, and melancholy, professional Chinese opera stars captivate the audience with their mimic, song and elaborate costumes at one of the leading opera theatres in the capital.

For nearly a half-century Empress Dowager Cixi (1835-1908) used her cunningness and connections to rule China from behind the throne.

The hutong alleyways are the best place to see and feel Beijing’s authentic culture. These narrow lanes also hide many hidden treasures waiting to be discovered.

Beijing’s markets stock everything from fruit and vegetables to fresh meat and seafood, all on open-air display. You will also find a myriad of herbs and spices that give Chinese cuisine its distinctive flavours.

The hutong alleys are the best place to see and feel Beijing’s authentic culture and these narrow lanes also hide many culinary treasures.

While many residents have called this area home for generations, it is also sprinkled with signs of contemporary life, with trendy bars, cafes, restaurants and boutiques lining the pedestrianised streets.

Day and night, Beijing moves. It is one of these perfect Asian examples where ancient history and a progressive move towards the future are woven into the capital’s transportation network.

For nearly 600 years, the emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties ruled China from behind the imposing red walls of the Forbidden City.