East Asia
The Great Wall, imperial palaces, and a civilisation five thousand years deep.
China is a country on a scale that defies belief — five thousand years of continuous civilisation, from the Great Wall snaking over mountains to the terracotta armies and neon megacities of today. Beijing, the imperial capital, is the grand front door: the vast Forbidden City, the sacred Temple of Heaven, hutong alleys and, an hour away, the most spectacular stretches of the Great Wall. Ancient and hurtling into the future at once, it's overwhelming, fascinating and unlike anywhere else.
What things cost: China is good value — street food, the excellent metro and domestic travel are cheap, though top hotels and the famous sights add up. You'll want a VPN for Western apps, a payment app (Alipay/WeChat) set up in advance, and a translation app, as English is limited. Cash is nearly gone. When a zone below says 'low', that means low for Beijing, which is affordable.
Sometimes the event picks the city for you.
A gentle family festival of the harvest moon — families gather to eat rich mooncakes and admire the full moon, and the parks and lakes fill with lanterns and evening strolls. A lovely, low-key time to be in the city, especially by the Houhai lakes under the moon.
Beijing · Parks & lakes citywide
China's biggest holiday, when the city dresses in red and lanterns, temple fairs fill the parks with performers, snacks and crafts, and (officially) fireworks ring in the year. Atmospheric and festive, though many shops and restaurants close and transport is jammed as the country travels home; the temple fairs are the highlight.
Beijing · Temple fairs & citywide
For the Chinese New Year period the Yu Garden bazaar erupts into Shanghai's most spectacular lantern display — thousands of glowing, themed lanterns filling the old lanes and lake, crowned by the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day. Dazzling, festive and packed; the most magical, if crowded, time to see the old city, with fireworks and snacks all around.
Shanghai · Yu Garden & the Old City
China's biggest film festival, a glamorous ten days of premieres, screenings and stars across the city's cinemas, with a red-carpet buzz and hundreds of films from around the world. A great time for film-lovers to catch rare screenings; book popular titles early, as tickets go fast among Shanghai's cinephiles.
Shanghai · Cinemas across Shanghai
The great autumn moon festival, when families gather to admire the full moon and eat rich mooncakes, and the city's parks, gardens and riverfront fill with lanterns and lights. A warm, atmospheric evening to be by the Bund or in the Yu Garden; bakeries pile high with mooncakes in every flavour in the days beforehand.
Shanghai · Parks & the Bund
The founding of the People's Republic, marked with a grand flag-raising in Tiananmen Square, floral displays and, in big anniversary years, a huge military parade. It kicks off 'Golden Week', when the whole country travels — spectacular and patriotic, but the sights are packed and prices peak.
Beijing · Tiananmen Square
