Beijing

One of the wonders of the world — the ancient fortification snaking dramatically along the mountain ridges north of the city, best seen at a restored-but-scenic section like Mutianyu (cable car and toboggan) or the wilder, crumbling Jinshanling. Awe-inspiring and unmissable; go early on a clear day, and pick a section beyond crowded Badaling.

The colossal imperial palace at the centre of the city — 9,000 rooms of golden-roofed halls, courtyards and gates behind a moat, home to 24 emperors over five centuries and now a vast museum. Overwhelming in scale; walk the central axis, then lose the crowds in the side courtyards. Book ahead — daily tickets are capped.

A masterpiece of Ming design — the round, triple-eaved Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests rising from a marble terrace, where emperors prayed for the year's crops, set in a huge park where locals do tai chi, dance and play music at dawn. Serene and beautiful; go early to see the park come alive around the temple.

The emperors' vast landscaped retreat in the northwest — a great lake, a temple-topped hill, a marble boat and the world's longest painted corridor, all designed as an idealised imperial garden. A gorgeous, spacious half-day of pavilions and water; take a boat on Kunming Lake, and go when the lotus blooms in summer.

The vast ceremonial square at the heart of the nation — the world's largest public square, flanked by the Great Hall of the People and the Mao Mausoleum, with the emperor's portrait over the Gate of Heavenly Peace. Come for the scale and the dawn flag-raising ceremony; bring your passport, as security is tight.

The prettiest corner of old Beijing — a chain of willow-fringed lakes ringed by grey-brick hutong alleys, courtyard homes, little bars and cafés, and the drum-and-bell towers nearby. Wander or cycle the lanes by day, boat or skate on the lake, and settle at a waterside bar at dusk; the romantic heart of the old city.

The city's signature dish and a genuine bucket-list meal — a whole duck roasted to lacquered, crackling perfection and carved at the table, wrapped in thin pancakes with spring onion, cucumber and sweet bean sauce. Do it properly at a famous duck house (Siji Minfu, Quanjude); rich, ceremonial and unforgettable.

Beijing's most magnificent Tibetan Buddhist temple (Yonghegong) — clouds of incense, richly painted halls, and a breathtaking 18-metre Buddha carved from a single sandalwood trunk. Active, atmospheric and beautiful; a serene, sensory contrast to the imperial monuments, and paired well with the nearby Confucius Temple.

A hill of earth dug from the Forbidden City's moat, crowned with a pavilion that gives the classic view — the golden roofs of the whole palace laid out below, the city stretching beyond. The best vantage in Beijing, and a lovely park where locals sing and dance; climb it at sunset, right after the Forbidden City.

A sprawling complex of Bauhaus-era factories turned into China's leading contemporary-art hub — galleries, studios, sculptures, cafés and design shops among the old brick workshops and pipework. The cool, creative face of modern Beijing; wander for an afternoon of edgy art and good coffee, out in Chaoyang.

A gorgeous former imperial garden beside the Forbidden City — a broad lake dominated by an island crowned with a great white dahgoba stupa, with pavilions, bridges and rowing boats. Serene and beautiful, a green escape in the very centre; row out on the lake, and it's magical at sunset with the stupa glowing.

Beijing's famous shopping street near the Forbidden City — big malls and department stores, and, down the side lanes, a lively snack market once notorious for its skewered scorpions and starfish (now more mainstream). Come for the buzz, the street food and the people-watching; touristy, but a fun evening browse.

The grey-brick hutong alleys are disappearing fast, and the old lanes around the Drum and Bell Towers and the lakes are the best-preserved — explore them by pedal rickshaw or on foot, peeking into courtyard homes and stopping for street snacks. The most intimate glimpse of everyday old Beijing; go by bike or on a guided walk.

The centre of Beijing's night out — Sanlitun's bars, clubs, craft-beer taprooms and rooftop lounges, from slick cocktail spots to gritty dives, around the design-forward Taikoo Li mall. The city's most cosmopolitan nightlife; start with dinner and drinks and let the night run on in the surrounding hutong bars.

The restored old commercial street running south from Tiananmen — a pedestrian parade of century-old shopfronts, a clanging replica tram, traditional medicine and silk shops, and the warren of the Dashilan lanes off it. Touristy but atmospheric; wander down from the square for old-Beijing storefronts and street snacks.