The Forbidden City

The Forbidden City (Palace Museum) is a walled palace of nearly 1,000 buildings that housed 24 emperors across the Ming and Qing dynasties. It sits at the geographic center of Beijing, directly north of Tiananmen Square, and is the largest and best-preserved collection of ancient timber architecture anywhere on earth.

A visit is a walk through the central axis of imperial power: the great halls of state, the emperor's living quarters, and the imperial garden to the north. Most visitors follow the central axis from south to north, but the quieter eastern and western side halls are where the real detail lives — ceramics, clocks, bronzes and the Qing court's private rooms.

Because tickets are strictly limited and must be reserved online with a passport, planning ahead is not optional. Arrive at opening, enter through the Meridian Gate, and give yourself at least three hours to do it justice.

Take Metro Line 1 to Tiananmen East or Tiananmen West, exit on the north side and walk to the Meridian Gate. The palace is a one-way route south to north — you enter at the Meridian Gate and exit through the Gate of Divine Prowess, so do not expect to leave from the entrance. Taxis and ride-hailing can drop you near the East Gate but the metro is the most reliable option.

The classic route is south to north: enter at the Meridian Gate, walk the central axis through the Gate of Supreme Harmony and the three great halls, then turn east into the Treasure and Clock galleries, loop back to the inner court (Palace of Heavenly Purity), and finish in the Imperial Garden before exiting north. Allow 3–4 hours; the side halls are far less crowded than the central axis.

Stay in the Dongcheng or Wangfujing area for a 15-minute walk to the entrance; this puts you close to Wangfujing's food street and the hutongs. Budget travellers do well in the hutong guesthouses around Nanluoguxiang, while mid-range chains cluster near Wangfujing. Avoid staying in the far west or north of the city if the palace is your priority.

• Tickets are online-only and require your passport number; book 7–10 days ahead in peak season.
• Enter via the Meridian Gate (south) only — you cannot enter from the north exit.
• Bring your passport; it is checked at entry.
• There is little shade on the central axis — bring water and a hat.
• Skip the crowded central axis gift shops; the side galleries are quieter and more rewarding.