A visitor’s first stops in Beijing should surely be the famous Forbidden City which houses the country’s most ancient and well-preserved buildings, the 2,000-year-old Great Wall of China (just to the north of the city), and Tiananmen Square. But China’s capital city is surprisingly modern as well. Skyscrapers rub up against temples, and there’s an intriguing youth culture beginning to emerge. To escape the Western influences of this vast metropolis, just head to a traditional tea shop.

Highlights:
I’d never forget my visit to Tiananmen Square. It was a bitterly cold day, the wind was ferocious, and the red flags were vigorously flapping, but the square was constantly occupied. I guess you don’t visit Beijing without a walk across this historic square.

Take in a few parks, as Beijing does these really well, and although they were not awash with blossoms, they were still spectacular. I’d heartily recommend an organised trip to a Hutong and try to eat in local restaurants.

The Summer Palace, Forbidden Palace, Great Wall, Beijing Zoo, Tibetan Temple are all synonymous with Beijing? I did them all. I saw snow, high winds, bright blue skies, and heavy rain–what contrasts.

Quick Tips/Suggestions:
My first tip is an obvious one - get yourself a decent map and try to orient yourself before embarking on a journey. If you’re clear where you’re going, you will be less likely to be pounced on by the ever-ready art students. They hover round corners waiting for tourists who look unsure, and be sure they will always have a free day, want they opportunity to practice their English, or have a new exhibition that they need people to view to ensure they pass their practical examinations.

The other potential predators are the aspiring official guides who need to practice on you so they can secure a job as games official when the Olympics come to Beijing. I’m a cynic and believe that both groups wanted to sell their knowledge to me as a guide for the day. I’m afraid I gave them little time.

Credit cards are really not accepted nor are traveler’s cheques at merchant stores. The Bank of China seems to be the only bank that exchanges currency and luckily is open on weekends.

Beijing has a few beggars. Avoid eye contact and keep walking. They are a nuisance but soon go away!

My final tip, again obvious, is to carefully plan your time in Beijing. There’s so much to see that you don’t want to waste a minute

Best Way to Get Around:
Metro: Beijing does have an fairly efficient tube station, but I have to confess that i was put off with the thought that many of the stations are not signed in English (or so i was told). The subway has two lines, line one runs from east to west and has a stop right in front of Tiananmen Square. Line two is shaped liked a square and encompasses the major sights like Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Lama Temple and Behai Park. Two more lines running north and south are in progress.

Taxis: Shuttles from the airport don’t start until 8:00am, but a taxi into town is only about Y96 (USD12). My hotel had given me a card with key place names in both English and Chinese. This proved really helpful, as i was always able to head back to our hotel or to a key tourist attraction. Drivers were able to speak a little English, but not enough to rely on. Never accept a taxi-trip off the meter. It will be more expensive than the metered fare.

Buses: Beijing has a comprehensive bus service, but i didn’t really get to grips with it, and it always seemed crammed full.