Asia · China
Forbidden City, hutong culture, Peking duck institutions, Great Wall excursions and 3,000 years of imperial history.
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Looking for the best restaurants, bars and experiences in Beijing? LifestyleMundo is an AI-powered city concierge that curates the finest dining, nightlife, hotels, cultural experiences and wellness venues across Beijing. Every venue is handpicked by editorial experts — no algorithms, no crowd-sourcing. Our concierge adapts to your GPS location, the time of day, and the live weather to recommend exactly what you need, when you need it. Available in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Arabic and Chinese.
7 curated restaurants & dining across Beijing
Chef Dong Zhenxiang's lean, crispy-skinned Peking duck — less fat, more flavour than the traditional version. Multiple Beijing locations. The theatrical carving tableside is part of the experience. The duck pancake here has set the global standard.
One Michelin star. Vegetarian fine dining that even carnivores revere. Buddhist-inspired cuisine using seasonal ingredients with extraordinary technique. The setting — a converted courtyard house near the Lama Temple — is serene. Book ahead.
Beijing's best Peking duck.
Inside The Opposite House. Contemporary Chinese cuisine with an open kitchen and wood-burning duck oven. The design is as impressive as the food — Kengo Kuma architecture meets Beijing culinary tradition.
The oldest and most famous Peking duck restaurant in the world. Since 1864. Over 200 million ducks served. The original Qianmen branch has the most atmosphere. Traditional preparation — wood-fired oven, 65-minute roast. A pilgrimage.
Colourful dumplings — green (spinach), orange (carrot), purple (purple cabbage) — filled with every combination imaginable. The pork and fennel and the lamb and carrot are the best. Casual, fun, and the best dumpling experience in Beijing.
+1 more restaurants & dining — access the full Beijing guide
3 curated hotels & stays across Beijing
Adjacent to the Summer Palace's east gate. Restored imperial-era pavilions and courtyards. Private entrance to the palace grounds before public hours. Naoki restaurant, spa, and the deep silence of sleeping in a centuries-old Chinese compound.
Aman adjacent to the Summer Palace.
Swire Hotels' Beijing flagship designed by Kengo Kuma. Green glass exterior, timber interiors, basement pool, and Sanlitun nightlife at the doorstep. Jing Yaa Tang restaurant. The most design-forward hotel in Beijing.
6 curated landmarks & culture across Beijing
World's largest palace complex.
Ninety minutes from Beijing. Restored watchtowers, fewer crowds than Badaling, cable car up and toboggan down. The wall snaking across the mountain ridges is one of humanity's most awe-inspiring sights. Go on a weekday for near-solitude.
A vast imperial garden — Kunming Lake, Longevity Hill, the Long Corridor (728 metres of painted scenes), and the Marble Boat. The scale is staggering. Take a dragon boat across the lake. UNESCO World Heritage. Allow three hours.
A masterpiece of 15th-century architecture — the circular Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is one of the most recognisable buildings in China. The surrounding park is where locals practise tai chi, play cards, and sing opera every morning.
The Imperial Palace — 980 buildings, 8,886 rooms, and 500 years of Chinese imperial history. Enter from the south (Tiananmen) and walk north through hall after hall of increasing grandeur. Allow half a day minimum. Book tickets online in advance.
A decommissioned military electronics factory — East German Bauhaus design — now Beijing's premier contemporary art district. UCCA Center for Contemporary Art anchors the scene. Galleries, studios, cafés, and bookshops. Free to walk around.
3 curated experiences across Beijing
The narrow alleyways of old Beijing — courtyard houses (siheyuan), street vendors, barbers, and daily life that's barely changed in centuries. Nanluoguxiang is the most touristy; explore Wudaoying or Baochao for the real thing. Best on foot or by rickshaw.
Liyuan Theatre and Zhengyici Theatre offer nightly performances. Acrobatic singing, elaborate costumes, painted faces, and stories from Chinese mythology. A genuine cultural experience — not a tourist show. English subtitles available at most venues.
Beijing's most famous (and most touristy) night food market. Scorpions on sticks, fried starfish, stinky tofu, and candied hawthorn berries. More spectacle than gastronomy, but the energy is infectious and it's a Beijing rite of passage.
1 curated wellness & spa across Beijing
Inside the Aman compound beside the Summer Palace. Traditional Chinese medicine consultations, acupuncture, cupping, and massage in pavilions that date back centuries. The most historically significant spa setting in China.
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