Yong An Hotel

Chairman Mao Memorial Hall
Tian'anmen Square. There's an overwhelming sense of awe among the queues of Chinese tourists coming to pay homage to Mao's embalmed corpse. Opens daily from 8.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. Free entry.

Daguanyuan (Great View Garden)
Those familiar with the 18th century Chinese classic, The Dream of the Red Chamber, by Cao Xueqin, will definitely delight in this replica of the family gardens depicted in the novel. Though Daguanyuan has a distinct old-world air about it, work on the garden only began in 1984, and was completed in 1988.
Summer Palace
The Summer Palace is packed to the gunwales in summer with Beijing residents taking full advantage of Kunming Lake which takes up three-quarters of the park. The main building is the lyrically named Hall of Benevolence & Longevity, while along the north shore is the Long Corridor, so named because it's, well, long. There's over 700m (2300ft) of corridor, filled with mythical paintings and scenes. If some of the paintings have a newish patina, that's because many of the murals were painted over during the Cultural Revolution.

The Forbidden City
The Forbidden City, which was off-limits to most of the world for 500 years, is the biggest and best preserved cluster of ancient buildings in China. The old world of beautiful concubines and emperors, eunuchs and conspicuous wealth still hovers around the lush gardens, courtyards, pavilions and great halls of the palace. Most of the buildings are post-18th century; there have been periodic losses due to an injudicious mix of lantern festivals and Gobi winds, invaders and looters alike. A permanent restoration squad takes about 10 years to renovate its 720,000 square metres, 800 buildings and 9000 rooms, by which time it's time to start all over again. Opens Daily from 8.30 a.m. - 4.30 p.m. Entrance fee is applicable.

The Great Wall Of China
The Great Wall, as a metaphor, has gone through a few restorations in its time. When it was originally built 2000 years ago by the Qing dynasty it was a sturdy 'No Trespassing' sign directed at neighbouring kingdoms. For centuries after that it remained neglected and forgotten, until 18th-century Europeans set out to be infatuated with it. Today it's a tourist attraction, half Wonder of the World and has its regular supply of visitors. The majority of which climb the wall at Badaling, while others prefer to experience the wall far from the crowd and travel a little farther afield and take a walk on the wilder side of the Huanghua section, 60km (35mi) north of Beijing. It's a classic and well-preserved example of Ming defence with high and wide ramparts, intact parapets and sturdy beacon towers.

The Ming Tombs
The Ming Tombs are generally combined with a visit to the Great Wall. As its name suggests, they are the last resting place of the 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty.

The Temple of Heaven
This dazzling temple marks the heart of imperial symbolism, where the emperor, the Son of Heaven, prayed for good harvests. Opens daily from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Entrance fee is applicable

Tiananmen Square
Forever sullied, Tiananmen Square lies at the heart of Beijing, and is a vast desert of pavestones and photo booths. Though it was a gathering place and the site of government offices in the imperial days, Tiananmen Square is Mao's creation, as is Chang'an Jie - the street leading onto it. Today the square is a place for people to wander and fly kites or buy balloons for the kids. Surrounding the square is a mish-mash of monuments past and present.

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