For over a thousand years, Beijing has served as the capital of China—spanning the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties to the modern China we see today. From Beijing, you can visit the Great Wall of China (just over an hour's drive north), and in the heart of the city lies the Forbidden City—the imperial palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Beijing is the historical, cultural, and political center of China. Surrounding the gargantuan Tiananmen Square, just outside the Forbidden City, you will find the Great Hall of the People (the parliament), the National Museum of China, and the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall. Beijing's unique charm lies in the contrast between the modern skyscrapers along the East 3rd Ring Road and the traditional single-story dwellings—the world-famous 'Hutongs'."