Being the capital of the most populous country in the world – People’s Republic of China; Beijing is the 2nd largest city after Shanghai. It is the political, educational, and cultural center of the country. With an estimated population of 19,800,000 as of 2010, the metropolis borders Hebei Province to the north, west, south and a small section to the east, and Tianjin Municipality to the southeast. Beijing is divided into 14 urban and suburban districts and two rural countries. It is a major transportation hub with dozen of railways, roads and motorways passing through the city, and the destination of many international flight to China. Beijing is also one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China; it has been the heart of China’s history for centuries.

In 2008, Beijing was chosen to host the Beijing Olympics, therefore, to raise the city to an international level, Beijing city starting upgrading its international airport and its metro train system. Since then, Beijing has become a very accessible and tourist friendly city for travelers around the world. Not only the public transportation system has been upgraded due to the Olympics, numerous international level architecture buildings were also added such as Beijing National Stadium (Bird Nest), National Aquatics Center (Water Cube) and National Grand Theater (Eggshell).

Other than contemporary buildings, Beijing is also filled with historical landmarks including Tiananmen Square; the world’s largest public square and a must see for all visitors from all over the world. The square is surrounded by grand buildings including the Great Hall of the People, the Museum of Chinese History, the Museum of the Chinese Revolution, the Qianmen Gate and the Forbidden City. It is also home to the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall and the Monument to the People’s Martyrs.
Other not to be missed attractions are the Great Wall of China, about 1 hr train trip or 1.5 hr bus ride from the city, and the Hutongs, Beijing’s ancient alleyways.

Beijing also contains one of the largest and most well known museums in Asia, the Palace Museum (Forbidden City), also known as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, National Museum, Military Museum and Capital Museum.