Audio tour · China

Beijing

A self-guided audio walking tour of Beijing.

Beijing built its imperial grandeur over three millennia. This city, the nation's capital, houses monumental structures that chronicle Chinese power. From the Forbidden City's yellow walls to the quiet lanes of the hutongs, Beijing presents a powerful contrast. Explore the weight of history alongside the speed of modern life. Witness the palaces, the ancient tombs, and the scientific hubs that define a global powerhouse. Beijing demands your attention. In the app, 99 stops in Beijing are narrated aloud, about 2h 50m of listening across 8 walking routes, in 13 languages, offline once downloaded. Choose a route or build your own, then walk while a calm voice tells you the story of each stop. The app also maps 100 Instagram photo spots, social media photo locations with directions to where you stand for the shot.

Available soonon the App Store

The mobile app is available soon

What you'll hear in Beijing

The opening lines of a few narrations, straight from the tour.

Forbidden City. Imagine walking through these massive walls and realizing you are standing in a place that was.
Zhongnanhai. You’re standing right next to a place whose name literally refers to two lakes.
Temple of Heaven. This complex was built for emperors to pray to heaven.
Tiananmen Square. You're standing in a place that has seen some of the most defining moments in modern Chinese history.
Chairman Mao Memorial Hall. You're standing right in Tiananmen Square, and this building is a massive historical artifact.
CCTV Headquarters. When you look at this structure, you're seeing more than an office building.

All 99 stops in Beijing

Every stop is narrated. Walk them in any order, or follow a route.

Landmark (52)

Zhongnanhai
Chairman Mao Memorial Hall
Hall of Supreme Harmony
Drum Tower and Bell Tower of Beijing
Beijing Zoo
Hall of Mental Cultivation
Zhengyangmen
Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution
Meridian Gate
Miaoying Temple
St. Joseph's Church, Beijing
National Art Museum of China
Leeza SOHO
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Beijing
August 1st Building
Panjiayuan antique market
Huairen Hall
Yongdingmen
Chaonei No. 81
Capital Museum
Zhihua Temple
Andingmen
Tianning Temple (Beijing)
Digital Beijing Building
Hall of Literary Brilliance
Fayuan Temple
Linked Hybrid
Deshengmen
Xizhimen
Zhenjue Temple
Dongzhimen
Guangji Temple (Beijing)
Big Bell Temple
Beijing Shejitan
Guang'anmen
Phoenix Center
Chongwenmen
Chaoyangmen
Xuanwumen (Beijing)
Wanshou Temple
Bailin Temple (Beijing)
Pagoda of Cishou Temple
Xihuang Temple
Forbidden City Concert Hall
Fuxingmen
Xiancantan
Xihua Gate
Changchun Temple
Tongjiao Temple
Ji Xiaolan Residence
Holy Saviour's Cathedral (Beijing)
Beijing Yintai Centre Tower 2

Religious (9)

Temple of Heaven
Niujie Mosque
Temple of Earth
Ritan (Beijing)
Dongsi Mosque
Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Beijing
Nandouya Mosque
Haidian Mosque
Madian Mosque

Museum (9)

Palace Museum
Beijing Ming City Wall Ruins Park
Paleozoological Museum of China
Temple of Agriculture
China Ethnic Museum
Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall
China Numismatic Museum
China Aerospace Museum
National Zoological Museum of China

Palace (7)

Forbidden City
Yonghe Temple
Prince Gong's Mansion
Palace of Earthly Tranquility
Palace of Eternal Spring
Palace of Earthly Honour
Palace of Eternal Longevity

Park (7)

Shichahai
Yuan Dadu City Wall Ruins Park
Purple Bamboo Park
Longtan Lake Park
Lotus Pond Park
Honglingjin Park
Qingnianhu Park

Skyscraper (5)

CCTV Headquarters
Beijing Television Cultural Center
Fortune Plaza
China Media Group Headquarters
Beijing TV Centre

Theatre (3)

National Centre for the Performing Arts (China)
Huguang Guild Hall
Zhengyici Peking Opera Theatre

Square (2)

Tiananmen Square
National Museum of China

Monument (2)

Monument to the People's Heroes
China Millennium Monument

Stadium (1)

Water Cube

Tower (1)

Gate of Divine Prowess

Historic (1)

Qinghuayuan railway station

Walking routes in Beijing

Curated orders through the city. Or build your own and press Play All.

Heart of the Forbidden City. A short walk through the imperial core taking in the great halls and inner palaces that were the centre of Chinese power for five centuries (8 stops)
From Zhongnanhai to the Great Square. A loop through the leafy government quarter west of the palace, past concert halls and ceremonial gates, ending at the vast sweep of Tiananmen Square (8 stops)
South Axis and the Temple of Heaven. Follow the old imperial south axis from the grand Temple of Heaven up through ancient city gates and memorial halls to the edge of the square (8 stops)
Chaoyang Towers and Ancient Walls. A walk through eastern Beijing that pairs the city's boldest modern skyscrapers with the serene ruins of its Ming dynasty city wall (8 stops)
Monuments, Opera and the Eastern Palace. A sweep from the National Museum along the edge of Tiananmen, past ancient theatres and city gates to the northern towers of the Forbidden City (8 stops)
Lamas, Drums and the Northern Quarter. A walk through Beijing's spiritual and historic north taking in the gilded Yonghe Lama Temple, the Temple of Earth and the ancient Drum and Bell towers (8 stops)