China · best-of list
16 Top Things to Do in China
All 16 things to do our route editors picked in China, across 3 destinations, gathered in one list. 16 come with an insider tip, and 6 cost nothing to visit.
Our curated picks
16 things to do in China, grouped by destination. Destinations with the most picks come first; this is not a ranking.
Xi'an 6 picks
Bell Tower and Drum Tower
Xi'an · On our Beijing, Xi'an & Shanghai route
Two Ming towers at the heart of the walled city, lit at night.
Tip: Drum performances run several times a day.
Photo: Zuzana Szaloova · Google
Big Wild Goose Pagoda
Xi'an · On our Beijing, Xi'an & Shanghai route
Tang dynasty pagoda built to hold scriptures brought back from India.
Tip: The fountain show on the north plaza runs in the evening.
Photo: Alex Kwok · CC BY-SA 3.0
Great Mosque of Xi'an
Xi'an · On our Beijing, Xi'an & Shanghai route
Chinese-style mosque with courtyards and pavilions, founded in the Tang era.
Tip: Dress modestly; closed to visitors during prayers.
Photo: Ronnie Macdonald from Chelmsford, United Kingdom · CC BY 2.0
Shaanxi History Museum
Xi'an · On our Beijing, Xi'an & Shanghai route
Top-tier collection from Zhou to Tang dynasties, including Tang murals.
Tip: Free tickets are limited; reserve online days ahead.
Photo: Wang Zhongyin · CC BY-SA 4.0
Terracotta Army
Xi'an · On our Beijing, Xi'an & Shanghai route
Thousands of life-size clay soldiers guarding the tomb of China's first emperor.
Tip: See Pit 1 last; Pits 2 and 3 make more sense first.
Photo: xiquinhosilva · CC BY 2.0
Xi'an City Wall
Xi'an · On our Beijing, Xi'an & Shanghai route
Fully intact Ming wall, 14 km around, best ridden by rented bike.
Tip: Start at South Gate (Yongningmen) and ride before sunset.
Photo: Jeffery Huang · Google
Beijing 5 picks
798 Art District
Beijing · On our Beijing, Xi'an & Shanghai route
Former factory complex filled with galleries, studios and cafes.
Tip: UCCA Center for Contemporary Art is the anchor gallery.
Forbidden City (Palace Museum)
Beijing · On our Beijing, Xi'an & Shanghai route
The Ming and Qing imperial palace, nearly a thousand buildings behind red walls.
Tip: Tickets sell out days ahead; book online with your passport number.
Photo: Matthias Gottschalk · Google
Shichahai Hutongs
Beijing · On our Beijing, Xi'an & Shanghai route
Old alleyways around Houhai and the Drum and Bell Towers, best by bike or rickshaw.
Tip: Rent a shared bike and get lost in the side lanes.
Photo: Zhenxi Li · Google
Summer Palace
Beijing · On our Beijing, Xi'an & Shanghai route
Imperial lakeside retreat with the Long Corridor and Kunming Lake.
Tip: Take a boat across the lake to save walking.
Photo: xiquinhosilva · CC BY 2.0
Temple of Heaven
Beijing · On our Beijing, Xi'an & Shanghai route
Ming-era altar complex where emperors prayed for harvests, set in a large park.
Tip: Come early to see locals doing tai chi and dancing.
Photo: Shujianyang · CC BY-SA 4.0
Shanghai 5 picks
Former French Concession
Shanghai · On our Beijing, Xi'an & Shanghai route
Plane-tree streets of villas, boutiques and cafes, centered on Wukang and Anfu roads.
Tip: Rent a shared bike to cover more ground.
Photo: 陳傑生 · Google
Shanghai Museum
Shanghai · On our Beijing, Xi'an & Shanghai route
Bronzes, ceramics, calligraphy and jade at People's Square, with a newer East branch in Pudong.
Tip: Reserve free tickets online.
Photo: Simon Nadeau · Google
Shanghai Tower Observation Deck
Shanghai · On our Beijing, Xi'an & Shanghai route
Deck on the 118th floor of China's tallest building.
Tip: Check air quality; haze can hide the view.
Photo: aj · Google
The Bund
Shanghai · On our Beijing, Xi'an & Shanghai route
Riverside promenade of 1920s banks and hotels facing the Pudong skyline.
Tip: Walk it twice: early morning for calm, after dark for the lights.
Photo: 钉钉 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Yu Garden
Shanghai · On our Beijing, Xi'an & Shanghai route
Ming dynasty classical garden of rockeries, ponds and pavilions in the old city.
Tip: Go at opening; the bazaar outside gets crowded.
Photo: Stefan Fussan · CC BY-SA 3.0
How we picked these
Every entry is a stop on at least one of TripsCircle's hand-curated routes, chosen by our route editors, who wrote the reason to go shown with each place. These are our curated picks, not a scored ranking: we haven't rated or reviewed them against each other. The list is grouped by destination, and within each destination places that appear on more routes come first.
Prices ($ to $$$$) and visit lengths are rough guides from our route notes, not quotes. Check opening hours before you go.
About this list
How did you choose the things to do in China?
Each one is a stop on a TripsCircle route that our editors built by hand, and each comes with a written reason to go. This page shows all 16 of them. They are curated picks, not a ranked score.
Which part of China has the most things to do on this list?
Xi'an has the most (6 of 16), followed by Beijing (5) and Shanghai (5).
Are any of these free?
6 picks on this list are marked free in our route notes: 798 Art District, Former French Concession, Shanghai Museum, Shichahai Hutongs, Shaanxi History Museum, and more. Check ahead, since parking or special exhibits can cost extra.
More lists for China
Top things to do nearby
Turn this list into a plan
Open a curated route in TripsCircle, add the spots your crew wants, vote with polls and keep everyone on one shared itinerary.