Over the centuries, Beijing has suffered the effects of war and revolution, large-scale industrialisation and a building boom to meet the demands of a growing, modern Olympic city. Skyscrapers loom over colourful temples and the intimate courtyards of the rapidly-vanishing hutongs, while traffic crawls along the streets surrounding tranquil parks.

Beijing used to be a walled city but little remains now apart from the grand Tiananmen and Qianmen gates, located at either end of Tiananmen Square. The vast imposing square is home to the Great Hall of the People, China's parliament, the Mao Zedong Memorial Hall, where the body of Chairman Mao rests, the Monument to the People's Heroes, an obelisk depicting major events of the revolution and a giant Olympic countdown clock.

Beijing's key attractions are listed below, but the city and its surrounds are historically and culturally rich. If time allows, it is worth including the Old Observatory on an itinerary. Established by Kublai Khan, it is now a museum with an extensive collection of Ming and Qing dynasty bronze astronomical instruments.

The Beijing Zoo is the world-famous home of the giant pandas and merits a visit, as does the Marco Polo Bridge in the southwest of the city. To the northwest, the 798 Factory Art District at Dashanzi (website: www.798space.com) is gaining global recognition for its portfolio of galleries and art museums showcasing the works of China's much-in-demand new breed of contemporary artists.

Away from the centre, most visitors go to Badaling (see Excursions) to walk on the Great Wall, but another less-touristy section at Mutianyu, to the northeast of the city, has spectacular views and fewer people.

It is worth including Zhou Kou Dian (Peking Man Site), 48km (30 miles) southwest of Beijing, the site where skulls dating back between 200,000 and 500,000 years were found in 1929. The original fossils were lost during WWII, but there is an interesting museum housing many implements and animal bones from that period.

Beijing Tourism Administration
28 Jianguomenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District
Tel: (10) 8516 2288.
Website: www.bjta.gov.cn

The Beijing Tourism Administration office organises a host of city tours and excursions. There is also a tourist office just off Wangfujing Dajie shopping street (near Crowne Plaza hotel), which doubles up as an IATA-approved travel agency and tour operator: Beijing Tourist Information Office, 10 Dengshikou Dong Jie, Dongcheng District (tel: (10) 6512 3043).

China International Travel Service (CITS)
1 Dongdan Dajie, Dongcheng District
Tel: (10) 6522 2991.
Website: www.cits.net

There is also a 24-hour tourist telephone hotline (tel: (10) 6513 0828) for information and emergencies.

There are no tourist passes in Beijing.