As the capital of China for thousands of years, Beijing has a history unlike most other cities. It’s also one of the most popular destinations on Earth, with approximately 4.4 million international visitors and about 140 million Chinese tourists visiting the city each year.

Beijing is as modern as it is ancient, with soaring skyscrapers and international commerce, as well as the home of countless ancient sites, such as the grand Forbidden City. There’s also the imperial palace, which housed the royal families during the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Beijing is also the best place to view the phenomenal Great Wall of China. And then there’s huge Tiananmen Square and Mao Zedong’s mausoleum, the National Museum of China, at which you can see a dazzling array of cultural relics.