China

Cost of living

What a month costs

Beijing is pricey for China but gentle next to most global capitals. International schools and imported goods are where a family budget really blows up.

The scores

How it rates for a moving family

See and do

Top 10 in Beijing

1. Forbidden CityThe vast imperial palace at the heart of the city, home to the Palace Museum and centuries of Ming and Qing history.
2. Tiananmen SquareThe enormous ceremonial square flanked by Mao's mausoleum, the National Museum and the Great Hall of the People.
3. Temple of HeavenA serene park and Ming ritual complex where the emperors prayed for good harvests. Locals fill it with tai chi and dancing at dawn.
4. Summer PalaceA sprawling lakeside imperial garden of pavilions, bridges and the famous Long Corridor, gorgeous in every season.
5. Lama TempleBeijing's grandest Tibetan Buddhist temple, Yonghegong, thick with incense and crowned by a towering carved Buddha.
6. Nanluoguxiang hutongsA restored maze of grey-brick alleyways lined with courtyard homes, small bars and shops, the classic way to feel old Beijing.
7. Jingshan ParkClimb the hill just behind the Forbidden City for the postcard view straight down over its golden roofs.
8. Beihai ParkA former imperial garden built around a lake and its white dagoba, an easy stroll from the palace.
9. 798 Art DistrictA Bauhaus-era factory complex turned into galleries, studios and cafes, the centre of the city's contemporary art scene.
10. Houhai lakesA string of lakes ringed by bars, teahouses and hutongs, lovely for a walk and busy after dark.

Where to go

Weekend escapes

1. Mutianyu Great WallThe best restored stretch near the city, less mobbed than Badaling, about 90 minutes out with a cable car and a toboggan down.
2. TianjinA big port city just over half an hour by high-speed train, with a quirky riverside old town and colonial-era streets.
3. ChengdeThe Qing emperors summered here. The Mountain Resort and its outlying temples make a grand day or overnight north of the city.
4. BeidaiheThe classic seaside escape on the Bohai coast, a few hours by train, where Beijingers go for beaches and grilled seafood.
5. Jinshanling Great WallA wilder, partly unrestored section beloved by hikers and photographers, quieter than the tourist ramparts closer in.

Coffee

Best cafes

1. Metal HandsA much-loved local specialty roaster with several cosy branches and seriously good espresso.
2. Soloist CoffeeAn industrial-chic spot in the Dashilar hutongs, popular with the design crowd.
3. Voyage CoffeeA pioneer of Beijing's third-wave scene, known for careful pour-overs.
4. % ArabicaThe minimalist Kyoto import with slick Beijing outlets and reliably strong lattes.
5. Berry BeansA friendly neighbourhood cafe near the Lama Temple with a laid-back hutong feel.

Restaurants

Where to eat

1. Da DongThe famous home of lean, crisp modern Peking duck, plated like fine art.
2. Siji MinfuA beloved duck house near the Forbidden City where the queues are long for good reason.
3. QuanjudeThe historic old-school Peking duck institution, carving birds since the 1860s.
4. Duck de ChineA stylish courtyard restaurant pairing duck with a champagne bar in the Sanlitun area.
5. Najia XiaoguanRefined Manchu and imperial-style home cooking in a warm, wood-panelled setting.
6. TRB HutongElegant European fine dining set in a converted temple courtyard, a special-occasion favourite.
7. King's JoyAn upscale vegetarian restaurant by the Lama Temple, holder of Michelin stars.

Morning

Best breakfast

1. Qingfeng BaoziThe classic steamed-bun chain for cheap, hot baozi and soy milk on the go.
2. Yaoji ChaoganA Gulou institution famous for stewed liver and pork buns, a proper old-Beijing breakfast.
3. Huguosi SnacksA century-old spot for traditional Beijing snacks and morning sweets.
4. Moka BrosA bright, health-minded chain for smoothie bowls, eggs and Western brunch plates.