The Forbidden City

China's most impressive Imperial palace
Word to the wise: The Forbidden City is larger than you might think, so wear comfortable shoes.

The Forbidden City is said to be the most impressive sight in Beijing, constructed in the early 1400s and serving as a place of residence for ruling Emperors in China for almost 500 years until the Revolution of 1912.
The enormous area, comprising of thousands of extravagant historic buildings, was added to UNESCO's list of world heritage sites in 1987. There are a number of exhibits illustrating historic life in the Forbidden City.

A trip to the Forbidden City should be combined with a walk through Jingshan Park, where you can climb up a hill to the Pavilion of Everlasting Spring (Wanchun-ting) and get an incredible view across Beijing. The best way to explore the grounds is to start at the southern door of the Forbidden City and work northwards. Then exit by the northern door, where lovely little Jingshan Park lies just across the street.