After a night flight from Amsterdam, we land in Beijing early in the morning. Beijing or Beijing, capital of the People's Republic of China, is without a doubt the most important tourist and commercial destination in China. What strikes at first sight is its size, it covers an area of 16,800 sq. Km with a population of over 11 million inhabitants, the third largest city in China after Shanghai and Chongqing.
It is clear that you are coming to town from the sight of the first huge skyscrapers that are now a feature of the city skyline.
Our first goal is the Lama Temple, the largest Buddhist temple in the city and dedicated to the worship of Tibetan Buddhism.
The visit then continues with the Temple of Heaven, where the emperors paid homage to heaven and prayed for good harvest. To visit the temple you pass through a beautiful park where people find themselves practicing tai ji quan or doing group gymnastics, playing cards or playing. The temple is visited by many tourists, especially Chinese domestic tourism.
II DAY: Beijing - Ming Tombs - Chinese Wall
Only an hour's drive separates the frenetic Chinese capital from the silent place of eternal rest of the 13 Ming emperors. The tombs are the best example of Chinese funeral architecture. Along the Via degli Spiriti, the imperial funeral procession unfolded; 7 km long, it is flanked by military statues, court dignitaries and mythical animals.
The tower of the Spirits indicates the entrance to the tomb. After crossing the door, we find ourselves in front of a mound of earth surrounded by circular walls called the Prezioso wall. It is here that Emperor Yonge was buried with his wife, Empress Xiaoci as well as the 16 meritorious concubines to accompany the sovereign on the otherworldly journey (these are buried 2 km away from the emperor).
After lunch we go up the road that leads to Badaling to visit the great wall. Even before arriving in Badaling it is possible to see the surrounding valley, but the Badaling section offers one of the most spectacular and traditional landscapes. Located at 1000 meters above sea level, it is the most visited area to spot the majestic presence of the wall. There are hundreds of tourist buses and even a cable car that connects the parking lot to the highest and most inaccessible area to be covered on foot. Declared a World Heritage Site and considered one of the wonders of the world, it is more than 6000 km long and for its construction over 300 thousand men took part for a period that lasted 10 years.
We return to Beijing for dinner in a restaurant made of lacquered duck, the specialty of Beijing. To try!