SINGAPORE: If you’re only planning to spend 48 hours in Beijing, then you’ve already made your first mistake. Of course, the same could — or should — be said of every capital city, but frankly, the impenetrable sprawl and intensity of bucket-list attractions of the world’s most populous capital put it in a league all of its own.
No traveler should leave China without ticking off three headline attractions — The Forbidden City, Summer Palace and The Great Wall — each uniquely headline-grabbing, gasp-inducing manmade marvels united only by their rare ability to clog one’s windpipe on first viewing.
And despite the distances between them, with a little planning one can fit all three icons into two days, and still have ample time to soak up 21st Century Beijing.
Start by ticking off the Summer Palace, the glorious complex of gorgeous gardens and picture-postcard pavilions that served as a retreat for generations of Chinese emperors. Set over three square kilometers around the tranquil Kunming Lake, it’s as quintessentially “Chinese” a sight as you might ever see.
Take a cab back toward the center and grab a workers’ lunch at Wangfujing Snack Street, a lively alleyway where locals chow down barbecued cockroaches, grasshoppers and scorpions, alongside more conventional street food. From there, you’re within striking distance of the looming, monolithic might of the infamous Tiananmen Square, the northern side of which is flanked by the main entrance to the Forbidden City, the sprawling, closed network of nearly 1,000 buildings from which China was remotely ruled for close to 500 years. Today, a huge portrait of Mao Zedong hangs over the entry passageway.
Allow the rest of the afternoon to explore its ornate majesty, off-limits to mere mortals for centuries.
Nearby is the National Center for the Performing Arts — a dazzling , domed venue known to locals as “The Egg” — which has been hailed as the center of the much-touted Chinese classical music revolution since opening in 2001. Here, you can catch a world-class symphony, or dabble in traditional Peking Opera.
A great spot to stay locally is the Zhong An Hotel, handily located near the main Beijing Railway Station. It also serves as an extra tourist attraction — it was the former residence of Edgar Snow, the American journalist who penned the influential “Red Star Over China.”
A trip outside the city to the fabled Great Wall is mandatory for day two. To make the most of your time, it’s advisable to book one of the readily available half-day minibus excursions to the ever-popular restored brickwork of Badaling. However, for a more authentic experience, dodge the crowds and touts by riding out to Wangjing West Station and hopping on a local bus to make the 130km journey to the untamed, hikeable stretch of the wall at Jinshanling.
Upon your return, head to the ancient Drum Tower and explore the area’s “hutongs” — narrow, Insta-ready alleyways bristling with color, quirks and tradition.
After soaking up the past, get a taste of how today’s young and affluent Beijingers do things by stopping for a bite at the hip Punk Rock Noodles to refuel, before heading to check out the city’s thriving underground music scene. Nearby hotspot Temple Bar programs multiple original bands nightly, of a uniformly intriguing standard, while downstairs in the same DIY building block Dada Bar serves edgy electronic beats until well past your bedtime.
48 hours in Beijing, China’s compelling capital city
48 hours in Beijing, China’s compelling capital city
- No traveler should leave China without ticking off three headline attractions — The Forbidden City, Summer Palace and The Great Wall
- Grab a workers’ lunch at Wangfujing Snack Street, a lively alleyway where locals chow down barbecued cockroaches, grasshoppers and scorpions,
Russian cyclist finds warm welcome on Saudi Arabia’s roads
- Anna Rodnishcheva’s ride through Kingdom is defining chapter in solo expedition
- Rodnishcheva cycled to Aqaba, crossed the border into Saudi Arabia, and has since traveled through Tabuk, AlUla, Madinah, Jeddah, and Taif on her way to Riyadh
MAKKAH: Solo adventurer Anna Rodnishcheva, 27, has undertaken an ambitious journey that spans countries, climates and cultures — on a bicycle.
Born and raised in Moscow and trained as a biologist before becoming an event photographer, she now finds herself pedaling thousands of kilometers across unfamiliar landscapes in pursuit of discovery, connection, and the simple joy of movement.
In her conversation with Arab News, Rodnishcheva offered a detailed account of her ongoing route in Saudi Arabia, describing how the expedition is her third major cycling adventure.
After previously riding from Moscow to Sochi and later from Vladivostok to Sochi — a route that stretches across the entirety of Russia — she felt compelled to explore foreign lands by bicycle.
She set off from Moscow heading south last June, passing through Russia, Georgia, and Turkiye before flying from Antalya to Amman. She cycled to Aqaba, crossed the border into Saudi Arabia, and has since traveled through Tabuk, AlUla, Madinah, Jeddah, and Taif on her way to Riyadh.
Rodnishcheva explained that physical preparation played only a small role in her planning. She began slowly and allowed her body to adapt naturally over the first month.
The true challenge, she said, was in the mental and financial preparation. She spent a year and a half planning the journey, even though she originally intended to postpone it for several more years.
Ultimately, her belief that “life is short” convinced her to start with the resources she already had. Although she sought medical evaluations and additional vaccinations, she was unable to complete them all and decided to continue regardless.
Her journey through Georgia and Turkiye presented unexpected difficulties. Simple tasks such as finding groceries or locating bicycle repair shops became more challenging outside of Russia, where she knew how to navigate on a budget.
She also encountered language barriers, though the situation improved when a local cyclist joined her in Georgia. The intense midsummer heat added another layer of difficulty, but she had prepared herself for such conditions.
One of the most striking moments of her trip occurred as she crossed from Jordan into Saudi Arabia. She described the experience as surreal and emotionally overwhelming, likening it to the adventures of a literary hero traveling across the Arabian Peninsula.
Her anxiety eased unexpectedly when she got a flat tire at the border, bringing her back to the present.
Despite being warned that crossing by bicycle would be prohibited, the process went smoothly, and she was struck by the friendliness of both Jordanian and Saudi officials. She expressed particular surprise at meeting a female Saudi passport officer, an encounter that challenged her previous assumptions about women’s roles in the Kingdom.
Rodnishcheva said the hospitality she had experienced in Saudi Arabia surpassed anything she had encountered on previous journeys. Drivers frequently stop to offer her water, fruit, or sweets, and several families have generously hosted her in their homes or guest flats.
She emphasized that she feels completely safe traveling across the Kingdom, especially on the open roads between cities, noting the strong and visible security presence.
She has also observed significant differences in weather. While the stretch from the border to Jeddah was hot despite being winter, the climate changed dramatically after climbing Al-Hada in Taif, turning cooler and windier — a climate she compared to Russian summers.
Rodnishcheva documents her travels primarily through Russian-language platforms such as VK and Telegram. Although she maintains YouTube and Instagram accounts, she explained that her schedule left little time for frequent updates.
Offering a message to women around the world who dream of embarking on similar adventures, she said such journeys were “not as scary as they seem before you start,” though they may not suit everyone.
Her closing advice? “Listen to your heart.”
