Beijing's Red Wall and Ginkgo! A Complete Guide to the Best Spots!

In just two weeks, Beijing will enter the most beautiful time of autumn, when the red walls and ginkgo trees will be in full bloom. The best places to see them are the Forbidden City and Zhongshan Park. Here's a city walk guide to help you make the most of it! [City Walk Route] Enter Zhongshan Park from the west gate > Walk to the Zhongshan Park Waterside Pavilion > Stroll along the Zhongshan Park Corridor > Arrive at the Zhongshan Park Sheji Altar Ginkgo Avenue > Exit from the east gate of Zhongshan Park > Head to the southwest corner tower of the Forbidden City > Enter the Forbidden City from the Meridian Gate > Visit the Forbidden City Eighteen Locust Trees > Finally arrive at the Forbidden City Yanxi Palace. [Recommended Photo Spots] ✔️ Zhongshan Park Sheji Altar Ginkgo Avenue: This is the best spot to take photos of the red walls and ginkgo trees. Be sure to enter the park as soon as it opens to capture the most beautiful scenes without interruption. At the end of the ginkgo avenue is a round red city gate, which is very picturesque. ✔️ Zhongshan Park Waterside Pavilion: A great spot for taking photos of people with the red walls and ginkgo trees. You can take photos from the other side of a small river, using a telephoto lens of about 100mm. ✔️ Southwest Corner Tower of the Forbidden City: There is a row of ginkgo trees here, with the outer wall of the Forbidden City as a backdrop, creating a strong visual impact. It's also worth a visit. ✔️ Forbidden City Eighteen Locust Trees: If you want to take close-up photos of the ginkgo trees, this is the place to go. The large red walls are very impressive, but the photo spots are high up, so it's not suitable for portraits. ✔️ Yanxi Palace: There are two large ginkgo trees on either side of the gate, with the red walls as a backdrop, creating a beautiful scene. [Some Tips] ▪️ You need to book tickets for the Forbidden City online 7 days in advance, but sometimes you can book 2 days in advance. If you can't get a ticket, you can just visit Zhongshan Park and take photos of the corner tower outside the Forbidden City. ▪️ If you want to avoid the crowds, be sure to arrive early! And make sure to choose a sunny day, as the weather is the best filter.