🧱 Great Wall of China

Beijing, China

Best time: April–May and September–October: mild weather, with red autumn leaves in October

Thousands of kilometres of fortifications and one of the New Seven Wonders. Near Beijing, the restored Mutianyu section has cable cars and a toboggan down, while Badaling is the most famous and most crowded.

Good to know

• Avoid China's Golden Week (1–7 October), when crowds are at their worst.
• At Mutianyu, take the cable car up and the toboggan down.