Beijing
Six centuries of emperors, the best stretches of the Great Wall, and hutong lanes where neighbours still play cards on the pavement.
Highlights of Beijing
China's capital is where most first trips begin. Give it at least three full days: one for the Forbidden City and Tiananmen, one for the Great Wall, and one for temples, parks and hutongs.
The Forbidden City
Tickets are released 7 days ahead and sell out, so we book them for you. Our quiet route heads west from the Meridian Gate to Wuying Hall and Cining Garden before joining the busy central axis.
The Great Wall
Mutianyu has a cable car and toboggan, good for families. Jinshanling is a beautiful half-day hike. Simatai is open at night, with Gubei Water Town at its foot.
Temple of Heaven
Arrive before 8am to watch locals doing tai chi, singing opera and playing cards in the park around the temple.
The Summer Palace
An imperial garden of lakes, bridges and the 728-metre Long Corridor. Take the dragon boat across Kunming Lake.
Hutongs, beyond Nanluoguxiang
Skip the crowded main lane for Guozijian Street, with the Confucius Temple and Imperial College, or the cafés of Wudaoying and Yangmeizhu Xiejie.
Lama Temple and Jingshan Park
Beijing's most active Buddhist temple, with incense and prayer halls, then the hill behind the Forbidden City for the classic view over its golden roofs.
How to spend 3–4 days in Beijing
A balanced first visit. Your advisor adjusts it to your pace and interests.
- Day 1
Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City by our quiet route, sunset from Jingshan Park, Peking duck dinner.
- Day 2
The Great Wall at Mutianyu or Jinshanling. Optional evening at Simatai and Gubei Water Town.
- Day 3
Temple of Heaven at dawn, the Summer Palace, then hutongs around Shichahai by rickshaw or on foot.
- Day 4
Lama Temple, Confucius Temple and Guozijian Street, an afternoon at the Capital Museum or 798 Art District.
Local food
- Peking duckCarved at the table and wrapped in thin pancakes with scallion and sweet bean sauce.
- Copper-pot mutton hot potThin slices of lamb swished in clear broth, with sesame dipping sauce. A Beijing winter classic.
- ZhajiangmianHand-pulled noodles with fermented soybean sauce and crunchy vegetables. Cheap, filling and very local.
- JianbingA savoury crêpe with egg and crispy cracker, made on the street every morning.
Local favourites
- Guijie (Ghost Street)A street of restaurants open late into the night, famous for spicy crayfish.
- Capital MuseumExcellent, uncrowded and free. Beijing's history and fine bronzes and porcelain.
- Beihai ParkRent a pedal boat on the lake below the White Dagoba, where Beijingers spend their weekends.
Connections
| To / from | By | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Xi'an | High-speed train | about 4½ hours |
| Shanghai | High-speed train | about 4½ hours |
| Datong | High-speed train | about 2 hours |
| Harbin | Flight | about 2 hours |
| Chengdu | Flight | about 3 hours |
Times are typical and vary by service.
Tips from our guides
- Bring your passport every day. It's checked at Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and train stations.
- The Forbidden City and many museums close on Mondays. We plan around it.
- Politely decline friendly strangers who invite you to a tea house or art show. It's a well-known scam.
Nearby and nicely paired
1–2 daysPingyao
One of China's best-preserved walled towns, with Ming and Qing streets, courtyard inns and the country's first bank.
1–2 daysDatong
Fifteen-hundred-year-old Buddhas carved into sandstone cliffs, and a temple that clings to a mountainside.
4–5 daysHulunbuir
Endless summer grasslands in Inner Mongolia, with horses, yurts and the Russian border on the horizon.
Add Beijing to your China trip
Tell us when you'd like to travel and what you love. Your advisor sends a free day-by-day plan within 24 hours.