3 days in Beijing

Day by day

1. Day 1: Forbidden City (Palace Museum) and Tiananmen Square

   Forbidden City (Palace Museum), Tiananmen Square and Jingshan Park, then Shichahai lakes and hutongs in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Forbidden City (Palace Museum)

      Completed in 1420, the imperial palace of the Ming and Qing emperors covers about 72 hectares of halls, courtyards and gates.

   2. Late morning

      Tiananmen Square

      Bring your passport; there are security checks at every entrance and identity is checked on the way in.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Peking duck

      Specialist duck restaurants around Qianmen, Wangfujing and Dongcheng; book ahead or expect a queue at popular ones.

   4. Afternoon

      Jingshan Park

      The artificial hill directly north of the Forbidden City is topped by the Wanchun Pavilion, which gives the classic view south over the palace's golden roofs.

   5. Evening

      Shichahai lakes and hutongs

      Agree the price and route of any rickshaw tour in writing before you set off, or simply walk the lanes yourself.

2. Day 2: Great Wall at Mutianyu and Temple of Heaven

   Great Wall at Mutianyu, Temple of Heaven and Summer Palace, then Olympic Green in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Great Wall at Mutianyu

      Leave early to arrive at opening and walk west towards the steeper towers, where crowds thin out quickly.

   2. Late morning

      Temple of Heaven

      Emperors came here to pray for good harvests at the triple-roofed, round Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, built without nails.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Noodles with soybean paste

      Old Beijing noodle restaurants across the city, especially in Dongcheng and around Qianmen.

   4. Afternoon

      Summer Palace

      Enter by the north gate, climb Longevity Hill first, then walk down to the lake and take a boat back towards the east gate.

   5. Evening

      Olympic Green

      Come at dusk to see the stadium and aquatics centre illuminated from the plaza at no cost.

3. Day 3: Lama Temple (Yonghe Temple) and Temple of Confucius and Imperial Academy

   Lama Temple (Yonghe Temple), Temple of Confucius and Imperial Academy and Beihai Park, then Peking opera performance in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Lama Temple (Yonghe Temple)

      Beijing's largest Tibetan Buddhist temple was a prince's residence before becoming a lamasery in the 18th century.

   2. Late morning

      Temple of Confucius and Imperial Academy

      It is far calmer than the Lama Temple nearby, so it suits a quiet hour after the crowds there.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Dumplings

      Dumpling houses everywhere; order by the liang (about 50 g, five or six dumplings).

   4. Afternoon

      Beihai Park

      A former imperial garden west of Jingshan, centred on a lake with Jade Flower Island and its White Dagoba, a Tibetan-style stupa from 1651.

   5. Evening

      Peking opera performance

      Arrive early to watch the performers apply their make-up, which some theatres allow before the show.

Before you go

• Forbidden City (Palace Museum): Tickets are sold online only, with a daily cap and passport registration, and sell out days ahead in peak season.
• Great Wall at Mutianyu: Tickets for the wall and cable car can be booked online; a private driver or organised tour is the easiest way to get there.
• Tiananmen Square: Entry is free but usually requires an advance reservation with your passport number, especially at weekends and holidays.

If it rains

• Swap in National Museum of China (Wangfujing and Dongcheng): Head straight for the Ancient China exhibition on the basement level; it is the strongest part of the collection.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 3 nights, Wangfujing and Dongcheng keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Qianmen and Dashilar ($$) suits first-timers, budget and culture. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 24–31 hours of visiting over 3 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9.4 hours in December to 15 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in Beijing
• 2 days in Beijing
• 5 days in Beijing

Questions travellers ask