5 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)

      Walk the side courtyards to the east and west of the central axis, which are far quieter, then climb Jingshan Park opposite the north gate for the view over the roofs. (Half a day, low cost).

   2. Late morning

      Tiananmen Square

      Bring your passport; there are security checks at every entrance and identity is checked on the way in. (1 hour, free).

   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

      Visit right after the Forbidden City, or come in late afternoon when the sun lights the palace roofs. (45 minutes, low cost).

   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. (Full day including travel, mid-priced).

   2. Late morning

      Temple of Heaven

      Enter by the east gate before 8am to see the park at its liveliest, and buy the combined ticket that includes the main halls. (2–3 hours, low cost).

   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. (Half a day, low cost).

   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)

      Walk to the Temple of Confucius a few minutes away along cypress-lined Guozijian Street afterwards. (1–1.5 hours, low cost).

   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. (1 hour, low cost).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Dumplings

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

   4. Afternoon

      Beihai Park

      Combine it with Jingshan Park and walk out of the north gate towards the Shichahai lakes. (1.5–2 hours, low cost).

   5. Evening

      Peking opera performance

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

4. Day 4: Day trip to Badaling Great Wall

   About 1–1.5 hours by train each way. Getting there: High-speed train to Badaling Great Wall station or S2 suburban train.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Badaling Great Wall

      About 1–1.5 hours by train (High-speed train to Badaling Great Wall station or S2 suburban train); about 70 km.

   2. Day

      Badaling Great Wall

      The most visited and most heavily restored section of the Great Wall, with wide paths, cable cars and a museum. Best for first-timers and families.

   3. Evening

      Back in Beijing

      Dinner: try Jianbing.

5. Day 5: National Museum of China and Drum and Bell Towers

   National Museum of China, Drum and Bell Towers and Nanluoguxiang, then Sanlitun in the evening.

   1. Morning

      National Museum of China

      Head straight for the Ancient China exhibition on the basement level; it is the strongest part of the collection. (2–3 hours, free).

   2. Late morning

      Drum and Bell Towers

      Climb the Drum Tower for a performance, then look down on the square between the towers, where locals gather in the evening. (1 hour, low cost).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Jianbing

      Street stalls near subway stations and residential compounds in the morning.

   4. Afternoon

      Nanluoguxiang

      Use Nanluoguxiang as a starting point and spend most of your time in the side hutongs to the east and west. (1–2 hours, free).

   5. Evening

      Sanlitun

      The city's main nightlife district, with cocktail bars, craft beer and clubs around Taikoo Li and the Workers' Stadium.

Before you go

Reserve timed tickets for Forbidden City (Palace Museum), Great Wall at Mutianyu, Tiananmen Square and National Museum of China before you travel; the rest of this plan needs no advance booking.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 5 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 28–37 hours of visiting over 5 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
• 3 days in Beijing

Questions travellers ask