China ☁️ 23°C · Now
★ Best Time Now Beijing
China
Beijing at a glance
$75+
Budget tier · excl. flights
From major hubs
PEK/PKX (Capital/Daxing)
Visa-free 90 days
For most Western passports
$1 ≈ ¥150
JPY · ECB rate
Apr, May, Sep, Oct
Now is ideal!
Continental (cold winters
Now ☁️ 23°C
21:17
CST (UTC+8)
Mandarin
limited English
Why visit Beijing?
Beijing is China's 3,000-year-old capital — population 22M, the political + cultural heart of the People's Republic, with deeper imperial history than any modern world capital. The Forbidden City (Zijin Cheng, 720,000m² — the largest preserved palace complex in the world, home to 24 Ming + Qing emperors from 1420-1912, UNESCO 1987) sits at the city's geographic + symbolic center. The Great Wall (Mutianyu section is preserved + less crowded; Badaling closer + more touristy; Jinshanling for hikers) runs through the mountains 1.5h drive north. Tiananmen Square — at 440,000m² the world's largest public square — connects them. Beyond imperial sights: Temple of Heaven (Ming altar where emperors prayed for harvest), Summer Palace (UNESCO 290-hectare Qing imperial garden), and the historic hutongs (narrow alleys) of Houhai + Nanluoguxiang.
Iconic Beijing cuisine: Peking Duck ($35-70 — Quanjude is the 1864 original; Da Dong is modern interpretation; Siji Minfu best value), Zhajiangmian (Beijing fried sauce noodles, $5-10), Jiaozi (boiled dumplings, $8-15), Hot pot ($20-35 — Hai Di Lao chain canonical), Lamb skewers (yangrouchuan, $1-3 per skewer), Tsingtao + Beijing beer ($3-5).
Bottom line: Beijing is China's canonical experience + Great Wall pilgrimage + foodie capital. 4 days hits Forbidden City + Great Wall + Temple of Heaven + Summer Palace.
Things to do in Beijing
Highlights
Great Wall (Mutianyu section)
Preserved + less crowded section; cable car + toboggan; 1.5h from Beijing.
Forbidden City (book online)
UNESCO 720,000m² imperial palace; 24 Ming + Qing emperors 1420-1912.
Tiananmen Square + flag-raising ceremony
World's largest public square 440,000m²; daily flag-raising ceremony at sunrise.
Travel cost
Per person, per day (excludes flights)
Hostel + local food + public transport
$75
≈ ¥11,250 JPY
Per person / day (excl. flights)
📅 Total cost by trip duration (incl. flights)
3 days
$280
≈ ¥42,000
5 days
$450
≈ ¥67,500
7 days
$600
≈ ¥90,000
Flight estimate: $750-1,500 from US/EU; $250-500 from Asia (PEK direct from Seoul/Tokyo/BKK) (round-trip estimate)
Monthly weather
Currently in Beijing: ☁️ 23°C
Beijing now (May)
High 27°C / Low 14°C· Pleasant★ Best Time
Jan ❄️
High 2°C / Low -8°C
Cold
Feb 🍂
High 5°C / Low -5°C
Cold
Mar 🌥️
High 12°C / Low 1°C
Cool
Apr 🌤️
High 21°C / Low 8°C
Mild
★ Best time to visit
May ☀️
High 27°C / Low 14°C
Pleasant
★ Best time to visit
Jun 🔥
High 31°C / Low 19°C
Hot
Jul 🔥
High 32°C / Low 22°C
Very Hot
Aug 🔥
High 31°C / Low 21°C
Hot
Sep ☀️
High 26°C / Low 15°C
Pleasant
★ Best time to visit
Oct ⛅
High 19°C / Low 8°C
Mild
★ Best time to visit
Nov 🌥️
High 10°C / Low 0°C
Cool
Dec ❄️
High 4°C / Low -6°C
Cold
Jan
❄️
2°
-8°
Cold
Feb
🍂
5°
-5°
Cold
Mar
🌥️
12°
1°
Cool
Apr
🌤️
21°
8°
Mild
★Best
May
☀️
27°
14°
Pleasant
★Best
Jun
🔥
31°
19°
Hot
Jul
🔥
32°
22°
Very Hot
Aug
🔥
31°
21°
Hot
Sep
☀️
26°
15°
Pleasant
★Best
Oct
⛅
19°
8°
Mild
★Best
Nov
🌥️
10°
0°
Cool
Dec
❄️
4°
-6°
Cold
Practical information
Getting there
Getting around
Money & payments
Language
Cultural tips
Money & payment
Currency
CNY (yuan/renminbi).
Card acceptance
Hotels + 5-star restaurants. Otherwise Alipay/WeChat Pay required (foreign cards linkable).
Tipping
Not customary; rounding up at sit-down OK.
ATM
Bank of China + ICBC free for foreign cards.
Recommended itinerary
Beijing 3-day route
Day 1 Forbidden City + Tiananmen
08:30
Tiananmen Square + flag-raising ceremony
World's largest public square 440,000m²; free
10:00
Forbidden City (book online)
UNESCO 720,000m² imperial palace; CNY 60 ($8.30)
🎫 18% off — Book lowest price13:00
Lunch — Peking Duck at Quanjude
Original 1864 location; ¥300-500 ($42-69) per person
15:00
Jingshan Park (Forbidden City overview)
Imperial hill + 360° aerial view of palace; CNY 2 ($0.30)
17:00
Wangfujing pedestrian shopping street
Snack street + Beijing souvenirs + scorpion skewers
20:00
Acrobatics show at Chaoyang Theater
Beijing Acrobatic Troupe; ¥280 ($39)
Day 2 Great Wall (Mutianyu)
07:00
Drive to Mutianyu Great Wall (1.5h, ¥200 RT)
Less crowded section; cable car + toboggan; ¥80 entry + ¥120 cable car
🎫 14% off — Book lowest price10:00
Walk Great Wall (Tower 6 to Tower 14)
Most photogenic 2-3h walk along restored wall
13:00
Lunch at Mutianyu farmer's restaurant
Local cuisine + Beijing trout ¥80-150
15:00
Toboggan slide down Great Wall
Iconic slide back to base ¥100 ($14)
20:00
Hot pot dinner at Hai Di Lao
Famous chain hot pot ¥150-200 ($21-28) per person
Day 3 Temple of Heaven + Summer Palace
09:00
Temple of Heaven (Tiantan)
Ming dynasty altar where emperors prayed for harvest; CNY 35 ($4.85)
12:00
Lunch — Beijing zhajiangmian noodles at Old Beijing
Local noodles ¥30-50
14:00
Summer Palace (UNESCO Qing imperial garden)
290 hectares with Kunming Lake + Longevity Hill; CNY 30 ($4.15)
17:00
Hutong rickshaw tour (Houhai)
Old Beijing alleys + courtyard houses ¥100
20:00
Final Peking Duck at Da Dong
Modern interpretation ¥350-500 ($49-69)
Where to stay
Click each district to compare hotel deals
Wangfujing
Imperial shopping street + tourist hub. Best central base near Forbidden City.
See hotels in this area
Sanlitun
Embassy + nightlife + foreign foodie + boutique. Modern vibe.
See hotels in this area
Houhai
Lake district + bars + hutongs (alleys). Backpackers + cheap hostels.
See hotels in this area
Qianmen
Pedestrianized old street + traditional shops + Peking Duck.
See hotels in this area
CBD (Guomao)
Business district + skyscrapers + 5-star hotels (Park Hyatt, Ritz).
See hotels in this area
Xidan
Shopping + cheaper accommodations + subway hub.
See hotels in this area
Beijing hotel price comparison
Compare Booking.com, Expedia, Hotels.com prices in one place
* Centered on Wangfujing — the most hotel-dense area in Beijing
Top tours & activities in Beijing
Top-rated by travelers
Frequently asked questions
Most common questions from travelers to Beijing
Q How much per day?
Budget $75, mid $160, luxury $410+. Mid-tier China pricing.
Q How many days?
4 days. Forbidden City + Tiananmen Day 1; Great Wall Day 2; Temple of Heaven + Summer Palace Day 3; hutongs + Peking duck Day 4.
Q Best time?
Apr-May (15-25°C, blossoms) or Sep-Oct (autumn, clear skies). Avoid Nov-Mar (smog + cold to -10°C). Avoid Jul-Aug (32°C+ humid).
Q Visa?
Visa required for most ($140 single-entry US). 144-hour transit visa-free for 53 countries (Korean/Japanese/EU/US/UK/AU) if onward to 3rd country.
Q Safety?
Very safe (low crime). Watch for scams: tea ceremony scams in Wangfujing, fake taxis at airport.
Q English?
Limited even at major attractions. Use Pleco translation app. Better at international hotels (Park Hyatt, Peninsula, Ritz).
Q Famous food?
Peking Duck at Quanjude (1864 original ¥300-500), Da Dong (modern ¥350-500), Siji Minfu (best value ¥150-250). Hot pot at Hai Di Lao chain. Lamb skewers (yangrouchuan) at Donghuamen Night Market.
Q Internet/VPN?
Google + WhatsApp + Facebook + Instagram BLOCKED in China. Install ExpressVPN/NordVPN BEFORE arrival (also blocked in China). WeChat is essential for everything (taxis + payments + restaurants).
Q Beijing vs Shanghai?
Beijing: imperial history, Great Wall, Forbidden City, more cultural depth, smoggier. Shanghai: modern, financial center, Bund + Pudong skyline, less polluted. Most do both: 4 days Beijing + 3 days Shanghai.
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