Beijing 5-Day — Deeper into the Imperial Capital

Activities

1. 08:00 Tiananmen Square 1h

   Start at the world's largest public square — the Monument to the People's Heroes, the Great Hall of the People, and the gate of the Forbidden City to the north. Free, but expect airport-style security and a passport check.

   Cost: Free TIP: Bring your passport — it's required at the security check to enter the square. Go early to beat crowds and haze. Don't photograph police or military, and avoid the 'tea ceremony / art student' touts who approach foreigners here. The flag-raising ceremony at sunrise draws big crowds if you want to see it.
2. 09:30 Forbidden City (Palace Museum) 3h

   The vast Ming-and-Qing imperial palace, UNESCO-listed, entered from the south Meridian Gate and walked north through the great halls and inner courts to the exit. Basic ticket about ¥60 ($8.50).

   Cost: ¥60 ($8.50); Treasure & Clock galleries extra TIP: Reserve online about 7 days ahead using your passport — there's a daily cap and it sells out, especially in peak season. Tickets release at 20:00 Beijing time. Closed Mondays except public holidays. Enter at the Meridian Gate (south), walk one direction north, and exit at the north gate — you can't backtrack. Allow extra time for the Treasure and Clock galleries.
3. 13:00 Lunch near the Forbidden City + Jingshan Park 2h

   Lunch near the north exit, then climb Jingshan Park (¥2) — the hill directly behind the Forbidden City — for the classic panorama looking down over the golden palace roofs. The best free view in central Beijing.

   Cost: Jingshan Park ¥2; lunch ¥40-80 TIP: Jingshan is the photo you came for — the whole Forbidden City laid out below, best on a clear day. Siji Minfu's Nanchizi branch (Peking duck) is nearby if you want to eat duck at lunch instead of dinner; expect a queue. Pay via Alipay/WeChat.
4. 15:30 Wangfujing or Beihai Park 2h

   Wangfujing is the central pedestrian shopping street; nearby Beihai Park (¥10) is a serene former imperial garden around a lake with a white dagoba. Pick shopping or a stroll depending on energy and weather.

   Cost: Beihai Park ¥10; shopping extra TIP: Skip the touristy, overpriced Wangfujing Snack Street — it's a trap. Beihai Park is the calmer, prettier choice and pairs well with the imperial theme. On a smoggy or cold day, duck into a museum or café instead.
5. 18:30 Dinner — Peking duck 2h

   Beijing's signature meal. Choose Siji Minfu (locals' value pick, ¥150-300), Quanjude (the 1864 historic name, ¥300-500), or Da Dong (modern and refined, ¥350-600). Duck is sliced tableside and wrapped in pancakes.

   Cost: ¥150-600 for two, depending on venue TIP: Reserve ahead at Siji Minfu and Da Dong, or expect a wait. The duck comes with pancakes, scallion, cucumber, and sweet bean sauce — wrap it yourself. Order duck soup made from the carcass to finish. Tipping isn't customary; pay via Alipay/WeChat.

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 07:30 Travel to Mutianyu 1h30

   Set out early for the Mutianyu section, about 1.5 hours north. Options: bus 916 (express) from Dongzhimen to Huairou then a local bus/taxi, a private driver (~$80-120 round trip split among a group), or a small-group tour ($40-90 per person).

   Cost: Bus ¥15-40; private driver/tour $40-120 TIP: Mutianyu is the best balance for first-timers — restored, scenic, forested, and less crowded than Badaling. Public transport is cheap but slow with transfers; a driver or tour saves hassle. Start early to beat coach groups and afternoon haze. Pre-book tickets online in peak season as time slots sell out.
2. 10:00 Cable car up + walk the Wall 3h

   At Mutianyu, take the shuttle from the ticket office to the Wall, then the cable car up (entrance ~¥40, cable car ~¥120 round trip). Walk the restored ramparts between the watchtowers along the forested ridgeline.

   Cost: Entrance ~¥40 + cable car ~¥120 TIP: The walk between towers involves steep, uneven steps — wear proper shoes and pace yourself. Towers 6-10 are a good, scenic stretch. Bring water and sun protection (little shade up top). Autumn (Sep-Oct) brings the clearest air and best foliage; summer mornings beat the heat.
3. 13:30 Toboggan down + lunch 1h30

   Ride the toboggan slide down from the Wall (a Mutianyu signature, separate ticket) or take the cable car, then a late lunch at a restaurant near the base — local Huairou dishes or simple noodles.

   Cost: Toboggan ~¥100; lunch ¥40-80 TIP: The toboggan is a fun, gentle slide down through the trees — popular with families and a Mutianyu highlight. Lunch options at the base are touristy; a simple noodle or dumpling meal is fine. Some tours include lunch.
4. 15:30 Return to Beijing + rest 2h

   Head back to the city (about 1.5 hours). Rest at the hotel after a demanding day on your feet before an easy evening.

   Cost: Bus ¥15-40; driver/tour included TIP: Traffic back into Beijing can be heavy in late afternoon — a driver or tour smooths this. If you took public transport, allow buffer time. Recharge before dinner; the Wall is the most physically taxing day of the trip.
5. 19:00 Dinner — hot pot or hutong dumplings 1h30

   An easy, warming dinner: Haidilao hot pot (¥100-250, English menu, famous service) or Mr. Shi's Dumplings in a Gulou hutong (¥35-85, 50+ fillings, English menu).

   Cost: ¥35-250 per person TIP: Hot pot is the classic post-Wall meal, especially in cooler months — order the split (yuanyang) pot for mixed spice levels. Mr. Shi's is the easygoing, foreigner-friendly dumpling option. Reserve Haidilao or come off-peak to avoid a wait.

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 09:00 Lama Temple (Yonghe Gong) 1h30

   Beijing's most important Tibetan Buddhist temple — a series of incense-filled halls culminating in a giant Maitreya Buddha carved from a single sandalwood trunk. Active place of worship as well as a sight. Admission ~¥30.

   Cost: ~¥30 TIP: Free incense is provided — light it respectfully if you wish. Come earlier to avoid crowds. Dress modestly. The 18-meter Maitreya Buddha in the rear hall is the highlight. It's a genuine, atmospheric working temple, not a museum.
2. 11:00 Confucius Temple & Guozijian 1h30

   A short walk from the Lama Temple, the serene Confucius Temple and the adjacent Imperial Academy (Guozijian) sit on a quiet, restored hutong street with ancient cypress trees and stone tablets of imperial-exam scholars. Combined ticket ~¥30.

   Cost: ~¥30 TIP: Far quieter than the Lama Temple next door — a calm contrast. Guozijian Street itself, lined with old archways, is one of central Beijing's nicer hutong lanes for a stroll and a coffee. Good on a clear day.
3. 13:00 Lunch + travel to the 798 Art District 1h30

   Lunch around the Lama Temple area, then head northeast to the 798 Art District (Dashanzi) — a former Bauhaus-style factory complex turned into Beijing's main contemporary-art quarter.

   Cost: Lunch ¥40-80; metro/Didi ¥3-30 TIP: 798 is a bit out of the way — a Didi is the simplest route. Eat before you go, though 798 has cafés too. Galleries are mostly free to enter.
4. 14:30 798 Art District galleries 3h

   Wander the converted factory halls — independent galleries, large-scale installations, design shops, street art, and cafés. The mix of socialist-era industrial architecture and cutting-edge art is the draw. Free to roam; some exhibitions ticketed.

   Cost: Free to roam; some shows ticketed TIP: A complete change of pace from the imperial sights — modern, creative, and photogenic. Check what's on, as exhibitions rotate. Great on a smoggy or rainy day since much is indoors. Allow time to get lost among the warehouses.
5. 18:30 Sanlitun evening — dinner + craft beer 2h30

   Sanlitun, Beijing's main nightlife district, is near 798 — international restaurants, bars, and the Jing-A craft-beer taprooms with their Chinese-ingredient brews. A relaxed, cosmopolitan evening.

   Cost: ¥80-300 per person TIP: Sanlitun has the city's widest range of international food and bars if you want a break from Chinese cuisine. Jing-A is the local craft-beer name. Pay via Alipay/WeChat. Use Didi to get back to your hotel.

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 08:30 Summer Palace + Kunming Lake 3h30

   Start early at the Summer Palace, the sprawling Qing imperial garden around Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill — the Long Corridor, Marble Boat, temples, and pavilions, all UNESCO-listed. A 'through ticket' bundles the inner sites.

   Cost: Through ticket ~¥50-60 TIP: Go early to beat crowds and have the lake to yourself. Buy the through ticket for the inner halls. It's large — comfortable shoes essential. A boat across Kunming Lake is a relaxing way to cross. Autumn and spring are the loveliest.
2. 13:00 Lunch + travel to the hutongs 1h30

   Lunch near the Summer Palace or back toward the center, then head to the Houhai and Gulou hutong area for the afternoon.

   Cost: Lunch ¥40-80; metro/Didi ¥3-30 TIP: The Summer Palace is far northwest, so build in transit time back toward the center. A Didi is easiest. Eat a simple lunch before diving into the hutongs.
3. 15:00 Houhai + hutong cycling or rickshaw 2h

   Explore the lanes around Houhai lake on foot, by shared bike, or by rickshaw — the heart of old Beijing, with courtyard homes, small shops, and lakeside life. A guided rickshaw tour adds context.

   Cost: Free to walk; rickshaw ¥100-200; bike via app TIP: Shared bikes (Alipay/WeChat mini-program) are perfect for the flat lanes. The quieter side hutongs are more atmospheric than the bar-lined lakefront. A rickshaw tour is touristy but informative if you want the history.
4. 17:30 Drum & Bell Towers 1h30

   Climb the historic Drum Tower (and the facing Bell Tower) for a drum performance and a rooftop view over the gray-tiled hutong rooftops — one of central Beijing's best urban panoramas. Admission ~¥20-30.

   Cost: ~¥20-30 TIP: The Drum Tower has periodic drum performances — check times. The steep stairs reward you with a classic view across the old-city rooftops, especially at golden hour. The plaza between the towers is a pleasant evening hangout.
5. 19:30 Dinner — hutong dumplings or lamb skewers 2h

   Dinner in the Gulou hutong area — Mr. Shi's Dumplings (50+ fillings, English menu) nearby, or lamb skewers and beer on Gui Jie ('Ghost Street') for a livelier night.

   Cost: ¥35-100 per person TIP: Mr. Shi's is the easygoing, foreigner-friendly choice right in the hutongs. Gui Jie's all-night skewer strip is cheap and fun. Both pair well with a craft beer. Pay via Alipay/WeChat.

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 08:30 Temple of Heaven 2h

   The Ming-and-Qing ceremonial complex with the iconic round Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, surrounded by a park alive with morning tai chi, dancing, and music. Buy the 'through ticket' for the main halls.

   Cost: Through ticket ~¥28-34 TIP: Come early for the morning park life, which is half the experience. Get the combined through ticket, not park-only entry, to see the famous halls. A relaxed, scenic final morning sight.
2. 11:00 Beihai Park or the Olympic Park 2h

   Choose a final sight by interest: Beihai Park (¥10, a serene imperial lake garden near the center) or the Olympic Park (the Bird's Nest stadium and Water Cube from 2008, north of the city). Both are open, photogenic spaces.

   Cost: Beihai ¥10; Olympic Park free to roam TIP: Beihai is central and easy; the Olympic Park is farther north and better if you've not seen the 2008 landmarks. On a poor-air day, swap for an indoor museum. Mind your flight time and travel buffer.
3. 13:30 Last lunch + souvenir shopping 2h

   A final Beijing meal — Peking duck if you haven't had it, or zhajiangmian — plus any last shopping for tea, silk, or crafts around Wangfujing or Qianmen.

   Cost: Lunch ¥40-150; shopping extra TIP: If you skipped Peking duck on Day 1, do it now. Bargain at markets and avoid the tea-ceremony scam touts near tourist areas. Pay via Alipay/WeChat.
4. 16:00 Travel to the airport + departure 2h30

   Head to the airport — confirm whether you fly from Capital (PEK) or Daxing (PKX), as they're far apart. Airport Express train, high-speed rail (to Daxing), or Didi/taxi.

   Cost: Airport Express ¥25-45; taxi ¥120-150 TIP: Allow plenty of buffer — Beijing traffic and big-airport security take time. The Airport Express is reliable and cheap; a Didi is door-to-door. Have your passport ready for security and check-in. Arrive 2.5-3 hours before an international flight.

Meal Recommendations