Trip highlights
- 1Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square
- 2Great Wall of China at Mutianyu
- 3Temple of Heaven
- 4Hutong alleyway cycling tour
- 5Peking duck dinner
Daily spend
Where you're going
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Day-by-day plan
Arrival & Tiananmen Square
Wednesday, September 15
Est. spend
$130
per person
🌅 Morning
Arrive at Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) or Daxing (PKX)
Beijing Capital International Airport
The Airport Express subway line connects PEK to downtown in about 40 minutes; Daxing has its own dedicated express rail line into the city. A VPN is essential to set up before arrival, as many Western apps and sites are blocked.
Download a VPN and a translation app before you land — internet access in China requires advance preparation that's much harder to sort out after arrival.
☀️ Afternoon
Tiananmen Square
Tiananmen Square, Beijing
One of the largest public squares in the world, flanked by the Great Hall of the People, the National Museum, and Mao's mausoleum — a place of immense historical and political significance.
Security screening to enter the square is thorough — bring your passport, as ID checks are routine.
Forbidden City
4 Jingshan Front St, Dongcheng
The imperial palace for 24 emperors across nearly 500 years, an enormous complex of nearly 1,000 buildings — one of the best-preserved ancient palace complexes anywhere in the world.
Book tickets online in advance — the Forbidden City limits daily visitor numbers and same-day tickets often sell out.
🌙 Evening
Peking duck dinner
Quanjude or Dadong, Beijing
Beijing's signature dish — crispy roasted duck skin and tender meat, wrapped in thin pancakes with scallion, cucumber, and hoisin sauce. A genuine culinary institution.
Quanjude has served Peking duck since 1864 — a genuine historic institution, though Dadong offers a lighter, more modern take on the dish.
🍽️ Meals
Airport or hotel breakfast
Chinese · $8
Forbidden City area lunch
Chinese · $12
Peking duck dinner
Chinese (Beijing) · $35
Great Wall of China at Mutianyu
Thursday, September 16
Est. spend
$200
per person
🌅 Morning
Drive to Mutianyu Great Wall
Mutianyu, Huairou District
Mutianyu is about 90 minutes from central Beijing, a well-restored, less crowded section of the Great Wall than the heavily touristed Badaling — widely considered the best balance of accessibility and authenticity.
Book a tour or private driver rather than public transit — the journey is straightforward by car but complicated by public bus.
☀️ Afternoon
Walking the Great Wall
Mutianyu Great Wall
Mutianyu's section includes 22 watchtowers across steep, dramatic terrain — genuinely one of the most awe-inspiring structures ever built, stretching across mountain ridges as far as the eye can see.
A cable car or chairlift up to the wall saves significant climbing effort — well worth it given how steep the stairs are in places.
🌙 Evening
Return to Beijing and a relaxed dinner
Central Beijing
Return to the city in the early evening, tired from a full day of walking — a relaxed dinner near your accommodation is the right call.
🍽️ Meals
Hotel breakfast
Chinese · $8
Mutianyu village lunch
Chinese (Northern) · $15
Beijing dinner
Chinese · $30
Temple of Heaven & Hutong Cycling
Friday, September 17
Est. spend
$100
per person
🌅 Morning
Temple of Heaven
Tiantan Park, Dongcheng
An imperial complex of religious buildings where emperors performed ceremonies for good harvests, including the iconic circular Hall of Prayer — surrounded by a park where locals practice tai chi each morning.
Arrive in the morning to see locals doing tai chi, ballroom dancing, and playing traditional games in the surrounding park — as much a part of the experience as the temple itself.
☀️ Afternoon
Hutong cycling tour
Houhai/Nanluoguxiang, Beijing
Beijing's hutongs are narrow alleyways of traditional courtyard housing, increasingly rare as the city modernises — a guided bike tour through the remaining hutongs near Houhai Lake gives a genuine sense of old Beijing life.
Nanluoguxiang hutong has the best-preserved atmosphere combined with cafés and shops — a good area to explore on foot afterward too.
🌙 Evening
Wangfujing Street and night market food
Wangfujing St, Dongcheng
A major shopping street near the Forbidden City, with side streets offering classic Beijing night market snacks — though increasingly aimed at tourists, it's still a fun evening food experience.
🍽️ Meals
Tiantan Park area breakfast
Chinese · $8
Hutong café lunch
Chinese · $14
Wangfujing night market dinner
Chinese street food · $20
Summer Palace & Departure
Saturday, September 18
Est. spend
$80
per person
🌅 Morning
Summer Palace
Summer Palace, Haidian District
A vast imperial garden and lake complex built as a retreat from the Forbidden City's formality, including the Long Corridor (the longest painted corridor in the world) and Kunming Lake.
Rent a rowboat on Kunming Lake for a different perspective on the gardens — a popular and pleasant local activity.
☀️ Afternoon
Final shopping at Panjiayuan Antique Market
Panjiayuan Market, Chaoyang
Beijing's famous flea and antique market — genuine and reproduction antiques, calligraphy, and souvenirs, with bargaining expected and part of the experience.
The market is busiest (and most interesting) on weekends — adjust timing if your schedule allows.
🌙 Evening
Transfer to Beijing Airport
Beijing Capital International Airport
Allow at least 3 hours before an international flight. The Airport Express subway is the most reliable option given Beijing's traffic.
🍽️ Meals
Hotel breakfast
Chinese · $8
Panjiayuan area lunch
Chinese · $12
Airport food
Chinese/International · $15
Before you go
📅 Best time to visit
September–October and April–May offer the clearest skies and most comfortable temperatures (15-25°C). Summer is hot and humid with occasional smog; winter is very cold but dry, with the Great Wall looking dramatic under snow.
🛂 Visas
Most nationalities require a visa for China, though many countries qualify for visa-free transit of up to 144 hours if entering/exiting via certain cities, or for short visa-free stays under recent policy expansions — check current rules for your nationality well before booking.
💱 Currency
Chinese Yuan/Renminbi (RMB/CNY). China is overwhelmingly cashless via WeChat Pay and Alipay, both of which can be difficult for foreign visitors to set up — carry some cash as a backup, and confirm your hotel and major attractions accept foreign cards.
🆘 Emergency numbers
police: 110
ambulance: 120
💬 Things you won't find in a guidebook
- Set up a VPN before arrival — Google, most Western social media, and many news sites are blocked in mainland China, and downloading a VPN app becomes much harder once you've landed.
- Book Forbidden City tickets online in advance — daily visitor numbers are capped and same-day tickets frequently sell out.
- Mutianyu is generally considered the best Great Wall section for first-time visitors — less crowded and better restored than Badaling, with a cable car option to ease the climb.
- Mobile payment (WeChat Pay/Alipay) dominates daily transactions — carry some cash as a backup since not every small vendor accepts foreign cards.
- Air quality can vary significantly by season — check the air quality index before your trip and pack a mask if visiting during high-pollution periods.
One thing worth not skipping
A 4-day trip to Beijing, China without insurance is a gamble. Medical emergencies, cancelled flights, lost luggage — cover yourself before you leave.
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