Plan Beijing
Plan your Beijing trip with someone who lives here.
Below is the shape I'd give a first visit. Under that is a short form. Tell me when you're coming, who's coming, and what you're unsure about, and I'll reply with what I would do.
The shape of a good first visit
- One major sight per day. Distances are big and each sight takes longer than you expect. The Forbidden City fills three or four hours. The Great Wall is a full day. You'll see more this way, not less.
- Book the Tiananmen cluster first, then build the days around it. The Square, the Gate Tower, the Forbidden City and the National Museum all need online reservations, mostly released seven days ahead. Release times.
- Stay near a transfer station. If you can't decide, Chongwenmen. If you want a courtyard night, Ping'anli. If the Great Wall matters most, Xizhimen, with the train to Badaling downstairs. The six areas.
- Avoid the national holidays, and if you're coming in July or August, expect crowds and heat and start your days early.
- Leave one day loose. Hutongs, Shichahai, the Drum Tower area, a market, a long lunch. It's usually the day people remember.
Three days, as a skeleton
| Day | Anchor | Around it |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City (reserve ahead) | Jingshan for the view over the palace roofs, then Qianmen and Dashilar in the evening |
| 2 | The Great Wall at Badaling, by high-speed train from Beijing North (30 to 40 minutes) | Back in the city for an early dinner near your hotel; you'll be tired |
| 3 | Temple of Heaven in the morning | Hutongs, Shichahai and the Drum Tower area in the afternoon and evening |
A shape, not a schedule. Swap the Summer Palace in if palaces interest you more than the Wall; it's on Line 4 from Xizhimen or Ping'anli.
Tell me about your trip
I read every one of these. I'm building a planning service for first-time visitors, and what you write here is what shapes it. If I can help with your trip specifically, I'll say how.
Thank you. I've got it.
I'll read it properly and reply by email. While you wait, the checklist covers what to do before you fly, and Where to Stay is the decision most people want help with first.