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5 DaysDifficulty: Easy

Classic Beijing Experience

Five unhurried days in Beijing: the Forbidden City, Mutianyu’s Great Wall, hutong evenings and a realistic pace for a first visit.

Route: Beijing

Last reviewed October 23, 2026 · schedules, prices and opening hours change — re-check before booking

Who this suits

First-time visitors who would rather do one city properly than rush between three. Works for couples, solo travellers and families with children old enough to walk the Wall.

What it costs

¥5,000–8,000 per person, including four nights of mid-range hotel, tickets, food and local transport. International flights excluded.

Book in this order

  1. 1Book the Forbidden City up to seven days ahead on the official website or WeChat mini-program. Every visitor needs a passport, including children.
  2. 2Mutianyu needs no advance ticket, but arrange the transfer the night before — a private car is about 1.5 hours each way.
  3. 3Reserve a roast duck restaurant for day two; popular places run 60–90 minute waits at dinner.
  4. 4If you land after 16:00, move the hutong evening to day four and keep day one to dinner near the hotel.

Day by day

  1. 1

    Arrival and a gentle first evening

    Land, check in near the city center, and keep it light: a hutong walk around Gulou, dinner near your hotel. Do not start with the Great Wall — save your energy.

    Sleep
    Beijing (Dongcheng)
    Getting around
    Capital Airport Express to Dongzhimen, then metro; or 45–60 minutes by DiDi.
    Book
    Hotel only. Keep your address in Chinese for the driver.
    Daily cost
    ¥400–700 (excl. hotel)
  2. 2

    Forbidden City and the hutongs

    Timed morning entry to the Forbidden City, then the panorama from Jingshan Park. Afternoon: the Nanluoguxiang and Gulou hutong lanes, ending at a local roast duck dinner.

    Sleep
    Beijing (Dongcheng)
    Getting around
    Metro to Tian’anmen East; walk north from the security check.
    Book
    Forbidden City timed entry, seven days ahead, passports for everyone.
    Daily cost
    ¥400–700 (excl. hotel)
  3. 3

    Great Wall at Mutianyu

    Full day out. Cable car up, walk as far as your legs allow toward Tower 20, then a late-afternoon return. Evening: Guijie street for spicy crayfish or hotpot.

    Sleep
    Beijing (Dongcheng)
    Getting around
    Private car or DiDi to Mutianyu, about 1.5 hours each way; cable car up.
    Book
    Arrange the car the night before; buy cable-car tickets at the base.
    Daily cost
    ¥500–800 (excl. hotel)
  4. 4

    Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven

    Morning at the Summer Palace — the lake, the Long Corridor, and Kunming Lake boat. Afternoon at the Temple of Heaven park, where locals play cards and sing in the covered corridors.

    Sleep
    Beijing (Dongcheng)
    Getting around
    Metro Line 4 to Beigongmen for the Summer Palace; Line 5 to Tiantan Dongmen for the Temple of Heaven.
    Book
    No timed ticket needed for either park; carry passports.
    Daily cost
    ¥350–650 (excl. hotel)
  5. 5

    798 Art District and departure

    Spend the morning among the galleries and factory buildings of 798, have a last proper lunch, then head to the airport or station.

    Sleep
    Departure
    Getting around
    Metro Line 14 to Wangjing South for 798, then DiDi to the airport or station.
    Book
    Leave three hours before an international flight, 90 minutes for a domestic train.
    Daily cost
    ¥300–500 (excl. hotel)

If the plan does not fit

Fewer crowds on the Wall

Swap Mutianyu for Jinshanling if you are willing to pay for a driver (about 2.5 hours each way). You trade convenience for long, restored ridges with a fraction of the crowd.

Add a fifth full day

Spring and autumn deserve the Summer Palace and Yuanmingyuan together. In summer, swap the extra day for a hutong cooking class or a day trip to the Ming Tombs.

Destinations on this route

Beijing

China's capital, from the Great Wall and Forbidden City to hutongs and night markets: what to see, how many days you need and when to go.

Best time: April - May, September - October

Read before you book

Your First 24 Hours in ChinaA step-by-step arrival guide for China in 2026: immigration, airport SIMs and eSIMs, payments, airport transfers, hotel check-in and what to do on a late arrival.Visa & EntryChina entry rules for 2026: the 50-country visa-free list (including the UK and Canada), the 240-hour transit scheme, Hainan entry, and who needs a visa.Hotels & Where to StayHow hotels work for foreign visitors in China in 2026: registration, the foreign-guest myth, booking platforms, deposits, room types and neighbourhood logic.Attraction Tickets & ReservationsHow to book China’s major sights in 2026 with a foreign passport: timed tickets, free museums, cable cars, official channels and what still sells at the gate.High-Speed TrainsHow to book and ride China’s high-speed trains in 2026: 12306 in English, passport verification, seat classes, station procedures and when to fly instead.

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