Beijing
Beijing deserves 3–4 days minimum — it's not a city you skim. Spend one full day at the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square, one day at the Great Wall (Mutianyu is the best first-timer section, about 1.5 hours from downtown), and the rest wandering hutong alleyways, the Temple of Heaven, and the Summer Palace. The subway is excellent, cheap, and English-signed. Budget roughly $30–55/day per person before accommodation.
Beijing is China's political and historical center of gravity — eight centuries of imperial capital squeezed between wide Soviet-style boulevards, ring roads, and pockets of narrow hutong alleys that somehow survived it all. It rewards patience: rushing Beijing in a day and a half means missing most of what makes it worth the flight.
How many days do you need in Beijing?
Three to four full days is the sweet spot. Day one: the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square (start early — it's genuinely huge and the crowds build fast). Day two: the Great Wall as a full-day trip. Day three: the Temple of Heaven, a hutong neighborhood, and Beijing roast duck for dinner. A fourth day covers the Summer Palace or the 798 Art District if you want a change of pace from imperial history.
Which Great Wall section should you visit from Beijing?
| Section | Distance from Beijing | Vibe |
|---|---|---|
| Mutianyu | ~1.5 hours | Restored, scenic, cable car + toboggan down — the best first-timer choice |
| Jinshanling | ~2.5–3 hours | Wilder, less crowded, more hiking, better for a full-day adventure |
| Badaling | ~1 hour | Most famous, most restored, also the most crowded — skip if you can |
Book Great Wall tickets and, if you're going independently, your transport in advance — a private car or an organized small-group tour saves real hassle versus figuring out public buses. Go on a weekday if your schedule allows; weekends bring heavy domestic tourist crowds.
What's actually worth seeing
- The Forbidden City — the imperial palace complex at the heart of Beijing, genuinely vast (budget 3–4 hours). Enter from the south (Tiananmen side), exit north toward Jingshan Park for a rooftop view over the whole complex.
- The Great Wall (Mutianyu or Jinshanling) — the reason half the world puts China on a bucket list, and it delivers.
- A hutong neighborhood — Nanluoguxiang or the quieter alleys around the Drum and Bell Towers, for a feel of Beijing before the ring roads.
- The Temple of Heaven — a huge public park built around a stunning circular temple complex, where locals do tai chi, ballroom dance, and cards every morning.
Getting around
Beijing's subway is modern, cheap (most rides $0.30–0.70), and has English signage throughout — genuinely one of the easier big-city metro systems in the world for a first-time visitor. Use the Didi app (China's Uber-equivalent) for anything the subway doesn't reach directly; street-hailed taxis are fine too, but Didi avoids any language barrier.
Mistakes worth avoiding
- Trying to see the Forbidden City and the Great Wall on the same day — both deserve a full day on their own, and combining them means rushing both.
- Skipping advance tickets for the Forbidden City — it's a timed-entry, online-booking system, and walk-up tickets are not guaranteed, especially in peak season.
- Accepting an unsolicited 'tea ceremony' invitation from a friendly stranger near Tiananmen Square or Wangfujing — this is a well-known scam that ends with an enormous bill.
Where to stay in Beijing — hotels
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