Beijing, China
"Imperial palaces, Great Wall sunrises and hutong alley life"
Beijing is the imperial heart of China — the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven and Summer Palace on one side, the Great Wall snaking through mountains just outside town on the other. Between the monuments, hutong alleys reveal a quieter, slower city.
Best Time to Visit
April to May or September to October
Apr – May
Blossoms in the Summer Palace, warm days, occasional dust storms. Prime Great Wall weather.
Sep – Oct
Clear blue skies, cool evenings, red leaves at Fragrant Hills. The best season, hands down.
Jun – Aug
Hot (35°C+) and humid with summer rains; carry an umbrella and hit the parks at dawn.
Nov – Mar
Cold and dry (–10°C in Jan). Great Wall dusted with snow is spectacular but bring serious layers.
Getting Around
Beijing's subway is huge (27 lines and counting), cheap and easy — the fastest way through this vast city.
🚇 Subway
27+ lines covering the city and airports (Line 2 loops the old city walls). Fares from ¥3, English signage throughout.
🚄 High-Speed Rail
Beijing South and West stations link to Shanghai (4h30), Xi'an (4h30) and Hong Kong (9h) on the world's largest HSR network.
🚕 Didi (Ride-hail)
Didi is the local Uber — cheap and everywhere. English mini-program works via WeChat or Alipay.
🚌 Public Bus
Dense network but sparse English; useful for reaching Great Wall trailheads.
🚲 Meituan / Hellobike
Dockless share bikes on every corner — pay via WeChat/Alipay.
💡 Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay with your foreign card before landing — the subway, taxis, buses and even street food are cashless.
Suggested Itineraries
Arrival & Wangfujing
Settle in, evening on Wangfujing pedestrian street and Dashilan hutong.
Forbidden City & Jingshan
Full morning in the Forbidden City, sunset from Jingshan Park.
Great Wall — Mutianyu
Full-day trip, cable car up, hike, toboggan down, Peking duck dinner.
Temple of Heaven & Hutongs
Temple of Heaven morning, hutong bike tour, tea at a courtyard house.
Summer Palace
Half day at Kunming Lake, Longevity Hill, boat ride, dinner in Wudaokou (student district).
798 Art District & modern Beijing
798 galleries, Sanlitun for shopping and cocktails, view from CCTV Tower.
Lama Temple & departure
Yonghegong Lama Temple, farewell jianbing breakfast, transfer to airport.
✨ Feeling dizzy already? Breathe. This is a menu, not a to-do list — skip a stop, nap by a fountain, leave a couple of sparks for next time.
Highlights
Must See
- Great Wall (Mutianyu or Jinshanling)
- Forbidden City
- Temple of Heaven
- Summer Palace
Local Cuisine
Insider Tip
Skip Badaling — Mutianyu or Jinshanling sections of the Wall are just as spectacular and far less crowded.