Beijing itinerary: 1 to 7 days
Plans for one to seven days in Beijing, day by day: the Temple of Heaven, Wangfujing, the Forbidden City and the Olympic Bird's Nest stadium first, then Tiananmen Square and the Summer Palace, and the Lama Temple, the Old Summer Palace and Prince Kung's Mansion as you add days. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 3 days
Beijing in 1 day
Day 1
Temple of Heaven Must see
Ming dynasty complex where emperors prayed for good harvests, with the round Hall of Prayer and a park full of morning exercisers.
Forbidden City Must see
Imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties, the world's largest palace complex with nearly a thousand buildings.
Beijing National Stadium Must see
The Bird's Nest, the steel lattice stadium of the 2008 Olympics, in the Olympic Green park.
Wangfujing Must see
Beijing's main pedestrian shopping street east of the Forbidden City, with department stores and a snack street.
Beijing in 2 days
Day 1
Temple of Heaven Must see
Ming dynasty complex where emperors prayed for good harvests, with the round Hall of Prayer and a park full of morning exercisers.
Mausoleum of Mao Zedong Must see
Memorial hall in Tiananmen Square where Mao Zedong's embalmed body lies in state; short silent visits only.
Tiananmen Square Must see
Vast public square in front of the Gate of Heavenly Peace, with flag-raising ceremonies at dawn.
Wangfujing Must see
Beijing's main pedestrian shopping street east of the Forbidden City, with department stores and a snack street.
Forbidden City Must see
Imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties, the world's largest palace complex with nearly a thousand buildings.
Day 2
Summer Palace Must see
Imperial summer retreat on Kunming Lake with the Long Corridor, Longevity Hill and the Marble Boat, a UNESCO site.
Beijing in 3 days
Day 1
Temple of Heaven Must see
Ming dynasty complex where emperors prayed for good harvests, with the round Hall of Prayer and a park full of morning exercisers.
Tiananmen Square Must see
Vast public square in front of the Gate of Heavenly Peace, with flag-raising ceremonies at dawn.
Forbidden City Must see
Imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties, the world's largest palace complex with nearly a thousand buildings.
Jingshan Park Must see
Hill park directly north of the Forbidden City, with the best view over the palace roofs.
Wangfujing Must see
Beijing's main pedestrian shopping street east of the Forbidden City, with department stores and a snack street.
Day 2
Summer Palace Must see
Imperial summer retreat on Kunming Lake with the Long Corridor, Longevity Hill and the Marble Boat, a UNESCO site.
Day 3
Great Wall at Mutianyu
Restored section of the Great Wall north-east of Beijing, with watchtowers along a forested ridge, reached by cable car or chairlift.
Yonghe Temple
Lama Temple, Beijing's largest Tibetan Buddhist temple, with an 18-metre Buddha carved from one sandalwood trunk.
Gulou and Zhonglou Must see
Drum and Bell Towers that kept the city's time, with drum shows and views over the hutong lanes.
Houhai
A lake in the old hutong area, lined with willows, bars and courtyard homes, good for an evening stroll or a boat.
Beijing in 4 days
Day 1
Forbidden City Must see
Imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties, the world's largest palace complex with nearly a thousand buildings.
Jingshan Park Must see
Hill park directly north of the Forbidden City, with the best view over the palace roofs.
Beihai Park Must see
Former imperial garden around a lake, with the White Dagoba on Jade Island and the Nine-Dragon Wall.
Day 2
Summer Palace Must see
Imperial summer retreat on Kunming Lake with the Long Corridor, Longevity Hill and the Marble Boat, a UNESCO site.
Day 3
Niujie Mosque
Beijing's oldest and largest mosque, founded in 996, built in Chinese temple style in the Muslim quarter.
Mausoleum of Mao Zedong Must see
Memorial hall in Tiananmen Square where Mao Zedong's embalmed body lies in state; short silent visits only.
Great Hall of the People Must see
State building on Tiananmen Square where China's parliament meets; occasionally open to visitors.
National Museum of China Must see
Huge museum on Tiananmen Square covering Chinese history from prehistory to modern times; free with reservation.
Tiananmen Square Must see
Vast public square in front of the Gate of Heavenly Peace, with flag-raising ceremonies at dawn.
Temple of Heaven Must see
Ming dynasty complex where emperors prayed for good harvests, with the round Hall of Prayer and a park full of morning exercisers.
Day 4
Great Wall at Mutianyu
Restored section of the Great Wall north-east of Beijing, with watchtowers along a forested ridge, reached by cable car or chairlift.
Yonghe Temple
Lama Temple, Beijing's largest Tibetan Buddhist temple, with an 18-metre Buddha carved from one sandalwood trunk.
Gulou and Zhonglou Must see
Drum and Bell Towers that kept the city's time, with drum shows and views over the hutong lanes.
Houhai
A lake in the old hutong area, lined with willows, bars and courtyard homes, good for an evening stroll or a boat.
Beijing in 5 days
Day 1
Forbidden City Must see
Imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties, the world's largest palace complex with nearly a thousand buildings.
Jingshan Park Must see
Hill park directly north of the Forbidden City, with the best view over the palace roofs.
Beihai Park Must see
Former imperial garden around a lake, with the White Dagoba on Jade Island and the Nine-Dragon Wall.
Wangfujing Must see
Beijing's main pedestrian shopping street east of the Forbidden City, with department stores and a snack street.
Day 2
Summer Palace Must see
Imperial summer retreat on Kunming Lake with the Long Corridor, Longevity Hill and the Marble Boat, a UNESCO site.
Day 3
Temple of Heaven Must see
Ming dynasty complex where emperors prayed for good harvests, with the round Hall of Prayer and a park full of morning exercisers.
Mausoleum of Mao Zedong Must see
Memorial hall in Tiananmen Square where Mao Zedong's embalmed body lies in state; short silent visits only.
Monument to the People's Heroes
Ten-storey granite obelisk in the centre of Tiananmen Square, a national monument completed in 1958.
Tiananmen Square Must see
Vast public square in front of the Gate of Heavenly Peace, with flag-raising ceremonies at dawn.
Zhengyangmen
Qianmen, the tall front gate of the old city south of Tiananmen Square, near the Qianmen shopping street.
National Museum of China Must see
Huge museum on Tiananmen Square covering Chinese history from prehistory to modern times; free with reservation.
Great Hall of the People Must see
State building on Tiananmen Square where China's parliament meets; occasionally open to visitors.
Day 4
Gulou and Zhonglou Must see
Drum and Bell Towers that kept the city's time, with drum shows and views over the hutong lanes.
Houhai
A lake in the old hutong area, lined with willows, bars and courtyard homes, good for an evening stroll or a boat.
Beijing National Stadium Must see
The Bird's Nest, the steel lattice stadium of the 2008 Olympics, in the Olympic Green park.
Old Summer Palace
Yuanmingyuan, the vast imperial gardens looted and burned in 1860, now a park of lakes and ruins.
Day 5
Great Wall at Mutianyu
Restored section of the Great Wall north-east of Beijing, with watchtowers along a forested ridge, reached by cable car or chairlift.
Beijing in 6 days
Day 1
Forbidden City Must see
Imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties, the world's largest palace complex with nearly a thousand buildings.
Jingshan Park Must see
Hill park directly north of the Forbidden City, with the best view over the palace roofs.
Beihai Park Must see
Former imperial garden around a lake, with the White Dagoba on Jade Island and the Nine-Dragon Wall.
Wangfujing Must see
Beijing's main pedestrian shopping street east of the Forbidden City, with department stores and a snack street.
Day 2
Summer Palace Must see
Imperial summer retreat on Kunming Lake with the Long Corridor, Longevity Hill and the Marble Boat, a UNESCO site.
Day 3
Temple of Heaven Must see
Ming dynasty complex where emperors prayed for good harvests, with the round Hall of Prayer and a park full of morning exercisers.
Mausoleum of Mao Zedong Must see
Memorial hall in Tiananmen Square where Mao Zedong's embalmed body lies in state; short silent visits only.
Monument to the People's Heroes
Ten-storey granite obelisk in the centre of Tiananmen Square, a national monument completed in 1958.
Tiananmen Square Must see
Vast public square in front of the Gate of Heavenly Peace, with flag-raising ceremonies at dawn.
Zhengyangmen
Qianmen, the tall front gate of the old city south of Tiananmen Square, near the Qianmen shopping street.
National Museum of China Must see
Huge museum on Tiananmen Square covering Chinese history from prehistory to modern times; free with reservation.
Great Hall of the People Must see
State building on Tiananmen Square where China's parliament meets; occasionally open to visitors.
Day 4
Gulou and Zhonglou Must see
Drum and Bell Towers that kept the city's time, with drum shows and views over the hutong lanes.
Houhai
A lake in the old hutong area, lined with willows, bars and courtyard homes, good for an evening stroll or a boat.
Beijing National Stadium Must see
The Bird's Nest, the steel lattice stadium of the 2008 Olympics, in the Olympic Green park.
Old Summer Palace
Yuanmingyuan, the vast imperial gardens looted and burned in 1860, now a park of lakes and ruins.
Day 5
Great Wall at Mutianyu
Restored section of the Great Wall north-east of Beijing, with watchtowers along a forested ridge, reached by cable car or chairlift.
Ming Tombs
Burial complex of thirteen Ming emperors north of Beijing, with the Sacred Way of stone statues and the large Changling tomb.
Day 6
Marco Polo Bridge
Eleven-arch stone bridge with hundreds of carved lions, where the 1937 incident started the war with Japan.
Capital Museum
Large modern museum of Beijing's history and Chinese art, with porcelain, bronzes and jade; free with reservation.
White Cloud Temple
Main temple of Taoism's Quanzhen school, with courtyards and a lively temple fair at Chinese New Year.
Miaoying Temple Must see
White Dagoba Temple, with a 51-metre Tibetan-style stupa built in 1279 under Kublai Khan.
Prince Kung's Mansion
Best-preserved Qing prince's mansion, with a classical garden and a theatre, near Houhai lake.
Beijing in 7 days
Day 1
Forbidden City Must see
Imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties, the world's largest palace complex with nearly a thousand buildings.
Jingshan Park Must see
Hill park directly north of the Forbidden City, with the best view over the palace roofs.
Beihai Park Must see
Former imperial garden around a lake, with the White Dagoba on Jade Island and the Nine-Dragon Wall.
Wangfujing Must see
Beijing's main pedestrian shopping street east of the Forbidden City, with department stores and a snack street.
Day 2
Summer Palace Must see
Imperial summer retreat on Kunming Lake with the Long Corridor, Longevity Hill and the Marble Boat, a UNESCO site.
Day 3
Temple of Heaven Must see
Ming dynasty complex where emperors prayed for good harvests, with the round Hall of Prayer and a park full of morning exercisers.
Mausoleum of Mao Zedong Must see
Memorial hall in Tiananmen Square where Mao Zedong's embalmed body lies in state; short silent visits only.
Monument to the People's Heroes
Ten-storey granite obelisk in the centre of Tiananmen Square, a national monument completed in 1958.
Tiananmen Square Must see
Vast public square in front of the Gate of Heavenly Peace, with flag-raising ceremonies at dawn.
Zhengyangmen
Qianmen, the tall front gate of the old city south of Tiananmen Square, near the Qianmen shopping street.
National Museum of China Must see
Huge museum on Tiananmen Square covering Chinese history from prehistory to modern times; free with reservation.
Great Hall of the People Must see
State building on Tiananmen Square where China's parliament meets; occasionally open to visitors.
Day 4
Gulou and Zhonglou Must see
Drum and Bell Towers that kept the city's time, with drum shows and views over the hutong lanes.
Houhai
A lake in the old hutong area, lined with willows, bars and courtyard homes, good for an evening stroll or a boat.
Beijing National Stadium Must see
The Bird's Nest, the steel lattice stadium of the 2008 Olympics, in the Olympic Green park.
Old Summer Palace
Yuanmingyuan, the vast imperial gardens looted and burned in 1860, now a park of lakes and ruins.
Day 5
Great Wall at Mutianyu
Restored section of the Great Wall north-east of Beijing, with watchtowers along a forested ridge, reached by cable car or chairlift.
Ming Tombs
Burial complex of thirteen Ming emperors north of Beijing, with the Sacred Way of stone statues and the large Changling tomb.
Day 6
Marco Polo Bridge
Eleven-arch stone bridge with hundreds of carved lions, where the 1937 incident started the war with Japan.
Capital Museum
Large modern museum of Beijing's history and Chinese art, with porcelain, bronzes and jade; free with reservation.
White Cloud Temple
Main temple of Taoism's Quanzhen school, with courtyards and a lively temple fair at Chinese New Year.
Miaoying Temple Must see
White Dagoba Temple, with a 51-metre Tibetan-style stupa built in 1279 under Kublai Khan.
Prince Kung's Mansion
Best-preserved Qing prince's mansion, with a classical garden and a theatre, near Houhai lake.
Day 7
Beijing Museum of Natural History
Natural history museum near the Temple of Heaven with dinosaur skeletons and fossils.
Beijing Ancient Observatory
Ming dynasty observatory on a city-wall tower with bronze astronomical instruments.
Silk Street
Multi-storey market in Chaoyang selling clothes, silk and souvenirs, where hard bargaining is expected.
Yonghe Temple
Lama Temple, Beijing's largest Tibetan Buddhist temple, with an 18-metre Buddha carved from one sandalwood trunk.
798 Art District
Former military factory complex in Dashanzi turned into an arts quarter of galleries, studios, cafes and design shops.
Watch: Beijing in 3 days
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to Beijing
April to May and September to October are the best months, with mild, clear weather. Summer is hot, humid and rainy, and winter, from December to February, is cold and dry, sometimes with poor air quality. Avoid Chinese New Year and the Golden Week holiday in early October, when domestic crowds fill the Forbidden City and the Great Wall.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Beijing on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Beijing on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Beijing on GetYourGuide or on Viator
- From the airport: a private transfer in Beijing with Kiwitaxi
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for China from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Beijing
- Book the Forbidden City online in advance with a passport (real-name tickets, daily limit); it closes on Mondays except on public holidays.
- Tiananmen Square and the Mao Mausoleum need free advance reservations with passport; the mausoleum opens only on Tuesday to Sunday mornings and bags must be left elsewhere.
- Carry your passport everywhere: it is checked at most major sights, train stations and security points.
- Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay with a foreign card before arriving; cash and cards are accepted less often.
- Spring and autumn are the best seasons; summers are hot and humid, and national holidays (early May, 1-7 October) bring huge crowds.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- 798 Art District: Cory M. Grenier, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Beihai Park: xiquinhosilva, CC BY 2.0
- Beijing Ancient Observatory: User:Vmenkov, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Beijing Museum of Natural History: Jonathan Chen, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Beijing National Stadium: Peter23, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Capital Museum: N509FZ, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Forbidden City: Pixelflake, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Great Hall of the People: Zheng Zhou, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Great Wall at Mutianyu: Velatrix, CC0
- Gulou and Zhonglou: Zaptel, CC BY 2.0
- Houhai: chinogypsie, CC BY 2.0
- Jingshan Park: Charlie fong 冯成, Public domain
- Marco Polo Bridge: Taken by Fanghong, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mausoleum of Mao Zedong: unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Miaoying Temple: unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Ming Tombs: Charlie fong, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Monument to the People's Heroes: Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 3.0
- National Museum of China: xiquinhosilva, CC BY 2.0
- Niujie Mosque: Smartneddy, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Old Summer Palace: User Hardouin on en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Prince Kung's Mansion: pictures Jettcom, CC BY 3.0
- Silk Street: 維基小霸王, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Summer Palace: Zhangzhe0101, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Temple of Heaven: Philip Larson, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Tiananmen Square: Salzmann, E.v., CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Wangfujing: Jérôme, CC BY-SA 3.0
- White Cloud Temple: Gene Zhang, CC BY 2.0
- Yonghe Temple: Jklamo, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Zhengyangmen: © Vyacheslav Argenberg, VascoPlanet.com, CC BY 3.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
