Itinerary · 5 days · active
China in 5 days: fastest first-timer route
Beijing's big three sights, a flight south, and two days navigating Shanghai's contrasts.
Five days is not enough for China, but it is enough to understand why you will want to return. Two days in Beijing cover the Forbidden City, the Wall, and Tiananmen; a domestic flight on day 3 (combined with a final morning at Mutianyu) connects to Shanghai for two full days of Bund walking, museum-going, and French Concession wandering. Day 5 is the flight home, with a morning buffer for any shopping or neighbourhoods missed.
The primary constraint in this itinerary is the flight between Beijing and Shanghai. The most efficient routing is a morning Wall visit at Mutianyu (leave the hotel by 7:30), 3 hours on the wall, back in Beijing by noon, collect bags from the hotel, take the airport express (25 minutes) to Capital Airport, and board an afternoon flight to Shanghai (1.5 hours). This gives 2 full days in Shanghai. The alternative is an overnight Z-class train (12 hours, depart Beijing 10pm, arrive Shanghai 10am) which avoids a hotel night but the train is less comfortable than a hotel and the timing compresses the schedule.
The Forbidden City requires pre-booked tickets. Book via the official Palace Museum app or website (gugumuseum.com) — same-day entry is almost never available. The Great Wall at Mutianyu does not require advance booking but is busy on weekends; weekday visits have shorter queues at the cable car. The Bund in Shanghai is best at dawn (uncrowded, good light) or at dusk (the Pudong lights come on and the skyline is dramatically illuminated).
Day by day
Day 1 · beijing
Arrive Beijing — central axis
Check in, then walk Tiananmen Square and the National Museum if energy allows. The square is free and takes roughly an hour; the National Museum needs a passport registration and half a day to do properly. Evening: Wangfujing pedestrian street for street food.
Day 2 · beijing
Forbidden City and Summer Palace
Full morning inside the Forbidden City — book timed-entry tickets online at least 48 hours in advance. Afternoon at the Summer Palace, a 45-minute metro ride west. Back into town for Peking duck in the hutongs near Nanluoguxiang.
Attractions: forbidden-city, summer-palace, nanluoguxiang
Day 3 · beijing
Great Wall — Mutianyu, then fly to Shanghai
Early departure for Mutianyu — hire a taxi or join a small-group transfer from Dongzhimen. Allow three hours on the Wall. Return by 2 pm, collect bags, and take the Airport Express to Capital Airport for an evening flight to Shanghai Pudong.
Attractions: great-wall-mutianyu
Day 4 · shanghai
The Bund, Yu Garden, and the museums
Morning on the Bund, then west to Yu Garden and the Old City bazaar. Afternoon in the Shanghai Museum (free; closes 5 pm). Evening return to the Bund for the Pudong skyline after dark.
Attractions: the-bund, yu-garden, shanghai-museum
Day 5 · shanghai
French Concession, then depart
Morning in the French Concession — Wukang Mansion, Tianzifang lanes, and a long coffee. Afternoon departure from Pudong or Hongqiao depending on routing.
Attractions: french-concession, tianzifang, wukang-mansion
Budget guide (CNY per day)
| Backpacker | ¥450 |
| Mid-range | ¥1100 |
| Comfortable | ¥2800 |
Domestic flight cost roughly CNY 400–1200 one-way; budget figures exclude intercity flights.
Cities covered
Attractions covered
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