Itinerary · 3 days · balanced
Beijing weekend — 3 days in the capital
Three days in Beijing covering the Forbidden City, Great Wall at Mutianyu and the Temple of Heaven — the irreducible core of the capital, managed at a pace that avoids pure exhaustion.
Three days is a tight but workable window for Beijing's main sites if you plan transport in advance. Book Forbidden City tickets online before arrival — they sell out. The airport express train connects PEK with Dongzhimen in 25 minutes. The key constraint is the Wall: allow the full second day for Mutianyu rather than squeezing it into a half-day, which is the most common mistake first-time visitors make.
Beijing is one of the world's great historical cities — not despite its modernisation but alongside it. The central imperial axis (Tiananmen, Forbidden City, Jingshan, Bell and Drum Towers) has been the spine of the city for 600 years; the subway runs beneath it. The Hutongs (胡同) — the narrow traditional residential lanes that survive between modern blocks — predate the imperial palace in their basic form. The 798 Art District occupies a 1950s factory complex and houses some of the most significant contemporary Chinese art galleries in Asia. All of this exists within metro range of each other.
Practical notes for this itinerary: the Forbidden City (Palace Museum, 故宫博物院) requires pre-booking through the official website or app — same-day tickets are rarely available on weekends and public holidays. Mutianyu Great Wall advance booking is less critical but still advisable. The hired car for the Wall (¥600–¥900 round trip with driver waiting) is significantly more flexible than a tour bus and worth the price difference for a small group.
Day by day
Day 1 · beijing
Forbidden City and Jingshan Park
Arrive Beijing. Airport Express (¥25) or taxi to Dongcheng. Pre-booked Forbidden City tickets for late morning — allow three hours inside. North exit to Jingshan Park for the aerial rooftop panorama. Afternoon: Beihai Park lake if legs allow. Evening: Peking duck on Qianmen Street or in Wangfujing.
Attractions: forbidden-city, jingshan-park, beihai-park
Stay in: Wangfujing or Dongcheng — closest area to the imperial axis.
Day 2 · beijing
Great Wall at Mutianyu — full day
Leave the hotel at 7:30. Hired car to Mutianyu (90 min). Cable car up; walk a 2km section of the fully restored wall with excellent views. Toboggan descent. Lunch at the base. Back in Beijing by 3:30pm. Lama Temple (Yonghe Gong) if energy allows — the incense-filled courtyard is calming after a physical day.
Attractions: great-wall-mutianyu, lama-temple
Day 3 · beijing
Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace or hutong walk
Morning Temple of Heaven — the circular Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests and the wide park lawns. Choice for the afternoon: Summer Palace (30 min by metro, 2h to see the Long Corridor and Kunming Lake) or a hutong walk in the Shichahai area near Drum Tower. Transfer to PEK or PKX for evening departure.
Attractions: temple-of-heaven, summer-palace, nanluoguxiang
Budget guide (CNY per day)
| Backpacker | ¥600 |
| Mid-range | ¥1500 |
| Comfortable | ¥3500 |
Per person total 3 days. Hired car to Mutianyu ¥600–900 round trip. International flights excluded.
Cities covered
Attractions covered
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