Beijing itinerary
7 days, hour by hour · ChinaJune–September
- Days
- 7
- Stops
- 31
- Per day
- ≈ ¥614
- First stop
- 08:00
Short answer
The TripWalkers Beijing itinerary runs 7 days and lays out 31 stops, hour by hour, for June–September. The first three days:
- Day 1 Tiananmen and the Forbidden City
- Day 2 The Great Wall at Mutianyu
- Day 3 Temple of Heaven and the hutongs
Staying less? Start with the first days — TripWalkers uses the opening days of this plan for shorter trips too. Days 2 and 6 are day trips out of the city. Food, entry fees and local transport come to about ¥614 a day (excluding accommodation and flights).
Day 1 · 08:00–17:00
Tiananmen and the Forbidden City
Landmark
Tiananmen Square
The world's largest public square. Expect a passport check and a security queue; visit the Mao Mausoleum in the morning.
FreeCulture
Forbidden City
The Ming-Qing palace. Book online 7 days ahead with your passport (WeChat or the official site; tickets sell out). Walking south to north takes 3.5 hours. Closed on Mondays.
≈ ¥60 per personNature
Jingshan Park
A hill north of the Forbidden City with 360° views over the golden roofs.
≈ ¥2 per personFood
Siji Minfu Peking Duck
Peking duck next to Jingshan, better and cheaper than Quanjude. Expect a queue.
≈ ¥200 per person- 30 min · travel, break, free time
Nature
Beihai Park
The imperial lake and the White Dagoba; rent a rowing boat.
≈ ¥10 per person
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
- Quanjude QianmenThe Peking duck institution since 1864; touristy but historic.
- National Museum of ChinaA huge museum on Tiananmen Square; free entry, a good option if you have no Forbidden City ticket.
Day 2 · 08:30–16:00Day trip
The Great Wall at Mutianyu
Nature
Mutianyu Great Wall
In summer, set off early at 08:30 (32°C). Take the cable car and toboggan, and bring water.
≈ ¥120 per personFood
Mutianyu Village Restaurant
A village restaurant below the wall serving trout and dumplings.
≈ ¥60 per person- 45 min · travel, break, free time
Culture
Hongluo Temple
A mountain temple in Huairou, on the way back.
≈ ¥50 per person
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
- Jinshanling Great WallA wilder, emptier stretch of wall, 2.5 hours away; best for hikers.
- Subway Restaurant MutianyuFast food at the tour entrance; an alternative to the village restaurant.
Day 3 · 08:00–17:00
Temple of Heaven and the hutongs
Culture
Temple of Heaven
The blue-roofed Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. In the morning, retirees fill the park with tai chi, dancing and racket games.
≈ ¥35 per personShopping
Qianmen Street
A restored Qing-style street, with the Dashilan side alleys nearby.
FreeFood
Liqun Roast Duck
A legendary duck restaurant in a hutong. Book ahead; it is run-down but good.
≈ ¥250 per person- 1 h 15 min · travel, break, free time
Nature
Shichahai & Houhai Lake
Walk around the lake: boats in summer, ice skating in winter.
FreeLandmark
Nanluoguxiang Hutong
A touristy hutong street; the side alleys hide real courtyard homes. A rickshaw tour costs 100 CNY.
Free
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
- Mr. Shi's Dumplings NanluoguxiangDumplings, as an alternative to duck.
- Drum and Bell TowersA performance at the Drum Tower; an alternative to the lake.
Day 4 · 08:00–17:00
Summer Palace and 798
Culture
Summer Palace
Kunming Lake and the Long Corridor. It is quiet in the morning. A boat costs 20 CNY; don't miss the Marble Boat.
≈ ¥60 per personFood
Summer Palace Suzhou Street
A canal street inside the palace grounds; good for snacks.
≈ ¥40 per person- 1 h 15 min · travel, break, free time
Culture
798 Art District
Galleries in old factories: UCCA (60 CNY), graffiti and cafés.
FreeFood
798 Café Timezone 8
A café in the art district.
≈ ¥50 per person
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
- Old Summer Palace YuanmingyuanThe ruins of the burned palace; an alternative to 798.
- Nuage Vietnamese HouhaiVietnamese food by the lake; an evening option.
Day 5 · 09:00–20:00
Lama Temple, Confucius and Wangfujing
Culture
Lama Temple Yonghegong
A Tibetan Buddhist temple with an 18 m Maitreya carved from a single tree. Incense is included in the ticket.
≈ ¥25 per personCulture
Confucius Temple Beijing
Quiet courtyards and stelae, plus Guozijian Street.
≈ ¥30 per personFood
Wudaoying Hutong
A hip hutong with cafés and vegan food, next to the Lama Temple.
≈ ¥80 per person- 1 h · travel, break, free time
Shopping
Wangfujing
A shopping street with Oriental Plaza and a bookshop.
Free- 3 h · travel, break, free time
Food
Ghost Street Gui Jie
A 24-hour food street lit by red lanterns; try malaxiaolongxia (spicy crayfish) and hot pot.
≈ ¥150 per person
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
- Haidilao Hot Pot WangfujingA hot pot chain famous for its service.
- Ditan ParkThe park around the Temple of Earth; an alternative to the Confucius Temple.
Day 6 · 09:00–17:30Day trip
Ming Tombs and the Olympic Park
Culture
Ming Tombs Changling
One hour from the city; the tombs of 13 emperors and the Sacred Way statues.
≈ ¥45 per personLandmark
Sacred Way Ming Tombs
A road lined with stone animals and statues of officials.
≈ ¥30 per personFood
Changping Village Restaurant
Village food on the way back; try the jiaozi (dumplings).
≈ ¥50 per person- 1 h 30 min · travel, break, free time
Landmark
Olympic Park Bird's Nest
The 2008 Bird's Nest and Water Cube. Free from outside; 50 CNY to go inside.
FreeNature
Olympic Forest Park
A huge park for walking, with a lake.
Free
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
- Water Cube RestaurantRight next to the Water Cube.
- Juyongguan Great WallA wall pass near the Ming Tombs; a second Great Wall day.
Day 7 · 08:00–13:15
Easy morning and farewell
Nature
Ritan Park
A park in the old embassy district; tai chi in the morning.
Free- 30 min · travel, break, free time
Shopping
Sanlitun Taikoo Li
Modern shopping, an Apple store and cafés.
FreeFood
Jing-A Brewing Sanlitun
Beijing craft beer and burgers; a farewell lunch.
≈ ¥120 per person- 30 min · travel, break, free time
Landmark
Beijing Capital Airport Express Dongzhimen
The airport express takes 25 minutes; for Daxing, go from Caoqiao.
≈ ¥25 per person
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
- Xian Lao Man DumplingsA dumpling chain; a cheap farewell meal.
- Silk Street MarketA market for knock-offs and silk. Haggle; an alternative to Taikoo Li.
Good to know: 6 things that make a Beijing trip easier
- The metro costs 3-9 CNY and is extensive, with English signage. Use Didi taxis (via Alipay). The airport express leaves from Dongzhimen. For Mutianyu and the Ming Tombs, take a tour or a Didi.
- Visa: in 2026 many countries get 30 days visa-free (check for Türkiye). Alipay and WeChat Pay work with foreign cards. Set up a VPN beforehand.
- Summer is 32-35°C and humid, with rain in July and August. Visit the Wall and palaces at 08:00, and use museums and malls at midday. Air pollution is low in summer.
- The Forbidden City and Mao Mausoleum require your passport. Forbidden City tickets sell out online 7 days ahead. Closed on Mondays.
- Peking duck costs 200-300 CNY (for 2), jiaozi 30-60 CNY, hot pot 150 CNY. Tipping is not expected. A street jianbing (savoury crepe) breakfast costs 10 CNY.
- Google and WhatsApp don't work; Baidu Maps or Apple Maps do.
Spending: ≈ ¥4,300 per person for 7 days
- Food¥2,000
- Entry and tours¥1,200
- Local transport¥700
- Other¥400
Excludes accommodation and flights. 2026 price estimate, per person.
On world lists: 1 place in this city
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Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need in Beijing?
This itinerary is built for 7 days. With 3 days, do the first 3 — TripWalkers uses the opening days of the plan for shorter trips too. The day trip is on day 2 and 6; skip it on a short stay.
How much does a day in Beijing cost?
In this plan, food, entry fees and local transport come to about ¥614 per person per day. Accommodation and flights are not included. Figures are 2026 estimates.
What time should you start the day in Beijing?
The first stop is at 08:00. Most days start early so you arrive before the crowds, and evenings end with dinner.
Which season is this itinerary for?
This page covers June–September. There is a separate plan for October–May: opening hours, the sea and the weather change the route.