In this quick guide, I’ll explain how to plan a three-day trip to Beijing, including a day trip to the most scenic spot of the Great Wall.
Beijing (北京), China’s capital, is known for its rich cultural heritage and offers visitors a chance to explore iconic landmarks, traditional hutongs, and colorful markets. Whether you are interested in history, architecture, or cuisine, Beijing has something for everyone. Here’s everything you need to know to plan your visit.
Quick Facts About Beijing:
- Location: Northern China, bordered by Hebei Province and Tianjin Municipality.
- Established: Beijing was the capital during the Yuan Dynasty in 1271, over 3,000 years ago. Since then, it has remained a political and cultural hub of China.
- Population: A diverse mix of Han Chinese and various ethnic minorities.
- Main Attractions: The Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace, and nearby sections of the Great Wall. Don’t miss the historic hutongs and modern buildings like the National Stadium (Bird’s Nest) and the 798 Art District.
Best Time to Visit
Like most of China, the best time to visit Beijing is Spring (March to May) and Autumn (September to November). During Spring, the weather is mild, with temperatures ranging from 10°C to 25°C, and you might also see the blooming flowers (remember to avoid visiting Beijing during the first week of May). Autumn is a bit more crowded, but the weather is also pleasant. Plus, you might see the beautiful red foliage. Be very careful to avoid the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays.
Winter is freezing in Northern China, and Summer is scorching and humid. Summer is also the peak tourist season. Unless you have no other option, I wouldn’t consider traveling to Beijing during those months. Actually, I don’t recommend traveling to China during summer unless you visit some mountainous areas like Tibet (here’s my guide) or Central and Northern Yunnan.
Where to Stay
I recommend staying near one of the subway stations and possibly not too far away from the Forbidden City. Beijing is a huge city, and you will waste a lot of time commuting from one area to another unless you stay in a good location. As always, I recommend using Trip.com to book your flights, trains, and hotels in China. It’s really the best option. Booking.com offers fewer hotels, and they are, on average, more expensive.
What to see in Beijing in 3 days
In my opinion, three days is the bare minimum to spend in Beijing, especially if you are planning to visit the Great Wall, but with some planning, you can still see many places.
Day One: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City and Hutongs
You can start the first morning with a tour of Tiananmen Square and later visit the Forbidden City, but remember to book a ticket in advance.
The Forbidden City, once the imperial palace for the Ming and Qing dynasties, is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the largest palace complexes in the world. Built in the early 15th century, it boasts over 900 buildings with intricate architecture and beautiful courtyards.
Nearby, Tiananmen Square is one of the world’s largest public squares and a symbol of modern China. Known for its historical and political significance, it’s surrounded by key landmarks, including the Monument to the People’s Heroes and the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong.
From what I can see from tourists asking questions on social media, figuring out how to book a ticket seems to be the biggest challenge for people visiting Beijing. This is because the number of tickets for sale is capped at 10,000 daily, and they are quickly sold out. The tickets sell one week in advance, starting at 20:00 Beijing Time (Monday is the closing day).
Here are my recommendations:
- Try to book the ticket as soon as it becomes available.
- If you get a general error when booking it, remove the space between your first and last names.
- This is the official website for the tickets, and here is the link to the Wechat Mini app: 小程序://故宫博物院/I4FEe4eAFCafdja. Just copy and paste it on WeChat, and it should open automatically. This ticket also grants you access to Tiananmen Square.
- If you can’t book the ticket, don’t despair: you can head to the East Gate of the Forbidden City and find a ticket boot that sells tickets to foreigners. The gate is called Donghuamen 东华门. You can also take the subway line 8 to Jinyu Hutong Exit C 金鱼胡同地铁站-C西南口.
- Always bring your passport with you because it will be checked multiple times.
If you only want to visit Tian’anmen Square (which is free), you still need to make a reservation one day in advance). You can make a reservation through the official website or just paste 小程序://天安门广场预约参观/GZaBrCfoOzvhxTq in WeChat, and it will show you the mini program link.
After visiting the Forbidden Palace, you might want to head to Jingshan Park (景山公园), which is on the north side of the area. Here, you can take some pictures from a different perspective.
You can then spend the rest of the day exploring some of Beijing’s last Hutongs. Unfortunately, most of them have been destroyed in recent years to make way for new buildings.
The Hutongs are ancient narrow alleyways that offer a glimpse into the city’s traditional way of life. Dating back to the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), these winding streets are lined with siheyuan—traditional courtyard homes. Hutongs like Nanluoguxiang, Qianmen, and Wudaoying are quite popular. Wandering through the hutongs is a journey into Beijing’s past, where old-world charm meets the energy of modern urban life.
I recommend visiting Nanluoxiang (南锣鼓巷), if you have time only for one.
Day Two: The Great Wall
The Great Wall of China is one of the most iconic landmarks in the world, stretching over 21,000 Km across northern China. Built over centuries, starting as early as the 7th century BC, it was primarily constructed to protect Chinese empires from invasions. The Wall features watchtowers, battlements, and winding paths that follow the landscape’s natural contours. The wall’s most popular and touristic parts are located near Beijing and the Badaling and Mutianyu sections. They are often overcrowded because they are easy to reach.
If you want something less popular but more beautiful, I recommend heading to the Jinshanling 金山岭 section. This area is located in Hebei Province, and it takes about 3 hours to get there from Beijing. If you want public transportation, you can take the Jinshanling Tourist Bus Line to the scenic area from the Dongzhimen Bus Station. The bus departs at 7:40 and returns at 16:00.
I recommend hiring a driver to leave Beijing at night and arrive early in the morning to find even fewer people. You can DM me on Instagram to get the driver’s info.
If you decide to head there with a driver early in the morning, you will return to Beijing around noon, and you’ll still have time to visit other places, such as the popular 798 Art District. Located in a former factory complex, this area has become a cultural zone filled with galleries, art studios, cafes, and boutiques.
Day Three: Temples and Parks
On the third and final day, you can visit the other famous places in the city, depending on what you like most.
The Temple of Heaven is an imperial complex where Chinese emperors once prayed for good harvests. It was built in the early 15th century during the Ming Dynasty. It features iconic structures like the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, a circular, triple-gabled building, and the Circular Mound Altar, where ceremonies were held. The park opens at 6:00 a.m., but the Temple area opens at 8:00 a.m.
The Summer Palace is an imperial garden originally built in the 18th century. It served as a royal retreat for China’s emperors. The palace is centered around Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill, offering nice views and a great blend of nature and design.
The Lama Temple (Yonghe Temple) is one of the most important Tibetan Buddhist temples in China. Originally built as a royal residence during the Qing Dynasty, it was converted into a monastery in 1744. The temple complex includes a towering 18-meter-tall Buddha carved from a single piece of sandalwood.
Beihai Park is one of China’s oldest and most well-preserved imperial gardens, dating back over 1,000 years. It covers a vast area and features a large lake and historic temples. At its heart is Jade Flower Island, home to the iconic White Dagoba, a Tibetan-style stupa built in the 17th century.
Final Thoughts
Beijing is ideally the first stop for most people who visit China for the first time (here’s my China Travel Guide). Although not as international as Shanghai, Beijing has a much richer history and cultural heritage. You can easily spend a week there without ever getting bored.
If you still have some time left, you might want to consider heading to Tianjin, a nearby city that can be reached by high-speed train (only 30 minutes away) and where you can find the iconic Binhai Library.
As always, remember to get a VPN and/or an eSim before traveling to China. And don’t forget to try the delicious Beijing Duck! It’s one of the best dishes in China.
Here is my travel guide to Nanjing, another historically very important city in China, and here is my travel guide to Zhangjiajie. Here’s my travel guide to Seoul.
