At a glance
| Recommended days | 3 - 7 days |
|---|---|
| Budget level | $$ |
| Daily cost | €30-50 / €80-140 |
| Best season | Apr-May · Sep-Oct |
| Region | East Asia · China |
Day-by-day plan
This route comes from our full Beijing & the Great Wall guide - each day below links to the deeper detail there.
- Arrive: Tiananmen Square + Forbidden City
- Temple of Heaven + hutong rickshaw tour
- Day trip: Mutianyu Great Wall + toboggan
- Summer Palace + Peking duck dinner
- Jinshanling Great Wall hike OR Ming Tombs
- 798 Art District + Olympic Park
- Fly out
Pacing this route
The city days come first deliberately: the Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven are big early-morning sights, and jet lag makes 7:30 starts easy. Put the wall day mid-trip, after your legs have adapted to walking 15,000 steps a day.
Beijing is bigger than the map suggests — 40 minutes between districts is normal. Cluster each day geographically instead of hopping.
Fewer or more days
- Fewer days: the 3-day core is Forbidden City + Temple of Heaven, Mutianyu, and hutongs with Peking duck — a complete trip even if short.
- More days: add Jinshanling as a second, quieter wall hike, or a day for the Summer Palace and 798's galleries; both are easy extensions from the same hotel.
Practical tips for this route
- Book everything capped: the Forbidden City (7-day window) and Mutianyu cable cars on weekends both sell out; official channels only.
- Ride the subway before 9:00 and you will share it with commuters, not tour groups — the sights empty out in the same direction.
- Carry your passport: it is the ticket ID at the Forbidden City, Tiananmen security checks and hotel check-ins.
Pair the route with the daily budget breakdown and the best-time-to-visit calendar to lock your dates, or hand the stops to our interactive trip planner.
Related guides
Best time to visit Beijing · Beijing travel budget · Full Beijing guide · Interactive trip planner
FAQ
How many days do I need in Beijing?
Three covers the essentials, five is comfortable, and seven adds the second wall hike and art districts. The 3–7 day itinerary above is genuinely modular — each day stands alone.
Which Great Wall section should I choose?
Mutianyu for the first visit (cable car, toboggan, restored but not crowded); Jinshanling if you want a half-wild hike with valley views. Badaling only makes sense if transport simplicity outranks everything.
Is Beijing walkable?
Within districts, very much so — the hutong blocks and park circuits are made for it. Between districts, use the subway; crossing the city on foot costs you a sight per day.