Itinerary
3 Days in Beijing Itinerary
This Beijing route is built around two fixed anchors: Forbidden City reservation day and Great Wall day. Everything else should support those two, not compete with them.
Quick Answer
- Day 1: arrive, check in, test payment/internet, light old-city walk.
- Day 2: Forbidden City south-to-north route plus Jingshan if weather is clear.
- Day 3: Great Wall day with no major museum added.
- Best base: Wangfujing, Dongcheng or Qianmen for first-timers.
Before You Book
- Choose a hotel in Wangfujing/Dongcheng, Qianmen, or near a useful subway station.
- Book Forbidden City with passport details before filling the rest of Day 2.
- Choose Mutianyu or Badaling for your Great Wall day, then decide private transfer, group tour, or public route.
- Set up Alipay/WeChat Pay and eSIM before arrival.
Day-By-Day Plan
| Day | Morning | Afternoon | Evening |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive, hotel check-in, payment/eSIM test. | Light walk around Wangfujing, Qianmen or hutong area. | Simple dinner near hotel; save energy. |
| Day 2 | Tiananmen-area security buffer, then Forbidden City south-to-north route. | Jingshan Park viewpoint, then rest or cafe. | Qianmen or Wangfujing dinner; avoid a hard museum add-on. |
| Day 3 | Great Wall transfer and wall visit. | Return from Mutianyu/Badaling with buffer for traffic. | Peking duck or hotpot only if the return is not too late. |
Optional Day 4 Add-On
- History-heavy: Temple of Heaven in the morning, Summer Palace in the afternoon only if you have stamina.
- Slower route: Temple of Heaven plus Qianmen / hutong food route.
- Family route: Summer Palace half-day, then rest and mall dinner.
Internal Links
Booking Slots
Natural modules: Beijing hotel, PEK/PKX transfer, Forbidden City reminder, Great Wall day tour, Beijing food tour, eSIM.