Beijing is the capital of China, and it is a city with a lot of history; a city with a lot of history means there are many things to visit. I will tell you what to do in Beijing if you have a stopover there.
📋 The essentials to remember: Beijing can be explored in 4 to 6 days. Must-see: Forbidden City, Great Wall (Mutianyu or Jinshanling sections, less touristy than Badaling), Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, Tian’anmen Square, and the hutongs (traditional alleys). Average budget: €60-90/day. Ideal season: April-May or September-October.
Stopover in Beijing, what to do in Beijing?
I went to China for the first time this summer and stayed 6 days in Beijing. In this article, I will give you a program for 3 or 4 days in Beijing and there is plenty to do.
3-4 days: What to do in Beijing?
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First day of Stopover in Beijing
In the morning, go see Tiananmen Square, this is where the famous portrait of Mao is located. Mao is for many Chinese the most respected personality in China and many believe that China is at its current level thanks to him.
To enter this vast square, you will have to go through security checks. You can then head to the Forbidden City. This is where the sovereigns of the Chinese empire used to live. I recommend taking an audio guide that explains each part of the Palace.
The visit to this palace takes 3 to 4 hours depending on your motivation. Access to Tiananmen Square is via the “tiananmen” metro station on the circular line.
🌍 Did you know?
The Great Wall of China measures 21,196 km in total with its branches, which is half the circumference of the Earth. Built over 2,000 years (from the 7th century BC to 1644). Less than 10% is still in good condition, and only 5% is open to tourists. The Mutianyu section is more authentic and less crowded than Badaling.
In the afternoon, you can go to the Temple of Heaven, be careful to find the “tiantandongmen” metro station which is located to the east of the park.
🗣️ My experience: The Great Wall at Jinshanling remains my best memory. Less touristy section than Mutianyu, accessible in 2 hours by bus from Beijing. An 8 km walk along the ridge with barely 10-15 people met during the day. Sunset on the wall, Far East landscape at its best. Cost: 65 yuan entrance + transport (50 € by bus + taxi). Far superior to Badaling.
In the evening, you can go eat in a Hutong.
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What to do in Beijing? The second day
After visiting the Forbidden City, you can head to the Summer Palace. The Summer Palace, as its name suggests, is the summer residence of the sovereign family. When it was too hot, the sovereigns would live in this palace; it is almost a small town with several temples and styles very different from the Forbidden City.
The reason why it is nicer to go there is that it is located by a lake. However, the palace is situated on a hill so you will have to climb some stairs :D.
🍀 Beijing
- Exceptional historical heritage
- Very efficient and cheap subway
- Varied cuisine (Peking duck, dim sum)
- Affordable mid-range hotels
🔻 Limitations
- Frequent air pollution
- Mandatory Chinese visa (complex)
- Little English spoken
- VPN required for Google/Whatsapp
The Summer Palace is located a little outside Beijing and requires 4 hours or a full day to visit everything, you can get there via the “Beigonmen” station.
In the evening, you can relax in the San Li Tun village area where there are quite a few restaurants and bars, it is also the place where you will find most expatriates.
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What to do in Beijing? Third day in Beijing
Now you will do some exercise and go to the Great Wall of China. There are indeed 3 different sections of the wall. Each of these walls has its own particularity:
⚠️ Classic trap
Going to China without having installed a VPN before departure. Once there, Google, Whatsapp, Instagram, Facebook, Gmail are blocked (Great Firewall). Without a VPN installed beforehand, you won’t be able to do anything online. Install ExpressVPN or NordVPN BEFORE the trip and pay beforehand as well.
- Badaling, this is the part of the wall closest to Beijing. This part of the wall is very touristy and has been restored. 1 hour to get there.
- Mutianyu takes 2 hours to get to, this is where I went; you can take chairlifts up and slide down on a toboggan, pretty cool :D. This part of the wall is less touristy than the first and offers a good compromise and very nice views.
- Other parts of the wall are located 3 hours from the city, these are the most authentic parts and you will see even fewer visitors than the other two spots.
- Stopover in Beijing: the Fourth day
For this fourth day, I suggest you go see the Olympic Park, Beijing hosted the 2008 Olympic Games! 4 years have passed and the facilities have aged a lot and they haven’t taken much care of them. The station where the park is located is “Olympic sport center”.
| Site | Entry cost | Visit duration |
|---|---|---|
| Forbidden City | 60 yuan (~8 €) | 3-4 h |
| Great Wall – Mutianyu | 50 yuan + transport 200 | 1 day |
| Summer Palace | 30-60 yuan depending on season | 3-4 h |
| Temple of Heaven | 15-35 yuan | 2-3 h |
| Tian’anmen Square | Free (passport) | 1-2 h |
| Hutongs (rickshaw) | 50-100 yuan | 1-2 h |
| 798 Art District | Free | Half-day |
In the afternoon, you can either stroll around Beijing or go to the aquarium.
To extend your Chinese discovery, the China budget provides the overall scale. My opinion on China offers the overall feedback. And for an East Asia combo, things to do in Tokyo is the logical next step.
Beijing has always been a city I dreamed of going to and I do not regret it. And what did you think about it?
