Now, first thing first, some travel tips in Beijing
1. Best way to travel around Beijing is the Beijing Subway since it is comprehensive, fast and cheap. Individual trip fare ranges from 3-8 Rmb. A Beijing travel card (refundable deposit 20 Rmb) gives you a 50% discount on Beijing bus journeys. Beijing subway system consisted of 2 rings, it could be overwhelming for first-timers. Download the Beijing subway map for easier access.2. Despite what you might read on the internet, people in Beijing have well conversed in English. However, you have to be streetsmart and choosing people to ask. You will find the highest success rate in youngsters. Don’t la go and ask an Ah Mah things in English…
Where to stay
I recommend staying near to a subway station within the 1st-Ring of Beijing. When you only have 3 days in Beijing, the centrality of your hotel is very important as you factor in travel time. Click on the word "Chaoyang" and it will show you all hotels of the area within the inner ring of Beijing!Chaoyang District is a great choice as your base in Beijing. If you notice, if you follow this itinerary, you will end your day around area everyday, as you can find all best places to hang out at night here. Some hotel recommendations to ease your search:
Luxury Chaoyangmen 4 stars-Hotel
Midrange Shichahai boutique Hotel
Budget Backpackers Hutong Hostel
Family friendly Hostel
THREE DAYS IN BEIJING 北京三天自由行
DAY 1:
8:00 am Tiananmen Square 天安门广场
Getting there: Take the subway to Tiananmen West or Tiananmen East stationAdmission: Free
Honestly, there is not many things to do in Tian An Men Square if you are not into history. Most tours will still bring you to Tian An Men Square and give you an option to join the line to see the body of a deceased leader in the Mao Mausoleum. A lot of Chinese from other states come here, lay down a pale yellow chrysanthemum to pay their respect to the China’s revered founder, Chairman Mao. This experience is similar to the one back in Moscow where people line up to see Lenin’s Body in The Red Square.
Tian An Men Square literally means Gate of Heavenly Peace. However, it has a tragic story behind when hundreds of students were killed in a pro-democracy movement (Tiananmen Square protest 1989), better known as the 4th of June Massacre. However, this is quite a sensitive issue in China so I suggest everyone to read up online if you are interested instead of asking the Chinese.
Friendly reminder:
1. You have to pass a security check, so don’t forget your passport
2. If you wish to see the flag-raising ceremony, be sure to be there at sunrise or sunset (time varies).
3. At a certain time to the year, a carpet of flowers will be placed in the middle of the square, so you might need more time if you are into photography.
8:30 am The Forbidden City 故宫／紫禁城
How to get there: From Tian An Men Square, head across the street to the Forbidden City.Admission: 40 RMB. (Book tickets online to skip the line!)
Forbidden City is the most iconic stop, all about grandeur, and is considered a must for visitors to Beijing. As people say, you’ve never been to Beijing without setting your foot in the Forbidden City. If you are into period dramas or simply a culture vulture, you will love this place and appreciate every detail!
For 500 years, it had served as the home of emperors and the imperial palace. I recommend picking up an audio guide as there are 980 buildings housing 9,999.5 rooms in the Forbidden City, it is useful to have some sort of guide, or else, you will feel that you are roaming without purpose after 2-3 courtyards. The audio guide is triggered by GPS technology, so you don even need to press any buttons, making sure you don't miss a thing! If you are looking for a more interactive visit, you can book a guided Forbidden City tour (I feel that this is a better option for Foreign tourists because you might have questions. The Chinese culture can be both interesting and Bizarre. Trust me.).
The reason why the palace city was named “The Forbidden City” because it was (for a long period of time) off-limits to the public, or what they call, the outside world. In those years, entering or even leaving the palace without the emperor's permission will result in an immediate death sentence.
My recommendation is to check out the beautiful cafe near the entrance and right before exiting the Forbidden Temple, have Lunch at the GuGong Restaurant! Although located in the Forbidden City, prices are fair and affordable. Plus, who wouldn't want to dine in the Forbidden City like a princess? Do it for the ambience!
Friendly reminder:
1. Passport is mandatory when buying tickets.
2. Close on Mondays. So plan carefully!
3. There is a daily limit to the number of visitors. So it helps to book your entrance tickets in advance.
4. Having a tour guide here is a good idea as you will get your tickets fast and go straight in. Also, you will know about the interesting events that happened in the palace that led to what it is today.
5. Another dm I often get on Instagram: How is your Forbidden City so empty? GO EARLY. And the Forbidden City is huge, it's actually easy to find empty calm places if you get off the main tourist route. This Video of mine will show you the Forbidden City on the day of my visit.
1:30 pm Jing Shan 景山
How to get there: After your visit to the Forbidden City, cross the street and you will find ourself at the entrance of Jingshan Park.Admission: 2 RMB
Jingshan was a manmade hill created based on the principles of Fengshui to “watch over” the Forbidden City. It is formerly a part of the Imperial garden of the Forbidden City. The climb up to the top was not physically challenging. One fact is that halfway through this hike, you’ll encounter a turn which will lead you to the corner where an Emperor hang himself.
Once you reach the top, this Key State Park of Beijing offers a 360-degree sweeping view of The Forbidden City. Take a moment to look down over the roofs and the red walls, reflecting on all the ground you just covered on foot. On the hill, there are also Qing dynasty costume rental, so if you want to be an emperor or Niangniang for the day, feel free to! Although in the Forbidden City itself you can rent Qing dynasty costumes, I strongly recommend doing it in JingShan instead. The reason is simple. You can take photos with the whole view of the Forbidden City as your backdrop. That creates a more intense/ dramatic feeling to your photo, as if you really are the Emperor who has the whole world under your feet!
2:30 pm Beihai 北海
How to get there: As you exit Jingshan, you will be just to the east of Beihai Park.Admission: 20 RMB
This sprawling green lung of Beijing is said to be the place where Kublai Khan met Marco Polo. The park has a lake at its center, and this is how Beihai got its name: A lake on the north side!
"Hai" in Chinese actually means Sea or Ocean. Don’t ask me why in Beijing lakes are considered as the ocean. I had a hard time figuring that part out too.
Spend a few hours people-watching. This is also one of the best places in Beijing to catch the sunrise. Don’t miss the Nine-dragon stone wall and the Jade flower Islet while you are in there!
3:30 pm: Hutongs (Old Town) 胡同老街
How to get there: Take a bus just in front of Beihai to Dashilan OR, you can walk along TongZhi River for 1 hour.Admission: Free
Now that you’ve had your time travel experience as the emperor, now its time to take a glimpse of old Beijing as a peasant! This particular zone encapsulates the spirit of ancient China perfectly. As my Beijing friends always say: The real culture of Beijing can only be found in the Hutongs. It is true: A thousand years before sophisticated Beijingers lived in high-rise buildings, they lived in small shared buildings and courtyards called the SiHeYuan 四合院. Each Courtyard will have 4 1-story building surrounding it, inhibited by 4 different families (with or without blood ties). These families often have to share a communal kitchen and bathroom. It is rewarding to take at least two hours walking through old alleyways “hutong.” To make your experience even more memorable, hire a rickshaw to cart you through the neighborhood.
Now, when you arrive at Dashilan 大栅栏, you are back in the southwest of Tiananmen Square. Continue walking south you will find yourself at QianMen 前门, also known as ZhengYangMen. This is a great place to explore! If you have a chance to modify this itinerary, I would like to highlight that breakfast in the Hutong is a great experience. Roam the wet market, eat what the locals eat. And end your experience with a cup of coffee on the roof!
My favorite Hutong was the Yang Mei Zhu Xie Jie 杨梅竹斜街 off Dashilan. For Muslim, try to find Lazhu Hutong for its brilliant street-food scene as most restaurants here are Muslim restaurants. Grill a sheep leg or try a donkey meat pita, you’ll be amazed! However, don't go crazy with the food, you are in for a real feast tonight!
If you would like a local guide for your Hutong food quest, I recommend booking a Hutong food tour.
Some facts of the Hutongs:
Hutong is a Mongolian word “water well”. Why Mongolian you might ask, because, during the Yuan Dynasty, China was conquered by the Mongolians. “Hutong” is the name given to any alley that originated during the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368).
"In the Yuan Dynasty, Mongolians attached great importance to water, so almost every community in the city was designed around a well, which provided the daily water for the locals. Until now, one can still find dry wells in some old alleys."
6:00 pm: Peking Duck Dinner 北京烤鸭
How to get there: Subway to Dongzhimen.Admission: cost of a meal!
It's day 1 in Beijing and it's important for the city to impress your taste bud. Although WangFuJing Snack street is a good alternative, nah! Let's save it for another day! On day 1, you have to go for the REAL food-- Peking Duck!
For the most memorable Peking Duck treat, I strongly encourage all my readers to have it at HuaJiaYiYuan 花家怡园. Not only that this place offers the best Peking duck in the city (a QingHua Lecturer recommended it to me), the restaurant is previously a Si He Yuan. So when you weren't allowed to enter any in the Hutong you’ve visited just now, feel free to roam HuaJiaYiYuan while you are waiting for your food.
There are a lot of restaurants out there claiming that they have the “best” Peking duck. To get the most authentic experience, ask a local. This is exactly how I found Hua Jia Yi Yuan, where you can taste paper crispy duck skin and succulent duck meat.
How to eat Peking duck:
place all these on a thin pancake: cucumber, carrots and a piece of duck dipped in plum sauce. Roll it up and shove it into your mouth.
Alternative:
If you are not keen to travel to Dongzhimen for your Peking Duck experience, don't worry, you can have yours at Quanjude Restaurant in Tiananmen! Equally good, just more touristy... but again, who said touristy is a bad thing?
8:00 pm: San Li Tun 三里屯
How to get there: Take the subway to San Li Tun.Admission: Free
To truly know China, you have to get a sense of both the old and new. After a hearty Peking duck dinner, head to San Li Tun for window shopping. However, most tourists just go there for celebrities sighting.
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DAY 2:
7:00am Day Trip from Beijing to the Great Wall of China 万里长城
The great wall of China is that MUST VISIT site which everyone needs to set foot on, just like TajMahal in India or the Grand Canyon in the States. It is just, wrong to miss! While many visitors to Beijing will choose the Badaling 八达岭 section for its proximity to the city (only 1-hour drive from Beijing), it is worth a longer ride out of the city to either Jinshanling 金山岭 or Mutianyu 慕田峪 for a less crowded part of the Great Wall and a more authentic experience. In the next 3 instagram photos, you will see how empty was Mutianyu on the day of our visit in March ( Spring, considered high season).If you have chosen the later, it will take you about 2-3 hours ride outside of the city. At The Great Wall, you can decide the length of your hike depending on your fitness level and mood. Well, you don’t need to go the whole distance but anyhow, your visit will still be like more than 3-4 hours.
I recommend Mutianyu, because not only this part of the Great wall is not as touristy as Badaling, it has an open-air cable car and a toboggan sled. While some may think it is a tourist trap, those attractions did add colors to my visit. I took the cable car up and the toboggan down the mountain. To skip the line, book your cable car and Mutianyu tickets online.
Our hike wasn't too intense, maybe the chilly weather helps too. Some parts of the stairs have snow on it still. Some part was quite steep we had to get on hands and knees. The instagram post below shows you the most difficult part of the hike. I nicknamed it "Staircase to Heaven", because it literally is.
To encourage you to go on: If you do the whole hike, you will be rewarded with this view! Easily the best photo of the year on my feed!
Looking at my instagram photos, some netizens commented that my photos have to be fake. How could Mutianyu be so empty in Spring? I might have removed the crowd using photoshop, right? This Video I've taken can prove all photos aren't edited. I went to Mutianyu with a friend and made 2 more friends along the way.
ps: If you want to see more videos, please subscribe to my Youtube channel! You can leave comments if you feel that these videos aren't good. I received some helpful and constructive critics so far and I am loving them.
However, our bus ride to Mutianyu from Dongzhimen, Beijing bus terminal is not a smooth one. In this separate post, I’ll lay down all the tips, do and don’ts if you plan to go to Mutianyu by public transport. If you prefer to skip the hassle and possible mishaps, BOOK A TOUR here, you will have all the logistics figured out. But if you want to do it independently on bus like I did, but still need some sort of guide, THIS page might be your solution.
A Helicopter ride over the Great Walls, if you have the budget, will sum up your visit to the Great Wall nicely. Well, I can only hope I had this kind of money.
5:00pm 798 art zone
Admission: Free
You still have some time to kill. This hipster art district is conveniently located in Chaoyang zone, which is quite near to the next destination in this Beijing 3 days itinerary. Spend some time here looking for your favorite art exhibit and maybe catch your dinner here in one of the many Instagrammable cafes.
7:00pm Catch a Chinese Acrobatic show 朝阳
Believe me when I say China has the best acrobatic performance in the world! Most people would choose to spice up their itinerary with a thrilling acrobatic performance at Chaoyang Acrobatics Theater (Click here to book your ticket before they got sold out). They are the best in their field and the oldest acrobatics theater in Beijing. Performances start daily at 7.15pm sharp.Alternatives:
1. If you think the ticket to this show is too expensive and you would like a similar experience, plus a peking duck dinner combo, check THIS out!
2. If Acrobatics is not your cup of tea, try Kungfu or Peking Opera!
9:00pm HouHai 后海
How to get there: Catch a subway to ShechahaiAdmission: Free
Feeling the night is still young, huh? Head back another “Hai” (lake) in Beijing. This is a popular place at night for dinner or a late-night drink. During summer, the lake is full of sweat couples boat-rowing and in the winter when thick ice is formed, ice skating is a thing. Into cultural experience? Join a shadow play!
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DAY 3:
7:00 am Summer Palace 颐和园
How to get there: Long day ahead, start early! Take a Subway to Xiyuan or Beigongmen (it will take about 45 minutes out from the city)Admission: combo tickets with all the attractions included will cost you 50-60 RMB.
OR Book a Private Tour to bring you to the 1st 3 destinations of the day: Summer Palace, Zoo, Tiantan!
This 290-acre garden complex located outside of Beijing is the palace that replaces the Forbidden City as the home to emperors in the summer, dating back to the Jin dynasty in 1153. Because back then Empress CiXi loves SuZhou, she recreated a small Suzhou 苏州 here with plenty of tea houses and shops to explore.
If you are a fan of imperial landscaping rejoice! in 1998, Summer Palace was declared a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design by UNESCO. You will enjoy the palace temples, pavilions, bridges, gardens and perhaps a leisure boat ride on Kunming lake 昆明湖! While the marble boat is considered by many as the main attraction, I loved the lama temple complex a lot and spend most of my time here.
Friendly reminder:
Take your time and don't rush yourself. It could take you up to 4 hours to see all the major sights.
11:00 am Beijing Zoo 北京动物园
How to get there: take a subway to Dong Wu YuanAdmission: 20 Rmb
I recommend only to visit the Panda enclosure because this is what the zoo is famous for! Just go to the counter and ask for a panda enclosure ticket only, you may be directed to another counter.
Remember, if you buy a ticket for 40 Rmb, that is a combine-ticket for the zoo and the panda enclosure. So if you aren’t interested in the rest of the zoo, make sure you voice it out at the counter.
Friendly reminder:
Expect a crowd. A huge crowd.
12:00 pm Temple of Heaven 天坛
How to get there: Take the Subway to Tianan East GateAdmission: Around 30 Rmb for a combo ticket.
Temple of Heaven Park was built in 1420 and is the largest building for heaven worshiping in all of China. Back in the days, Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties came here annually to pray to heaven for a good year. Hence the temple of heaven actually has a longer name— the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. The dark blue roof tile of the temple and wall surrounding it represent heaven.
The sheer size (covering 270 acres) of the park is a little bit overwhelming, but you don’t have to see it all. Focus on the main temple. Despite it being a famous tourist spot, it is also a "people's park" where the locals seem not to mind us walking around and continue their daily routines here with friends. Here you can witness traditional dance practice, taichi, a board game and even a bit of gambling. You can even join them in a Taichi class in Temple of Heaven Park if you are interested!
If you happen to be there on weekends, head to the courtyard near the Seven Star Rocks and check out the matchmaking market (China’s trend to help children find fates). However, photography is not recommended!
End your visit with a delicious Hot Dumpling Lunch in the restaurant at the exit of TianTan! I forgot to note down the restaurant name, my bad!
2:00 pm: Panjiayuan 潘家园
How to get here: Take a bus to Panjiayuan at the exit of Tiantan.Admission: Free
It is an antique market, but if you come to this place, make sure you know how to haggle. Most of the stuff aren’t really antiques but they do look convincing. Feel free to window shop, buying is not obligatory. You can skip this if you are running low on time, you won't be missing too much anyway.
3:00pm NanLuoGu Xiang 南锣鼓巷
How to get there: Take a subway to NanLuoGuXiangAdmission: Free
Check out the Drum and Bell towers 钟鼓楼 before you head on to the Hutong, which located to the South of the Drum tower (As the name “NanLuoGu” suggested). This Hutong, however, is too touristy, lined with restaurants, cafes, pubs, souvenirs and trinket shops. Fret not, it is still a fun walk especially on weekends when the locals came out to play!
You've had your lunch 2 hours ago, so now is the best time for snacks! Grab an Old Beijing Yogurt 老北京酸奶 here to enjoy on the go! If you still have space for food, try Old Beijing ZhajiangMian 老北京炸酱面 or Shanghai XieTangBao (Crab Sup Bun) 上海蟹汤包! This is a special dumpling you have to first taste with a straw
4:00 pm Lama Temple 雍和宫
How to get there: Take a subway to YonghegongAdmission: 25 Rmb
Being the largest and the best-preserved Lamasery in China, Yonghegong won’t disappoint. Here, you can get a free box of incense, you can top up some money (香油钱) as gratitude for it.
Friendly reminder:
If you visit during the low season, the Lama Temple will close at 4:30pm, so you might want to switch with Nanluogu street.
6:00 pm Donghuamen (Wangfujing) Night Market 王府井
How to get there: Take a subway to WangfujingAdmission: Free
The thing that caught my eyeball here was various creepy creatures on sticks, you name it, worm, maggots, starfish, scorpion, centipedes, seahorses, whole squids (Yum!)… If you are not adventurous enough, grab a BingTangHuLu 冰糖葫芦 (Candied strawberry or seasonal fruits on a stick).
Looking at the map, you might be thinking why not visit Wangfujing snack street before NanLuoGuXiang? Why make a detour? Reason: The street food kiosks are open from 4 pm onwards till late.
8:00 pm Olympic Park 北京奥林匹克国家体育馆
How to get there: Take a subway to Beijing Olympic ParkAdmission: Free
How could anyone forget the jaw-dropping, eye-popping opening performance of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games? “Beijing welcomes you” is the song that rings in your ears once you arrived at the Olympic Park Subway station.
I know this is probably out of the way because this place is in Chaoyang, the place we were at last night, but if you plan to spend more time at the Great Wall, you probably won’t make it before the park closes. However, if you choose to visit the Badaling or Mutianyu, which are closer to the city, you can still squeeze Olympic Park in on Day 2!
Check out the Bird’s nest 鸟巢 and Water Cube 水立方! They get even prettier at night with all the lights.
Bye Beijing, you will be missed!
Last but not least, this is a photo to show you how beautiful is Beijing in snow. The day I arrived on an overnight train in Beijing from Shanghai, It snowed in Beijing like never before. I was lucky to witness this miracle in Spring (End of March).
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Thank You for Reading! This post is based solely on my honest opinion or personal experience. If you have a different opinion, feel free to share your thoughts with me by commenting below!
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