Beijing in 3–4 days: what to see in China's capital

In short: Beijing has been China's capital for most of the last 700 years, and it's where most first trips to China begin. For the highlights – the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, the Great Wall, the Temple of Heaven and the Summer Palace – you need 3 days, ideally 4. The one thing to sort out before you go: Forbidden City tickets and the Tiananmen Square entry reservation are booked in advance with your passport number. The best time to visit is spring (April–May) or autumn (September–October), outside Chinese public holidays.

What surprised us most in China was how safe it feels. In Beijing, an evening walk through the hutongs or a metro ride after 10 pm is completely normal, for visitors too.

Correct as of 14 October 2026. Check ticket prices and booking rules before you travel. Amounts in yuan are converted at the National Bank of Poland rate into the currency you pick in the site menu.

What to see in Beijing: 10 places

1. The Forbidden City

The palace of the Ming and Qing emperors, built in 1406–1420: 980 buildings behind red walls, home to 24 emperors for almost 500 years. You enter from the south through the Meridian Gate (午门) and leave by the north gate, opposite Jingshan Park. Allow 3–4 hours. Tickets cost ¥60 (about 35 PLN) from April to October and ¥40 (about 23 PLN) from November to March; the Treasure Gallery and the Clock Gallery are ¥10 (about 6 PLN) extra each. The palace is closed on Mondays (except on public holidays).

2. Tiananmen Square

The vast square in front of the Gate of Heavenly Peace (天安门), with Mao's portrait, his mausoleum and the National Museum. Entry is free but requires a passport-based reservation 1 to 7 days ahead, made in the official WeChat mini-program (天安门广场预约参观). There's a security check at the entrance, so allow some spare time if you're heading to the Forbidden City straight afterwards.

3. Jingshan Park

A hill just behind the north gate of the Forbidden City. For ¥2 (about 1 PLN), the pavilion at the top gives you the best view of the palace's golden roofs, and at sunset over the whole centre. Come straight here when you leave the Forbidden City.

4. The Temple of Heaven

The complex where emperors prayed for good harvests. In the morning the park belongs to locals: tai chi, dancing, card games and singing in the covered walkways. The most famous building is the round Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests (祈年殿) with its three blue roofs. A combined ticket costs about ¥34 (about 20 PLN). Come before 9 am, when there's the most local life and the fewest tour groups.

5. The Summer Palace

The emperors' summer residence on Kunming Lake, a UNESCO World Heritage Site: the Long Corridor with thousands of paintings, the Marble Boat and Longevity Hill with its views over the lake. Take metro line 4 to Beigongmen. A combined ticket costs about ¥60 (about 35 PLN), and you need about 3 hours.

6. The Great Wall at Mutianyu

A restored but less crowded section than Badaling, with watchtowers along forested ridges, about 1.5 hours from the centre. The easiest way there is a DiDi driver or a car for the day (about ¥400 (about 232 PLN)–¥600 (about 348 PLN) per car, return); the cheaper option is bus 916 Express from Dongzhimen to Huairou and a taxi from there. The wall costs about ¥40 (about 23 PLN), the cable car about ¥140 (about 81 PLN) return, and the toboggan ride down about ¥100 (about 58 PLN). On the wall, walk west towards towers 14–20: it gets steeper and quieter.

Other sections of the wall:

• Badaling – the closest and easiest: a high-speed train from Qinghe or Beijing North to Badaling Great Wall station takes 20–30 minutes and costs about ¥20 (about 12 PLN)–¥35 (about 20 PLN). It's also the most crowded section, especially at weekends.
• Jinshanling and Simatai – wilder, with original, partly unrestored stretches, but 2–3 hours' drive from Beijing. For people who want a proper hike.

7. The hutongs and Shichahai lakes

A maze of old lanes with single-storey courtyard houses around the Houhai and Qianhai lakes. They're best explored on foot or by rickshaw: Yandai Xiejie lane, the Drum and Bell Towers and, in the evening, bars with live music on Houhai. In winter the lake freezes and becomes a skating rink. Nearby Nanluoguxiang is pretty but very touristy.

8. The Lama Temple

Beijing's largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery, with an 18-metre statue of the Maitreya Buddha carved from a single sandalwood trunk. Tickets cost about ¥25 (about 15 PLN). A few minutes away are the Confucius Temple and quiet Guozijian Street with its cafés – a good lunch stop.

9. Qianmen, Dashilan and Wangfujing

Evening Beijing means the restored Qianmen street south of Tiananmen Square, the old Dashilan lanes with tea houses and silk shops, and Wangfujing, the main shopping street with St Joseph's Cathedral. A good route for your first evening after landing.

10. Modern Beijing

Beijing isn't only imperial palaces. The CBD business district has the 528-metre China Zun, the city's tallest building, and the CCTV headquarters, nicknamed “the big pants” by locals. Then there's the 798 Art District in former factories (free entry) and the Olympic Park with the Bird's Nest, at its best after dark.

Tickets and reservations: what to book before you go

How many days in Beijing

• 2 days: Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, Jingshan and the hutongs; the Great Wall on day two.
• 3 days: add the Temple of Heaven and the Summer Palace.
• 4–5 days: a gentler pace, the Lama Temple, the 798 Art District, even a day trip to Tianjin, 30 minutes away by bullet train (Beijing to Tianjin by train).

Our itineraries give Beijing 4 full days, including one for the Great Wall.

What to eat in Beijing

• Peking duck (北京烤鸭): crispy skin dipped in sugar, then the meat wrapped in thin pancakes with spring onion, cucumber and sweet bean sauce. Popular places are Siji Minfu (四季民福) – there's a queue, but it's worth it – and the historic Quanjude (全聚德). With side dishes it comes to about ¥150 (about 87 PLN) per person.
• Zhajiang noodles (炸酱面): thick noodles with a fermented soybean and pork sauce and raw vegetables.
• Jianbing (煎饼果子): a crêpe with egg and a crispy cracker, a street-cart breakfast.
• Copper-pot hotpot (铜锅涮肉): thinly sliced lamb in clear broth with sesame sauce, for example at Nanmen Shuanrou (南门涮肉) or Donglaishun (东来顺).

More on northern Chinese food in There is no such thing as “Chinese food”.

Getting there and getting around

• From the airport: Beijing has two airports. From Capital (PEK), take the Airport Express to Dongzhimen (20–30 minutes, ¥25 (about 15 PLN)); from Daxing (PKX), the Daxing Airport Express to Caoqiao, then the metro (45–60 minutes, ¥35 (about 20 PLN)). A taxi to the centre costs about ¥100 (about 58 PLN)–¥150 (about 87 PLN).
• Metro: the easiest way around the city, with signs in English. A ride costs a few yuan, and you pay with a QR code in Alipay or WeChat. There's a bag check at every entrance.
• Taxis and DiDi: cheap, but slower than the metro at rush hour. Show the driver the address in Chinese (China without Google Maps).
• Onward by train: Xi'an is about 5 hours away (Beijing to Xi'an by train, what to see in Xi'an) and Tianjin 30 minutes. Trains leave from several stations (Beijing West, Beijing South, Beijing North, Qinghe), so check the name on your ticket.

Where to stay in Beijing

The most convenient area is Dongcheng, around Wangfujing, Dongsi or the hutongs near Shichahai: close to the Forbidden City, with metro lines 1, 2 and 5. The Qianmen area is also a good base. If you want bars and nightlife, choose Sanlitun in Chaoyang. When booking, check that the hotel accepts foreign guests (common mistakes in China).

When to visit Beijing

The best months are April–May and September–October. Summer is hot and humid (around 31°C by day in July) and the wettest season. Winter is dry and freezing – about -3°C on average in January and around -8°C at night – but skies are often clear and there are few tourists. Spring can bring sandstorms. Avoid public holidays (1–7 October and early May), when the sights are packed and tickets sell out fastest. More: When is the best time to visit China?

Beijing in our itineraries

In both, Beijing gets 4 days planned hour by hour: from the airport express, through the Forbidden City and the Great Wall at Mutianyu, to the Temple of Heaven and the Summer Palace, with ticket prices, recommended restaurants and addresses in Chinese.

Frequently asked questions

How many days do you need in Beijing?

Three days cover the highlights: the Forbidden City with Tiananmen Square, the Great Wall, and the Temple of Heaven with the Summer Palace. Four days let you go at a gentler pace and add the hutongs, the Lama Temple or a day trip to Tianjin.

How do I buy Forbidden City tickets?

Online, on the museum's English site (intl.dpm.org.cn), with your passport number. Sales open 7 days before your visit at 8 pm Beijing time, and in high season tickets go within minutes. If they're gone, book a guided tour, as guides have their own ticket allocation.

Which section of the Great Wall should I visit?

For a first visit we recommend Mutianyu: it's restored, less crowded than Badaling, and has a cable car and a toboggan ride down. Badaling is the closest (20–30 minutes by bullet train) but also the busiest. Jinshanling and Simatai are for people who want to hike wilder stretches.

Do I need a visa for Beijing?

Citizens of 50 countries, including most of the EU, the UK, Canada and Australia, can enter China visa-free for up to 30 days under a scheme that runs until 31 December 2026. US citizens can use the 240-hour visa-free transit or get a visa. Details and current rules: China visa-free.

Can I pay by card in Beijing?

Hotels and big shops often accept cards, but day to day people pay by phone with Alipay or WeChat Pay. Both work with foreign cards. Step-by-step guide: How to pay in China.

Is Beijing expensive?

Not by Western European standards. The metro costs a few yuan, a meal in an ordinary restaurant about ¥60 (about 35 PLN) per person, and most sights ¥25 (about 15 PLN)–¥60 (about 35 PLN). The biggest costs are central hotels and hiring a car for the Great Wall. Full budgets: How much does a trip to China cost?

Sources

• Beijing government: foreign visitors booking Palace Museum tickets (2025) and Palace Museum ticket prices
• Trip.com: Tiananmen Square reservation for foreigners
• China Highlights: Beijing to Badaling by train
• Wikipedia: Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace and Yonghe Temple
• Climate: China Meteorological Administration, 1991–2020 averages (as in When is the best time to visit China?)
• Our Beijing itineraries (as of October 2026) and our own photos from Beijing

Beijing in a ready-made itinerary

In our itineraries Beijing is planned hour by hour: from the airport express, through the Forbidden City, the Great Wall at Mutianyu and the Temple of Heaven, to a Peking duck dinner, with ticket prices, recommended restaurants and addresses in Chinese for the taxi driver. See China's Golden Triangle+ or Emperors & Hotpot.