Exploring Beijing
Beijing combines ancient history with accelerated progress, but information can be sketchy and transportation difficult, even for Chinese speakers. These two itineraries include the city’s highlights and offer advice on how to make the most of your time.
Two Days in Beijing
Day 1
Do some morning tai chi with the locals at the Temple of Heaven, then browse the art stores on Liulichang. Stop for roast duck at Deyuan, then head into Tian’an Men Square and the Forbidden City.
Leave by the north gate and walk to Bei Hai Park, then over to the Drum and Bell Towers for a rickshaw ride around the hutongs (traditional lanes). Enjoy a Yunnan dinner at Dali Courtyard, then grab a sundowner in Hou Hai.
Day 2
Hire a car for a trip to the Great Wall, and make your way to Mutianyu. After hiking, grab some country-style lunch at a local spot.
Visit the Summer Palace. Relax in the Garden of Virtue and Harmony, or go boating on Kunming Lake. End the day with dinner on Gui Jie or Ghost Street.
Four Days in Beijing
Day 1
Start off with the Forbidden City, then wander through Tian’an Men Square. For lunch, head south into the hutongs to find The Southern Fish.
Visit the Temple of Heaven, then stroll over to Dazhalan for window shopping, and tasting authentic Chinese tea at Alice’s Tea House. Circle back to Qian Men to try Beijing’s famous dish in an authentic setting at Liqun Roast Duck Restaurant.
Day 2
Join the locals in Bei Hai Park for some morning tai chi and water calligraphy, then wander over toward the Drum and Bell Towers in Hou Hai. Get lost in the hutongs and stop at Mr Shi’s Dumplings for lunch.
Continue down leafy Guozijian Street. Check out the traditional craft shops and Confucius Temple before heading to the Lama Temple. Dine on excellent Yunnan food on the terrace at Yun Er, then wander down bustling Nanluoguxiang for some craft beer at the Great Leap Brewery.
Day 3
Get an early start and hire a private car to take you to the Summer Palace. Stop at the Ming Tombs, then go on to the Great Wall. Enjoy a late countryside lunch at Mutianyu.
Hike to your heart’s content, then sleep on a kang (traditional bed) in a farmer’s house after a rustic dinner.
Day 4
Leave after breakfast and head back to the city, stopping at the 798 Art District.
Grab lunch at AT Café, and check out some of the galleries that have made Chinese art famous. Head back downtown to Sanlitun for authentic Chinese cuisine at Jing Yaa Tang, then take a wander over to Migas for alfresco after-dinner drinks.