Beijing Travel Guide: Plan Your Trip to China’s Capital

Beijing is a city of contrasts — ancient temples meet futuristic skylines, and hidden hutongs sit beside palaces and parks.

This guide covers everything you need to plan your trip smoothly: how to get around, where to stay, when to visit, and practical tips for traveling independently or with kids.

🧳 Trip Planning Essentials

🛫 Flights, Trains & Hotels
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🎟 Tours & Tickets
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💰 Payments
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📱 Stay Connected
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🚖 Airport Transfers
Traveling with luggage? Pre-book a private car pickup for a smooth arrival.

👉 See more China travel essentials

Why Visit Beijing

If you are planning a trip to China you might be wondering whether you should start in Beijing or Shanghai. While both are good starting point, Beijing remains our one of our favourite cities in China, which is why I highly recommend starting your trip there.

Some reasons you might want to visit Beijing:

Home to world-famous landmarks like the Forbidden City and the Great Wall
Rich history, vibrant food scene, and family-friendly attractions
Excellent transport connections — a perfect starting point for any China trip

👉 See What to Do in Beijing for top sights and Beijing Itinerary for ready-made day-by-day plans.

Best Time to Visit

We visited Beijing in different seasons, unfortunately never in the „perfect time“.

While I encourage you to use weather as an important factor in making your decision — heat can be daunting in the summer, trust me — from our experience we have found that you can enjoy the city any time of the year.

Spring (April–May): Mild weather, blooming parks
Autumn (Sept–Oct): Clear skies, perfect for photos
Winter: Cold but fewer crowds
Summer: Hot, humid, busy — plan early starts

🌟Tip: The National Day week (Oct 1–7) and Chinese New Year are peak domestic travel periods.

How to Get to Beijing

✈️ By air: Beijing Capital (PEK) and Beijing Daxing (PKX) airports connect to major global hubs
🚄 By train: High-speed trains link Beijing with Xi’an, Chengdu, and Shanghai
🚕 By DiDi or metro: get to the city from airport/train station

Browse flights and trains

Getting Around Beijing

Beijing has the most extensive metro system in the world, so majority of points of interest are easiest accessed by metro. However, sometimes it might be more convenient to use DiDi (Chinese Uber) — always worth checking in advance.

Metro: Fast, cheap, easy; use AliPay QR for tickets
DiDi app: English interface for taxis
Walking: Many attractions are clustered near Tian’anmen
Public transport card: Rechargeable via app — convenient for families

💡 Don’t forget: Always carry your passport for ticket checks at attractions.

Where to Stay in Beijing

Different neighborhoods suit different travelers:

Wangfujing / Dongcheng: Central, walkable, great for first-timers
Chaoyang: Modern, international hotels, family-friendly
Hutong areas (Nanluoguxiang): Boutique stays with local charm
Xicheng: Near parks and temples, quieter vibe

Unlike most countries, Trip.com is the most popular site for hotel bookings with most choices and best prices!

👉 Full hotel guide → Where to Stay in Beijing

Room with a view — our favourite hotel in Beijing remains Jen by Shangri-La

What to Eat in Beijing

Unlike Chongqing and Chengdu where delicious food is simply staring at you at every corner, finding food spots to eat is more challenging.

When walking around hutongs, you will find a lot of street food options — if you don‘t see anythig interesting I recommend using Amap — you can simply type the name of food you want to eat in the search function in the app and it will find eateries near by with reviews and photos.

Our favourite Beijing foods:

Peking Duck: We tried in a random restaurant near Qianmen Pedestrian street (which was quite tasty anyway!), but research and book in advance for a perfect experience!
Jianbing: Breakfast crepes from street vendors
Zhajiangmian: Very popular Beijing noodles with thick sauce and fresh veg

Jianbing crepes in Peiping Machine Brewery in Beijing — Jianbing crepes — fancy version in Peiping Machine Brewery

Top Experiences in Beijing

Beijing is a big city with plenty of things to do for every taste.

Things you shouldn‘t miss:

Lively parks
Gentrified hutongs
Beijing Opera
Modern side of Beijing

💡

If you want to spend less time in queues and make your trip truly memorable, go beyond the guidebook — don‘t just focus on main tourist sites but explore the city — find random cafes, walk around the neighbourhoods and spend time in local parks.

Main tourist attractions in the city include:

Forbidden City
Temple of Heaven
Summer Palace
Great Wall at Mutianyu
Hutong walks
Houhai Lake
Kung Fu or acrobatics show
Local markets & tea houses

For more things to do beyond the standard guidebook recommendations, read my article about things to do in Beijing:

📍 Full attraction list → Things to Do in Beijing

Beijing Itinerary Ideas

How long you spend in Beijing depends on your pace and interests — even one day offers a taste of the city’s charm, but three to four days let you experience its full rhythm.

1 Day: Focus on atmosphere rather than sightseeing. Take a hutong walk from Houhai Lake to Lama Temple, then explore Qianmen Street and try local street food in the evening.
2 Days: See Beijing’s highlights — Temple of Heaven, Forbidden City, and Jingshan Park — then unwind in Ritan Park or the 798 Art District.
3 Days: Add a Great Wall day trip (Mutianyu is the easiest section to reach) or visit the Summer Palace for classic imperial scenery.
4 Days: Spend your extra time exploring Chaoyang Park, the Lama Temple, and the Financial District skyline by night.
5+ Days: Slow down and explore neighborhoods at your own pace, or take a side trip to Tianjin, Qingdao, or stay overnight near the Great Wall.

👉 For detailed daily plans and route suggestions, read my full Beijing Itinerary.

Family Travel Tips

From our personal experience, I cannot recommend Beijing (and China in general) as a great family destination.

Beijing is a distinctively Chinese city with plenty opportunities for kids to learn about the culture. Getting around the city is easy, and there are plenty of things to enjoy for the whole family.

Some points that are worth highlighting:

Public toilets are free and easy to find, but they vary in in cleanness — best to look for one in shopping malls, main tourist attractions and metro stations
Locals are very friendly to families and helpful — and they love babies. They might want to take pictures of your kids or with them so if you or your kids are uncomfortable with that you need to indicate it strongly
Metro stations vary in accessibility so if traveling with a baby or toddler, consider swapping a stroller for a carrier
Consider allowing some downtime in parks or indoor playgrounds

Visiting National Film Museum in Beijing

Practical Information

Visa: Check entry requirements or 144-hour visa-free transit rules
Money: Cards rarely accepted; use WeChat Pay or AliPay with foreign card setup
SIM/eSIM: Airalo or China Unicom
VPN: Recommended for Google, WhatsApp, Instagram
Apps: WeChat, Didi, Maps.me, MetroMan

FAQs

Q: Is Beijing worth visiting?
A: Yes! It’s one of the world’s most fascinating capitals — full of history, great food, and easy logistics.

Q: How many days do you need in Beijing?
A: 3–4 days is ideal. See my Beijing Itinerary.

Q: Is Beijing safe for tourists?
A: Very safe — just watch for pickpockets in tourist areas.

Q: Can I visit the Great Wall from Beijing in one day?
A: Absolutely — Badaling is the most accessible section, while Mutianyu is less crowded and still doable on a day trip