Beijing in 5 Days: Imperial History to Modern Hutongs

Take the Airport Express to Dongzhimen (PEK, ¥25) or the Daxing line to Caoqiao (PKX, ¥35), then transfer to the subway. Budget about 90 minutes door-to-door.

The Drum Tower (Gulou) area puts you in the heart of the hutongs with easy metro access. Budget hostels start around ¥80/night; a decent 3-star is ¥250–400.

Rent a shared bike (Meituan or Hello Bike, scan with Alipay) and weave through the narrow lanes. Stop for chuanr (lamb skewers) and jianbing (savoury crepes) along the way.

Siji Minfu near Qianmen serves excellent Peking duck at a fraction of the price of Quanjude. Half a duck is plenty for one person.

Arrive early to beat tour-group gridlock. Enter from the south (Meridian Gate) and exit north at the Gate of Divine Prowess. The Palace Museum is enormous — pick up an audio guide (¥40) and allow at least 3 hours.

Cross the street to Jingshan Park (¥2 entry) for the best overhead view of the Forbidden City. Grab a simple lunch from vendors near the north gate.

Take metro Line 5 to Tiantan Dongmen. The 273-hectare park is where Ming and Qing emperors prayed for good harvests. Watch locals practise tai chi, fly kites, and play erhu under ancient cypresses.

Walk Qianmen Dajie for a mix of restored Qing-dynasty shopfronts and modern retail. It's touristy but atmospheric at dusk. Try Duyichu's shaomai (steamed dumplings) for a light dinner.

Take bus 916 Express from Dongzhimen to Huairou (¥12, ~60 min), then transfer to the H23 or H36 minibus to Mutianyu (¥4). Alternatively, book a private car for ¥400–500 round trip.

Buy the combo ticket including cable car up and toboggan down. Hike from Tower 6 to Tower 20 for the best views — about 2.5 hours at a relaxed pace. Bring water; there are no vendors on the wall itself.

The village at the base has a strip of restaurants serving hearty northern Chinese food. Order hongshao rou (red-braised pork) and hand-pulled noodles. Prices are reasonable if you avoid the obvious tourist traps.

Head back to the city by the same bus route or your pre-booked car. Grab a casual dinner near your hotel — you'll have earned it.

This converted military electronics factory complex is now Beijing's creative heart. Most galleries are free. Look for UCCA Center for Contemporary Art (¥80 for exhibitions) and smaller independent studios.

At Café has been a fixture since the district's early bohemian days. For cheaper eats, step outside the main entrance where local noodle shops serve lamian for ¥15–25.

Take metro Line 8 to Olympic Green. You can admire both structures from outside for free, or enter the Bird's Nest for ¥50. The Water Cube has been converted into a water park (¥260 to swim).

Yes, the scorpion-on-a-stick stalls are for tourists — but the side alleys off Wangfujing Snack Street have legit vendors selling roujiamo, tanghulu, and douzhir. It's fun for people-watching.

Take metro Line 4 to Beigongmen. This vast imperial garden and lake complex was the Qing dynasty's summer retreat. Walk the Long Corridor (728 m of painted panels), climb Longevity Hill for lake views, and take a dragon boat across Kunming Lake.

Grab noodles or dumplings from the cluster of small restaurants outside the east gate. Nothing fancy, but cheap and filling.

If time allows, visit the Yonghe Lama Temple (¥25) — one of Beijing's most atmospheric Buddhist temples, with a 26 m sandalwood Buddha. Otherwise, pick up souvenirs or tea at Maliandao Tea Street.

Allow 90 minutes for the metro transfer to PEK or PKX. If you're heading to your next Chinese city by train, Beijing South station serves most high-speed routes.