5 daysmid-rangeFirst-time visitors with limited time, stopover travelers

5 Days in China: Beijing Highlights

The classic first taste of China: imperial palaces, the Great Wall, hutong food and one world-class food city — all inside one week.

Route

Beijing

Budget: $420
Mid-range: $900
Luxury: $2,400

Estimated budget per person, excluding international flights. Actual costs may vary.

Day-by-Day Plan

Day 1: Arrival + first stroll

Beijing

Morning

Arrive, check in near the hutongs of Dongcheng, grab a jianbing breakfast crepe.

Afternoon

Easy acclimatization walk: Nanluoguxiang hutong alleys and the Drum & Bell Towers.

Evening

Peking duck dinner at Siji Minfu, early night to beat jet lag.

Food: Jianbing (¥8), Peking duck (¥100–160/person)

Transport: Airport Express train (¥25) + metro; taxi ¥100–130

Est. cost: $90–160 (excluding intl. flights)

Set up Alipay with your foreign card on day one — you'll use it all week.

Day 2: The Forbidden City

Beijing

Morning

Tiananmen Square at dawn, then the Forbidden City south-to-north (book 7 days ahead).

Afternoon

Jingshan Park hilltop panorama, then Wangfujing for a snack break.

Evening

Zhajiangmian noodles near Qianmen and a walk on the restored Qianmen street.

Food: Zhajiangmian (¥25), tanghulu candied hawthorn (¥10)

Transport: Metro Lines 1/8 — all walkable today

Est. cost: $15–30

Passport required for Forbidden City entry. Go early: gates open 8:30am.

Day 3: Great Wall day

Beijing

Morning

Early private transfer or bus to Mutianyu (90 min). Cable car up, walk towers 14–20.

Afternoon

Toboggan ride down, late lunch at the wall's farm restaurants, return by 4pm.

Evening

Rest, then lamb skewers in the Guijie (Ghost Street) restaurant strip.

Food: Lunch near the wall (¥60), lamb skewers + beer (¥80)

Transport: Private driver ¥400–600/car round trip, or bus 916 + transfer

Est. cost: $70–120

Weekdays are far quieter. The wall is steep — proper shoes.

Day 4: Temples & lakes

Beijing

Morning

Temple of Heaven park at 8am to watch locals dance, sing and practice tai chi.

Afternoon

Lama Temple, then Confucius Temple & Imperial College; shopping around Houhai lakes.

Evening

Houhai lakeside bars or a Beijing opera excerpt show at Liyuan Theatre.

Food: Imperial-style snacks at Huguosi Snack Shop (¥30)

Transport: Metro Lines 5/2/8, DiDi for the evening

Est. cost: $20–40

The Temple of Heaven combined ticket covers the stunning Hall of Prayer.

Day 5: Summer Palace & departure

Beijing

Morning

Summer Palace: Long Corridor, marble boat, hilltop view over Kunming Lake.

Afternoon

Last souvenirs (tea, crafts) at Panjiayuan market if it's a weekend, then to the airport.

Evening

Depart — maglev-free this time, just Airport Express.

Food: Quick lunch near the Summer Palace (¥40)

Transport: Metro Line 4 + Airport Express

Est. cost: $10–20

Leave 3.5 hours before international flights — Beijing traffic is a legend.

Getting Between the Cities

None — this itinerary stays in Beijing

Recommended

Book high-speed train tickets online

Reserve bullet-train seats with an English interface — much easier than the official 12306 app for first-time visitors.

Book Train Tickets

Recommended

Book skip-the-line tours & activities

English-guided tours for the Great Wall, Terracotta Army and more — reserve now, pay later, free cancellation.

Browse China Tours

Tips

Book Forbidden City tickets up to 7 days ahead via the official WeChat mini-program (your hotel can help).
April–May and September–October have the best wall-hiking weather.
Four days is genuinely enough for Beijing's highlights — don't cram in more day trips.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 5 days enough for a first trip to China?

It's enough for a meaningful taste of Beijing — but if you can stretch to 10 days, adding Xi'an and Shanghai makes the trip dramatically more complete.

When should I book train tickets?

Domestic high-speed tickets open ~15 days before departure. For this itinerary you don't need any trains.

What budget should I plan?

Around $900 total per person mid-range including hotels, food, entrance fees and the Great Wall transfer — excluding international flights.