How Many Days to Spend in Beijing: Itineraries & Highlights
Planning a trip to Beijing can be an exciting yet daunting task, especially when deciding how many days to spend in this vibrant city. The length of your stay will shape your itinerary and experiences.
Typically, 3 days allow you to see the top attractions in Beijing. If you have a longer stay or just one day, even a few hours to layover in Beijing - don't worry! We offer customizable itineraries to match any travel length!
Beijing Highlight Tour: 3-Day Itinerary
The Forbidden City
This 3-day itinerary is more condensed without feeling too rushed, making the most efficient use of time and giving you the best view of Beijing in just 3 days.
| Day | What to Do |
| 1 | Arrival & Forbidden City |
| 2 | Badaling Great Wall & Summer Palace |
| 3 | Hutongs Rickshaw Tour, Local family visiting & Departure |
Highlights:
- Day 1: Our exclusive car will pick you up at the airport and escort you to visit the Forbidden City, an iconic landmark of Beijing. If you still have spare time, consider taking a walk in Beihai Park to relax or climb up the hill in Jingshan Park to enjoy the overview of the Forbidden City.
- Day 2: On this day, you will visit one of the most popular sections, Badaling Great Wall and Summer Palace.
- Day 3: On the last day, head to Maoer Hutong and enjoy a rickshaw ride. The rickshaw will drive you to an appointed local family. There, you will experience the daily life of local Beijing residents, communicate with them and enjoy a lunch with authentic Beijing dishes. After that, your guide & driver will transfer you to the airport.
- Recommended Tour Itinerary
Most Classic Beijing Tour: 5-Day Itinerary
Mutianyu Great Wall
Five days in Beijing cover more historical and cultural sites with natural scenery and modern attractions. It's suitable for most tourists, especially first-time visitors to Beijing.
| Day | What to Do |
| 1 | Arrival, the Forbidden City & Jingshan Park |
| 2 | Mutianyu Great Wall, Ming Tombs & Sacred Way |
| 3 | Temple of Heaven, Dumpling-making Lesson & Rickshaw Tour |
| 4 | Confucius temple, Lama Temple & Summer palace |
| 5 | Departure |
Highlights:
- Day 1: Your private guide will explore Beijing with you. Firstly, visit the Forbidden City and learn about the history of China. Wrap up this day with a panoramic view of the Forbidden City on the hill of Jingshan Park.
- Day 2: Explore Mutianyu Great Wall first, a plain section that is friendly to all ages. Finish the day with Ming Tombs, where burried the thirteen emperors of the Ming Dynasty. Don't miss the path leading to the tombs, the Sacred Way.
- Day 3: This day covers many local activities. Take a Tai Chi class at the Temple of Heaven before visiting it. After that, take a rickshaw tour in Hutong. Visit a local family in Hutong and learn to make dumplings with them.
- Day 4: You will learn more about China's history on this day because all the attractions on this day are related to royal families in ancient China: the Lama Temple, Confucius Temple and Guozijian, and the imperial garden, Summer Palace.
- Day 5: On the last day, it's time to say goodbye to Beijing and start your next trip.
- Recommended Tour Itinerary
Beijing Day Tour & Layover Tour
The stone lion in the Forbidden City
A day tour in Beijing will bring you a quick yet immersive experience of the city's most iconic landmarks. There are many options for you. Our guide will pick you up at the airport or your hotel and escort you to the attractions you'll visit.
Firstly, two iconic options stand out: visiting the Forbidden City and the Great Wall of China. It takes about 8 hours to visit these two places in a row.
If you are more interested in history and culture, you can visit the Forbidden City plus the Temple of Heaven or Ming Tombs. If you prefer natural scenery, Mutianyu Great Wall and Summer Palace would be ideal.
However, if you have only a few hours during a layover in Beijing, we recommend choosing between the Forbidden City and Mutianyu Great Wall, as they are top must-see attractions and offer the most iconic experiences of Beijing.
When you finish your tour, we will drive you to the airport of departure.
One Week Itinerary: Extended Beijing Tour With Other Cities in China
The Temple of Heaven
If you have a longer holiday, like a week or more, you may consider extending your itinerary to other popular tourist cities in China, such as Xi'an, Shanghai, Guilin, and Chengdu. We've prepared 2 recommended extending trips. One is from Beijing to Xi'an, a historical city rich in traditional culture. Another one is from Beijing to Shanghai, an international city that blends Western and Chinese culture.
Discover the History of China: Beijing & Xi'an
Terracotta Warriors
If you're fascinated by Chinese history, Xi'an is a must-visit destination. It pairs perfectly with a trip to Beijing. In this itinerary, you will spend three days in Xi'an after your time in Beijing, with highlights including the Terracotta Warriors, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, and the Ancient City Wall.
| Day | What to Do | Place |
| 1 - 4 | Day 1: Arrival, Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City | Beijing |
| 5 - 7 | Day 5: Terracotta Warriors, Clay Warrior Making & Tang Paradise | Xi'an |
Highlights:
- Day 1: The first day includes two of the top sites in Beijing, Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. If you would, we can help you book a photoshooting activity with Qing Dynasty style customs, which will bring a more immersive experience.
- Day 2: On the second day, visit the Temple of Heaven (a royal altar) in the morning. At noon, have a local meal for a family living in Shijia Hutong. After the meal, you're free to explore Hutong by taking a rickshaw or visiting Shijia Hutong Museum.
- Day 3: This day, you will visit Jinshanling Great Wall, a more challenging section compared with Mutianyu and Badaling. When you finish, relax in Summer Palace and get ready for the next day.
- Day 4: Visit the Tibetan Buddhist temple, the Lama Temple, first. It's a place for praying for good luck, health and wealth. After that, visit the Confucius Temple and Guozijian to learn about what was the highest academy in ancient China. In the afternoon, it's time to set off to Xi'an.
- Day 5: Your Xi'an tour starts with Terracotta Warriors, which are buried with the Emperor Qin Shi Huang. After that, our guide can lead you to a studio where you can make clay warriors and keep them as souvenirs. At night, enjoy the traditional performances at Tang Paradise.
- Day 6: On the next day, the trip is unique as you're going to bike on the Ancient City Wall in Xi'an. Then, visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, which was built to house Buddhist scriptures and relics brought from India by the monk Xuanzang.
- Day 7: On the last day, visit the Great Mosque on Huajue Lane. It features a blend of traditional Chinese and Islamic cultural influences. Then, we will take you to the airport or train station for departure.
- Recommended Tour Itinerary
Extended Beijing Tour With Shanghai
Shanghai City View
Apart from Beijing, Shanghai is another must-see city in China due to its unique blend of modern innovation and traditional culture in the Jiangnan area (the area south of the Yangtze River). In addition, Shanghai is a highly international city with advanced facilities and services.
This itinerary covers the classic attractions of Beijing and the highlights that showcase Shanghai's charm, including Yuyuan Garden, the Bund, Zhujiajiao, and Disneyland.
| Day | What to Do | Place |
| 1 - 4 | Day 1: Arrival, the Forbidden City & Peking Opera Day 2: Badaling Great Wall, Ming Tombs & Peking Roast Duck Meal Day 3: Temple of Heaven & Summer Palace Day 4: Shichahai & set off to Shanghai | Beijing |
| 5 - 7 | Day 5: Yuyuan Garden, Former French Concession & Night Cruise on Huangpu River Day 6: Jade Buddha Temple & Zhujiajiao Water Town or Disneyland Day 7: Silk Workshop & Departure | Shanghai |
Highlights:
- Day 1: The first day in Beijing is simple. Basically, you will get around in the center area and visit the Forbidden City. At night, enjoy a Peking Opera Show with English subtitles in Liyuan Opera Theatre after dinner.
- Day 2: Begin your day with a visit to the Badaling Great Wall. Then, the second stop is Changling Tomb of Ming Tombs, the burial site for 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty. Changling is the largest and most well-preserved tomb in this site. At night, enjoy a Beijing Roast Duck meal. It's the most popular Beijing cuisine that has crispy skin and tender meat.
- Day 3: On the third day, explore the Temple of Heaven and Summer Palace. If you're interested in Tai Chi, you can start with Temple of Heaven. Get there 2 hours ahead to practice Tai Chi with a local tutor. In the afternoon, take a boat on Kunming Lake in Summer Palace and see the unique bridge with seventeen arches.
- Day 4: Before you set off to Shanghai, you will explore the local people's lives in hutongs in the Shichahai area. Here, you can find traditional Beijing snacks and trendy cafes and bars.
- Day 5: On the fifth day, visit Yuyuan Garden first, a classical Chinese garden with lakes and bamboo forests. Then, your private guide and driver will take you to the Former French Concession. It's good place for walking. You can wander through tree-lined streets adorned with beautiful European-style buildings. At night, take a cruise on Huangpu River to admire the amazing light show of skyscrapers on the Bund.
- Day 6: On this day, start with Jade Buddha Temple, which has two jade Buddha statues. In the afternoon, enjoy traditional tea in Zhujiajiao Water Town, a town where the canals connect old-fashioned houses. If you're traveling with children, enjoying Disneyland on this day is also a great option.
- Day 7: On the last day, immerse yourself in the artistry of Chinese silk by visiting a silk workshop, where you can learn about the intricate process of silk production and admire stunning creations made from this luxurious fabric. Afterward, our guide will escort you to the airport for your departure.
- Recommended Tour Itinerary
Travel With Us
However, the ideal length of your stay in Beijing depends on your interests and the experiences you wish to have. To match your pace and immerse yourself in the captivating city, feel free to contact us or write to trip@odynovotours.com for a customized Beijing tour.
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