Beijing in 4 days
Beijing is laid out along an 8 km north-south axis, from Yongding Gate to the Drum Tower, with the Forbidden City in the middle. Around it lie grey-brick hutongs, the Temple of Heaven in its 273-hectare park and, about 70 km away by road, the Great Wall.
The plan, day by day
Day 1
- Morning
The Forbidden City2 to 3 hThe Ming and Qing imperial palace, built from 1406 to 1420, covers 72 hectares with some 980 buildings; 24 emperors ruled from here until 1912.
- Afternoon
Jingshan Parkabout 1 hAn artificial hill built from the Forbidden City's moat spoil, topped by the Wanchun Pavilion, with the best overall view of the palace's yellow roofs.
Day 2
- Morning
Nanluoguxiang hutongsfree · about 1 h 30An 800-metre Yuan-dynasty lane with eight hutongs off each side; beyond the crowded main street, courtyards and red doors survive.
- Afternoon
The Lama Temple (Yonghegong)about 1 hA prince's residence turned, in 1744, into the leading Tibetan Buddhist monastery of inner China, with five courtyards of halls and incense burners.
Day 3
- Morning
The Temple of Heaven2 to 3 hA 273-hectare park where emperors prayed for good harvests; its 38-metre Hall of Prayer, built of wood without nails, was rebuilt after an 1889 fire.
- Afternoon
798 Art Districtfree · 2 to 3 h1950s factories designed by East German engineers, with sawtooth roofs and revolutionary slogans still on the beams, taken over by artists from 2002.
Day 4
- Morning
The Summer Palace2 to 3 hThe Qing summer retreat, three quarters of it taken up by the hand-dug Kunming Lake, with a 728-metre Long Corridor painted with over 14,000 scenes.
- Afternoon
The Great Wall at Mutianyu2 to 3 hThe most manageable restored section from Beijing, 70 km north-east: 5.4 km of wall and 22 watchtowers along a wooded ridge, rebuilt under the Ming.
Where to sleep in Beijing
- Peking Station Hostel · €30 a night
- P.Loft Youth Hostel · €35 a night
- Beijing Double Happiness Courtyard Hotel · €90 a night
- Howard Johnson Paragon Hotel Beijing · €80 a night
- Holiday Inn Express Beijing Dongzhimen · €65 a night
- Rosewood Beijing · €330 a night
- Waldorf Astoria Beijing · €350 a night
- Hilton Beijing Wangfujing · €200 a night
Plan this trip
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