Forbidden City

Start here: Before planning this itinerary, read the China Travel Essentials guide for visa and entry rules, internet, Alipay/WeChat, maps, transport, train tickets, and attraction reservations. For detailed app walkthroughs, see the China Travel Apps step-by-step guide. Beijing is a city of imperial scale, modern convenience, long distances, and very full days. A first-time visitor should plan by district and transport corridor, not by collecting isolated pins on a map. The best five-day rhythm is: ...

Start here: Before planning this itinerary, read the China Travel Essentials guide for visa and entry rules, internet, Alipay/WeChat, maps, transport, train tickets, and attraction reservations. For button-by-button app instructions, see the China Travel Apps step-by-step guide. Three days is enough for a memorable first taste of Beijing, but not enough to see everything. The most efficient plan is to group the imperial centre together, spend one full day on the Great Wall, and use the last day for Temple of Heaven and the historic southern city. This guide assumes two or three nights in one central hotel. ...