I. Preparation before the trip
Ticket reservation (7-10 days in advance):
• Forbidden City / National Expo / Universal Studios: 7 days in advance (tickets are released at 8:30 in the Forbidden City, tickets are released at 17:00 in the National Expo);
• Badaling Great Wall: Make an appointment for the "ticket + cable car" package 3 days in advance;
• Summer Palace / Yuanmingyuan / Xiangshan: You can make an appointment on the same day, but it is recommended to make an appointment one day in advance during the peak season.
Transportation: Use the "Yitong" APP for the subway; ride a shared bicycle for a short distance; take a special bus to the Great Wall / Universal Studios (such as "Mu Bus" and "Universal Studios direct train").
Accommodation: Choose along Subway Line 2 (qianmen / Chongwenmen) or Line 10 (Haidian Huangzhuang), taking into account the scenic spots in the city and the northwest suburbs.
II. Schedule
Day1: The central axis and the core of the imperial city
Attractions: Forbidden City → Jingshan Park → Nanluogu Lane
•08:30-12:30 Forbidden City (take "Noon Gate → Treasure Museum → East Six Palaces → Central Axis → Shenwu Gate", rent an electronic interpreter);
• 13:00-14:00 Jingshan Park (take a panoramic view of the Forbidden City at the top of Wanchun Pavilion, the ticket price is only 2 yuan);
•15:00-18:00 Nanluogu Lane (Don't go to the main street, turn into Mao'er Hutong / Ju'er Hutong, and eat Wenyu cheese).
• Dinner: Four Seasons Minfu (Forbidden Palace Store), you can see the corner building from the window.
Day2: The Great Wall・The Collision of Ancient and Modern
Attractions: Badaling Great Wall → Beijing Universal Studios (night tour)
• 07:00-12:00 Badaling Great Wall (Take the S2 line to Badaling Station, go up the north seventh floor by cable car, and climb to the "Good Hanpo" on the north eighth floor);
• 13:00-14:00 Return to the city, rest for 1 hour;
•15:00-21:00 Beijing Universal Studios (Night Tour: Play Little Yellow Man / Kung Fu Panda Area, watch the night cruise, avoid the daytime traffic).
• Dinner: Three Brooms Restaurant (Harry Potter District), eat grilled chicken ribs platter + butter beer.
Day3: Northwest Suburbs・Royal Garden
Attractions: Summer Palace → Yuanmingyuan
•08:30-12:30 Summer Palace (enter the East Palace Gate, take the "Corridor → Foxiang Pavilion → Seventeen Holes Bridge", take a boat tour of Kunming Lake);
•13:00-14:00 Lunch: Haiwanju (near the Summer Palace, eat fried noodles);
• 14:30-17:00 Yuanmingyuan (focus on the ruins of Western Building, rent a guide to listen to history).
• Evening: Visit Tsinghua University/Peking University (you need to make an appointment in advance).
Day4: Culture・Urban Fireworks
Attractions: National Museum of China → Shichahai
• 09:00-12:00 National Museum of China (must-see "Ancient China" exhibition hall, Simu Wuding / Siyang Fang Zun);
•13:00-14:00 Lunch: Simple meal in Guobo Restaurant;
•15:00-19:00 Shichahai (take a boat to visit the lake, visit the Silver Ingot Bridge, and go to Houhai Bar to listen to music in the evening).
• Dinner: Nanmen Shabu-shabu (Shichahai Store), copper pot shabu-shabu hand-cut mutton.
Day5: Nature・Ecological Leisure
Attractions: Beijing Wildlife Park → Xiangshan Park
• 08:00-13:00 Beijing Wildlife Park (self-driving area / small train to watch wild animals, pedestrian area to feed giraffes, it is recommended to avoid crowds early);
• 14:00-17:00 Xiangshan Park (take the cableway to the incense burner peak, see the red leaves during the peak season, and see the panoramic view of the city in the off-season);
• Dinner: Eat farm dishes (grilled rainbow trout) at the foot of Xiangshan Mountain.
Day6: Closing, Ruins and Return
Scenic Spot: Yuanmingyuan (make-up visit) → Return
• 09:00-11:00 Yuanmingyuan Fuhai Scenic Area (if you haven't finished Day3, you can take a walk to see the lake view);
• Pack your luggage and return before 12:00 (if you have enough time, you can go to Qianmen Street to buy gifts).
III. Food recommendation
1. Forbidden City / Around Nanluoguxiang
• Four Seasons People's Blessing (Forbidden City Store): Must order "Crispy and tender roast duck" (with hawthorn strips to relieve greasy) and "Belle's barbecue". You can see the corner building of the Forbidden City from the window.
• Wenyu Cheese Shop (Nanluoguxiang): Original cheese, double-skinned milk, is the representative of the old Beijing sweet snack.
• Square Brick Factory No. 69 fried noodles: small bowl of dry fried + vegetable code, authentic old Beijing flavor, it is recommended to avoid queuing at mealtime.
2. Universal Studios / Around the Great Wall
• Three Brooms Restaurant (Universal Studios Harry Potter Area): "Grilled Chicken Ribs Platter" (Large Portion), "Butter Beer" (Alcohol-free For Everyone).
• The farmhouse at the foot of the Badaling Great Wall: "Iron Pot Stewed Firewood Chicken" and "Fried Mountain Wild Vegetables". It is very comfortable to eat hot dishes after climbing the Great Wall.
3. Summer Palace / Around Yuanmingyuan
• Haiwanju (Summer Palace Store): "Old Beijing Fried Noodles" (the bowl is bigger than the face), "Fried Enema", with garlic to relieve grease.
• Xiaodiao Pear Soup (Wudaokou Store): "Xiaodiao Pear Soup" (warm and sweet, moisturize the throat), "Pear Ball Fruit Shrimp", suitable for eating light dishes after visiting the garden.
4. Shichahai / Around the National Expo
• Nanmen Shabu-shabu (Shichahai Store): Copper pot shabu-shabu "hand-cut fresh mutton", sesame sauce dipping sauce is the soul, remember to pick up the number in advance.
• Huguo Temple snacks (Huguo Temple Street): "Bean Juice Jiaoquan" (old Beijing characteristics, the degree of acceptance varies from person to person), "Aiwowo", suitable for breakfast or afternoon tea.
5. Xiangshan / Around the Safari Park
• Farmer's dishes at the foot of Xiangshan Mountain: "roasted rainbow trout" (killed and grilled), "stick cakes and boiled small fish", which are specialties in the suburbs of Beijing.
• The restaurant in Beijing Wildlife Park: "Panda Bun" (cute shape) and "Grilled Sausage", which is suitable for simple stomach cushions when visiting the park.
IV. Accommodation recommendation
1. The core of the city (suitable for the Forbidden City / National Expo / Shichahai)
Front Gate / Chongwen Gate Area:
• "Beijing Qianmen Jianguo Hotel": an old hotel, a 15-minute walk to Tiananmen/Forbidden City, cost-effective.
• "Orange Crystal (Nanluoguxiang Store)": Strong design sense, close to the subway, convenient to visit Nanluoguxiang / Shichahai.
Wangfujing Area:
• "Beijing Wangfujing Hilton Hotel": high-end option, 10 minutes walk to the National Expo, and there are many shopping malls around.
2. Northwest Suburb (suitable for Summer Palace / Yuanmingyuan / Xiangshan)
Haidian Huangzhuang / Zhongguancun Area:
• "All Seasons Hotel (Haidian Huangzhuang Branch)": a chain hotel, with direct access to the Summer Palace on Metro Line 10, and it is convenient to eat around.
• "Beijing Xiangshan Hotel": Designed by Bei Yuming, located in Xiangshan Park, the environment is quiet, suitable for living after visiting Xiangshan.
3. Around Universal Studios
• "Universal Studios Hotel": 5 minutes on foot to the park, you can enter the park 1 hour in advance, and there is a theme room (suitable for children).
• "Beijing Global Resort Hotel": high-end resort style, also with the right to enter the park in advance, quiet and comfortable.
V. Precautions
(I) Pre-departy preparation and reservation priority
Ticket reservation is the top priority.
• Reservations must be made in advance for the Forbidden City, the National Museum of China and the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall. Tickets will be released at 20:00 7 days in advance for the Forbidden City, and tickets will be released at 17:00 7 days in advance for the National Museum. During the peak season, it is recommended to set an alarm clock to grab tickets.
• Badaling Great Wall, Summer Palace, Yuanmingyuan and other popular scenic spots, it is recommended to make reservations 1-3 days in advance during the peak season to avoid no tickets on site.
• Universal Studios tickets + Yousutong will be on sale 7 days in advance. If you want to have less queues, it is recommended to buy them at the same time.
Certificate and payment
• Bring the original ID card, all scenic spots are required to enter the park and check in the hotel; students bring their student ID cards, and some scenic spots can enjoy a half-price discount.
• Most places in Beijing support mobile payment, but it is safer to have a small amount of cash (such as bus and subway emergency, street vendor shopping).
Clothing and equipment
• Wear clothes according to the season, wear windproof coats in spring and autumn, prepare sunscreen clothes, hats and sunglasses in summer, and wear down jackets + snow boots in the cold in winter.
• Must-have comfortable sneakers! Beijing's scenic spots are large (such as the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace), with an average daily walk of more than 10,000 steps, and high heels/leather shoes will be very hard.
• With a folding umbrella (sunshade + rainproof), power bank, the mobile phone consumes power quickly when visiting scenic spots.
(II) Travel traffic・Efficient avoidance of traffic jams
The subway is the first choice.
• Beijing subway covers all popular scenic spots. Download the "Yitong" APP or swipe the Alipay/WeChat bus code, no need to buy a card.
• During peak hours (7:30-9:30, 17:30-19:30), the subway is crowded, so try to travel at off-peak times.
Don't take a black car to go to the Great Wall.
• It is not recommended to take a "Great Wall Day Trip" on the roadside in the city. It is easy to be cheated and forced to shop.
• Recommended regular transportation: Take bus No. 877 from Deshengmen directly to Badaling; or choose regular direct trains such as "Mu Bus" and "Zan Bus", including round-trip tickets + explanation.
Choose shared bicycles for short distances in the city
• For short distances such as the Forbidden City to Jingshan, Nanluoguxiang to Shichahai, it is faster to ride a shared bicycle than to take a taxi (to avoid traffic jams), but pay attention to the traffic rules, do not drive backwards, and do not carry people.
Take a taxi and identify a regular taxi.
• Regular taxis have yellow bodies and are charged by the meter; avoid taking unlicensed black cars, which are expensive and unsafe.
(III) Guide to playing experience and avoiding pits
Play in scenic spots and avoid pits
• The Forbidden City is not allowed to bring lighters and controlled knives, and the security check is strict; the treasure museum and the watch museum need to buy tickets separately (10 yuan each), which is worth seeing.
• It is recommended to enter the Summer Palace from the East Palace Gate and take the central axis (Corridor - Foxiang Pavilion - Seventeen Holes Bridge). If you are not physically strong, you can take a sightseeing bus in the garden.
• It is recommended that the Badaling Great Wall take the cableway to the north seventh floor, and then climb to the north eighth floor (Haohanpo) on foot, return to the original route or take the slide down the mountain to avoid paralysis on the way back.
• The main street of Nanluogu Lane and Yanbao Xie Street is seriously commercialized. You can turn into the next Mao'er Hutong and Ju'er Hutong to feel the real fireworks of the old Beijing Hutong.
Beware of roadside scams
• There are people selling "inside tickets of the Forbidden City" and "low-priced tickets of the Great Wall" around the scenic spot. They are all scams. Don't believe them.
• There are people around Tiananmen Square who sell "group photos" and "commemorative coins". The price is too high, and you can buy it on demand.
• Don't buy "Internet celebrity cultural and creative ice cream" and "high-priced fruit" in the scenic spot. The cost performance is low. You can go to the big supermarket to buy snacks from Yushiyuan and Daoxiang Village as gifts.
Play in a civilized manner
• Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and other places are solemn. Please do not make noise or climb cultural relics.
• Protect the environment, do not litter, and most of the scenic spots are pedestrian paths, maintain order and do not cut in line.
(IV) Food safety and don't step on mines
Don't just recognize Quanjude when eating roast duck.
• The price of Quanjude is high, and locals prefer to go to Siji Minfu's "Crispy and Tender Roast Duck" and Dadong's "Artique Roast Duck", which are more cost-effective.
Rational attempt of old Beijing snacks
• Bean soup is an old Beijing specialty, but it tastes sour and sady. Most foreigners can't get used to it, so they can buy a small portion first.
• The fried sauce noodles should be "dried in a small bowl", and the dishes should be complete (shredded cucumbers, bean sprouts, green beans), and mixed to eat authentic.
Diet and hygiene
• Try to eat as little as possible at roadside stalls, especially in summer, to avoid gastrointestinal discomfort; if you want to eat snacks, you can go to regular stores such as Huguo Temple Snacks and Jinfang Snacks.
• The climate in Beijing is dry. Drink more water and eat more pears, candied haws and other dry foods.
(5) Other notes
Weather and health
• Beijing has a lot of pollen in spring and autumn, and people with allergic constitution should bring anti-allergic drugs; in summer, it is easy to get heatstroke, so prepare incense and qi water; dry in winter, prepare lip balm and hand cream.
• There are few medical points in the scenic spot, and carry common medicines (cold medicine, gastrointestinal medicine, waids).
Tips for accommodation
• Priority is given to hotels along Metro Line 2 and Line 10, which is more convenient to travel; book a room one month in advance during the peak season (holidays, summer vacation), and the price is lower.
• When checking in the hotel, remember to take a hotel business card so that you can ask for the way or take a taxi when you get lost.