First time · Beijing
First time in Beijing北京
Beijing is big and spread out: do one district per half-day, book the Forbidden City by passport before you fly, ride the subway or a taxi between districts, and expect security checks and QR payment everywhere.
The honest verdict
Beijing's sights are on a grand north-south axis with wide roads, security checks and long walks between gates. The trips that go wrong pay for it in three ways: the Forbidden City closed or sold out on the day, a suitcase in a hutong that cars cannot enter, and a phone that cannot pay or load a map. Four walking clusters cover a first visit; two airports and a car ride make the arrival the main risk.
You will like
- Imperial sights
- Roast duck and noodles
- Cycling the hutongs
What wears you down
- Security queues
- Winter cold and dust
- Summer heat and storms
Five things not to miss
- 1Forbidden City in the first entry slotThe largest palace complex in the world; go early to beat the tour groups and the heat.Best First morning slot · ¥40–60 (≈ US$6–9)
- 2Jingshan Park for the palace-rooftop viewA short climb for the single best photo of the Forbidden City.Best Right after the palace, or late afternoon · Small fee
- 3Temple of HeavenMing-dynasty prayer halls set in a huge cypress park; go at opening with the locals doing tai chi.Best 06:00–09:00 · ¥28–34 (≈ US$4–5)
- 4Tiananmen SquareThe world's largest public square and the gateway to the Forbidden City.Best Early, on the way to the palace · Free
- 5Drum Tower and Bell Tower700 years of Beijing timekeeping and a steep climb to a hutong rooftop view.Best Late afternoon for the light · Small fee per tower
Where to stay on a first visit
- WangfujingFor: First visit, central sights, bags and lifts matterFlat, step-free, and close to the Forbidden City and subway.
From the airport
Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK)
- Fastest
- Official taxi or DiDi to the door · about 45 min · about CN¥130 (≈ US$19)
- Cheapest
- Airport shuttle bus to central Beijing (check the last departure on the board) · about 70 min · about CN¥30 (≈ US$5)
Typical ride times and fares, 2026 desk estimates (check). Last services and night options are on the gateway page.
How long to stay
- 2 days
- Forbidden City morning, Wangfujing evening; Temple of Heaven the next morning
- 3 days
- Four clusters, one per half-day
- 5 days
- Four clusters + Great Wall day + one slow day
Three mistakes to avoid
- 'Tea ceremony' or 'art student' invitations near Wangfujing and Tiananmen: a friendly stranger leads you to a tea house or gallery, then a bill for hundreds of yuan appears. Politely decline any unsolicited invitation.(Scams)
- Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City: security checks, passport at the gate, no flags or banners.(Survive · red lines)
- Cross at signals; electric scooters and turning cars ignore lines.(Survive · safety)
Money and SIM
- Budget day
- ¥250–450 (≈ US$35–65) excl. bed
- Paying
- China runs on QR-code mobile payment: set up Alipay or WeChat Pay linked to a foreign card before you fly, since many small shops and stalls no longer take cash or foreign cards easily. Keep some cash as a backup.
- Cash
- Keep ¥300 (≈ US$45) in small notes as a backup; withdraw at Bank of China or ICBC ATMs inside banks or malls.
- SIM
- Tourist eSIM bought before you fly: No counter, no queue; confirm it covers mainland China (some regional eSIMs exclude it).
Etiquette: the top three
- Temples
- Modest dress is respectful; do not step on door thresholds — step over them; ask before photographing monks or worshippers.
- Queues
- Security-zone queues (Tiananmen, the Forbidden City) are orderly and monitored; general queues elsewhere can be looser — stand your ground politely.
- Tipping
- Not customary or expected anywhere in mainland China; do not tip unless a service charge is already added.
The best time to go
Apr: Mild; blossoms; Qingming long weekend.
A first day
Day 1 — Tiananmen and the Forbidden City in the first slot
Start about 07:30
Fixed point: Your timed slot at the Forbidden City (book by passport)
Hotel or AC mall 13:30–16:00; roast duck in the evening (book ahead).
Timed version: Beijing in 3 days