The three days that matter
- Day 1 — Imperial core: Tiananmen → Forbidden City (book 7 days ahead, free) → Jingshan Park for the rooftop sunset shot.
- Day 2 — Great Wall: Mutianyu, not Badaling. Hire a Didi or driver (~$80 round trip). Cable car up, toboggan down.
- Day 3 — Living Beijing: Temple of Heaven morning → hutong lunch in Nanluoguxiang → 798 Art District → Sanlitun for the night.
Where to stay
- Wangfujing / CBD — convenient, soulless. Best for first-timers who want a name-brand hotel.
- Dongcheng hutongs — Penha Cottage, The Orchid, hutong courtyard hotels. Walk to the Forbidden City.
- Sanlitun — nightlife and restaurants. Best for a second visit.
What to eat
- Peking duck — Siji Minfu (good, affordable, queue at off-hours) or Dadong (refined). Skip Quanjude.
- Jianbing — the breakfast crepe. Any street cart with a queue.
- Hot pot — Haidilao for the show, an old-Beijing copper pot for the tradition.
- Coffee — Beijing's third-wave scene is now world-class. Try Metal Hands or Berry Beans.
What to skip
- Badaling Great Wall — most crowded section. Mutianyu is the same wall, half the people.
- Wangfujing snack street — overpriced scorpions for tourists. Locals don't eat there.
- Group bus tours — Didi is cheaper and lets you set your own pace.
Getting around
Beijing's subway is huge, cheap (¥3–9), and signed in English. Didi works in English and accepts Alipay/WeChat (which now take foreign Visa/Mastercard). Trains and metro accept Alipay QR at the gate.
Day trips
- Mutianyu Great Wall — 1.5 hrs each way.
- Jinshanling Great Wall — wilder, less restored. 2.5 hrs each way; do this if you've seen Mutianyu.
- Summer Palace — half day in the city's northwest. Underrated.
Next steps
From Beijing the obvious move is HSR to Shanghai (4.5 hrs, $77) or south to Chengdu. Or do the full 14-day classic loop.