China Travel Kit

7 days / one flexible framework

A first week in Beijing, with breathing room

A seven-day Beijing itinerary that groups major sights by area, leaves full days for the Great Wall and allows time for security checks, queues and changes of plan.

The Palace Museum, Beijing.
The Palace Museum, Beijing.
Photo source & licenseThe Forbidden City - View from Coal Hill.jpg · Credit: Pixelflake · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Photographed 2012Resized and converted to WebP; display framing may crop the photograph. The photograph and these versions retain the linked license.
Make this route your own

Use these days as a starting point and adjust the pace to suit you. Check the linked attraction guides for reservations and closures, and allow a full day for longer outings. Confirm weather and tickets before setting off.

Choose one route for each day with alternatives below. Only its listed stops are imported. Optional stops stay in the guide, and opening days still need checking for your dates.

Make room for a local experience ↓

Choose your pace

Make room for local life

Choose which visits to shorten or replace. Check the experience’s address and conditions, and arrange meals, shows or workshops separately. The booking planner saves the listed attraction visits.

DAY1

Tiananmen / Dongcheng

The square and the national collection

Planner route: The square and the national collection.

Planner stops: Tiananmen Square + National Museum of China.

Places mentioned in this day's guide:

Tiananmen Square 天安门广场National Museum of China 中国国家博物馆
  1. Morning: confirm your Square access route—its own reservation or an eligible same-day designated-venue booking under the official morning/afternoon exception—and allow time for security. A flag ceremony needs its own slot. Add the Memorial Hall only if its reservation and bag-storage rules fit.
  2. Late morning and afternoon: visit the National Museum of China with its own reservation. Keep the Palace Museum for a separate day.
  3. Evening: rest or take an unhurried walk around Qianmen; do not add another ticketed museum.
If the plan changes

If a Square or museum reservation fails, keep the other booking and use Qianmen Street as an open-area alternative rather than expecting one reservation to cover both.

DAY2

Imperial center

The Palace Museum without a museum sprint

Planner route: The Palace Museum without a museum sprint.

Planner stops: The Palace Museum.

Places mentioned in this day's guide:

The Palace Museum 故宫博物院
  1. Morning: approach Wu Men with the original booking passport and allow time for security and manual document checks.
  2. Midday: follow the central axis and selected side courts instead of trying to see every gallery.
  3. Afternoon: exit north and add Jingshan Park for the panorama if energy and its current visitor rules allow.
If the plan changes

The Palace Museum has no same-day ticket window. If you do not have a reservation, use Jingshan, Beihai or another verified open attraction and move the Palace to a different date.

DAY3

Temple of Heaven / Qianmen

Ritual architecture and old commercial streets

Planner route: Ritual architecture and old commercial streets.

Planner stops: Temple of Heaven + Qianmen Street.

Places mentioned in this day's guide:

Temple of Heaven 天坛公园Qianmen Street 前门大街
  1. Morning: visit the Temple of Heaven park early, then use the appropriate ticket for the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests and other enclosed sights.
  2. Afternoon: continue north to Qianmen Street and nearby hutongs. Qianmen is a public commercial area, not a single indoor venue.
  3. Evening: keep dinner flexible and avoid scheduling a long cross-city transfer.
If the plan changes

If enclosed sights are closed, the park and Qianmen can still form a reduced outdoor day; check the specific Monday and holiday rules first.

DAY4

Haidian

Imperial gardens at your own pace

These are alternatives. The planner adds only the stops in your chosen option.

Places mentioned in this day's guide:

Summer Palace 颐和园Old Summer Palace 圆明园遗址公园景区
  1. Morning: start at the Summer Palace with a chosen entrance and a realistic lake-and-hill route rather than attempting every gate and garden.
  2. Afternoon: continue to the Old Summer Palace for the ruins and selected exhibitions, or remain at the Summer Palace if you prefer a slower visit.
  3. Evening: leave the evening unbooked after two large outdoor sites.
If the plan changes

Treat the Old Summer Palace as optional when energy or weather is poor. Check current exhibition closures; an indoor gallery closure does not necessarily close the outdoor ruins.

DAY5

Mutianyu / Huairou

A protected Great Wall day

Planner route: A protected Great Wall day.

Planner stops: Mutianyu Great Wall.

Places mentioned in this day's guide:

Mutianyu Great Wall 慕田峪长城景区
  1. Morning: leave central Beijing early with the confirmed transport and ticket product. Do not assume a cableway, shuttle and Wall entry are one ticket.
  2. Midday: walk a section that matches daylight, weather and mobility needs. Keep food, water and the return meeting point simple.
  3. Afternoon: return before the last confirmed transport. Night sessions use different products and cannot be inferred from daytime rules.
If the plan changes

Badaling is an alternative, not a interchangeable ticket. Swap only after checking its own transport and admission rules; in severe weather, use a city museum instead.

DAY6

Yonghegong / Shichahai

Temple, mansion and hutong-scale Beijing

These are alternatives. The planner adds only the stops in your chosen option.

Places mentioned in this day's guide:

Yonghe Temple 雍和宫Prince Kung's Mansion 恭王府景区
  1. Morning: visit Yonghe Temple with appropriate dress and behavior for an active religious site.
  2. Afternoon: use the verified passport process for Prince Kung's Mansion, then walk around Shichahai without adding another ticketed venue.
  3. Evening: stay in the hutong area for dinner and keep the next morning free of early commitments.
If the plan changes

If the mansion is full or closed, keep Yonghe Temple and explore the Shichahai area; a public neighborhood does not require pretending a rejected reservation can be bypassed.

DAY7

798 / 751

Contemporary Beijing and a flexible finish

These are alternatives. The planner adds only the stops in your chosen option.

Places mentioned in this day's guide:

798·751 Art District 798·751艺术区Nanluoguxiang 南锣鼓巷
  1. Late morning: explore the public 798·751 art district, then choose specific galleries only after checking their individual opening and ticketing rules.
  2. Afternoon: leave time for an exhibition, a café or a return to a favorite neighborhood.
  3. Evening: finish near your hotel or departure station. Universal Beijing Resort needs a separate full-day substitution, not an evening add-on.
If the plan changes

Gallery closures do not close the whole public district. Swap in another open venue or use the day as a buffer for an attraction missed earlier in the week.

Prefer a different pace?

Find a day that suits you

Browse more Beijing attractions for an alternative. Check its reservations, opening days and travel time before adding it to your plan.

Full guides for possible swaps

These are alternatives to consider, not extra stops to add to the same day. Check locations and transfer times before replacing an itinerary stop; a distant excursion may need a full day.