Trip planning
Beijing itinerary: 3, 4, 5 and 7 days
Never plan the Forbidden City for a Monday. Day-by-day Beijing itinerary plans for 3, 4, 5 and 7 days, with when to book each ticket so nothing sells out.
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Never plan the Forbidden City for a Monday: that is the one rule to remember. Below is a day-by-day Beijing itinerary for 3, 4, 5 and 7 days, with a simple timeline of when to book each ticket.
When should you book each ticket?
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Up to 30 days before | Mutianyu Great Wall: tickets are real-name and can be booked up to 30 days ahead, with one admission per passport per day; bring your original passport |
| 7 days before the visit date, around 20:00 Beijing time | Book the Forbidden City: use the release time calculator |
| 1 to 7 days before (optional) | Temple of Heaven: booking ahead is optional: tickets are real-name and can be booked 1 to 7 days ahead |
| On the day | Summer Palace: foreign visitors can usually buy tickets at the entrance with their passport; booking in advance is not required |
Book the Forbidden City first: it is the hardest ticket to get, and don't count on buying at the gate: booking in advance is the only reliable way to get in. Then fit the other days around it. If the date you want is sold out, a Forbidden City tour with entry included is the usual backup.
What is closed on Mondays?
- Forbidden City: closed on Mondays, except Mondays that are public holidays.
- Temple of Heaven: the inner sites usually close on Mondays (except public holidays), while the park stays open.
- Summer Palace: the park is open every day, but some sites inside close on Mondays.
The best Monday plans: the Great Wall, or a walk in the hutongs.
3 days in Beijing
Day 1: Forbidden City. Plan 3–4 hours inside. Afterwards, Jingshan Park, just north of the Forbidden City, gives a view over the palace roofs. See Forbidden City tickets.
Day 2: Great Wall at Mutianyu. A full day: about 3 hours on the wall and about 6 hours in total by car or tour (longer by public bus). Go with a Great Wall tour or on your own: Great Wall tickets.
Day 3: Temple of Heaven and the hutongs. Start early at the Temple of Heaven: early in the morning, locals come to the park to do tai chi, exercise and play games; you are welcome to watch, respectfully. Plan 2–3 hours, buy the combination ticket, and reach the inner sites before their last entry (Temple of Heaven tickets). In the afternoon, walk the hutongs: the lanes around the Shichahai lakes (including Houhai), the Drum and Bell Towers, and Nanluoguxiang, a restored lane.
4 days in Beijing
Days 1 to 3 as above, then:
Day 4: Summer Palace. Plan 2–3 hours. Getting there: Metro Line 4 to Beigongmen station, then about 7 minutes on foot to the North Palace Gate. See Summer Palace tickets.
With four days you can also spread things out: put the hutongs on their own afternoon and give the Temple of Heaven a full morning.
5 days in Beijing
Days 1 to 4 as above, then:
Day 5: a free day. Keep one day open for:
- A guided tour you didn’t have time for: see Beijing tours, for example a food tour or a private tour.
- A calmer hutong walk: Wudaoying Hutong, with cafés and small shops.
- A backup day in case of bad weather on your Great Wall day, or if your Forbidden City date was sold out.
7 days in Beijing
Days 1 to 5 as above, then:
Day 6: a second Great Wall section or a day trip. If you went to Mutianyu, Badaling is the most visited and most crowded section near Beijing, so go early: arrive at opening time, go on a weekday, and avoid Chinese public holidays (October 1–7, May 1–5 and Spring Festival week). See day trips from Beijing.
Day 7: slow day. Revisit a favourite place, spend the morning in a park, or join a hutong tour with a guide.
Common itinerary mistakes
- Too many distant sights in one day. The Great Wall at Mutianyu takes about 3 hours on the wall and about 6 hours in total by car or tour (longer by public bus): give it its own day.
- Mutianyu and the Summer Palace on the same day. It makes a very long day; only consider it with a private car or a tour that combines both.
- Ignoring what is close together. The Forbidden City sits right next to Tiananmen Square, and Jingshan Park, just north of the Forbidden City, gives a view over the palace roofs: see them together.
- A fixed Great Wall day. The toboggan only goes down, and it closes in rain and snow. Keep that day flexible if you can.
- Forgetting Mondays. The Forbidden City is closed on Mondays, except Mondays that are public holidays.
Tips for any Beijing itinerary
- Bring your passport every day: real-name tickets need it. At the Forbidden City, bring the same physical passport you used to book: the name and number must match.
- Avoid Chinese public holidays if you can: arrive at opening time, go on a weekday, and avoid Chinese public holidays (October 1–7, May 1–5 and Spring Festival week).
- Short on time? A Beijing tour combines several sights in one day with transport arranged.
- Only one day? See one day in Beijing: two plans that fit.
- Universal Beijing Resort takes a full day of its own: see Universal Beijing Resort tickets.
Only have one day? Read one day in Beijing. Staying a week? See 7 days in Beijing.
Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need in Beijing?
Three days cover the Forbidden City, the Great Wall and the Temple of Heaven. With four or five days you can add the Summer Palace and the hutongs at a calmer pace.
Which day should I visit the Forbidden City?
Any day except Mondays, except Mondays that are public holidays. Tickets go on sale 7 days before the visit date, around 20:00 Beijing time, so book that day first and build the rest of the plan around it.
What is closed on Mondays in Beijing?
The Forbidden City is closed on Mondays, except Mondays that are public holidays. At the Temple of Heaven, the inner sites usually close on Mondays (except public holidays), while the park stays open. At the Summer Palace, the park is open every day, but some sites inside close on Mondays. Use Monday for the Great Wall or the hutongs.
When should I book my tickets?
Mutianyu Great Wall: tickets are real-name and can be booked up to 30 days ahead, with one admission per passport per day; bring your original passport. Forbidden City: 7 days before the visit date, around 20:00 Beijing time. Temple of Heaven: booking ahead is optional: tickets are real-name and can be booked 1 to 7 days ahead. Summer Palace: foreign visitors can usually buy tickets at the entrance with their passport; booking in advance is not required.