A PLACE IN THE PLAN
Temple of Heaven
Begin with the temple grounds when the arrival leaves a usable afternoon.
See where it fits →CHINA / BEIJING
Beijing Itinerary: 4 days
Courtyards, a palace and a day on the Great Wall. Three nights keep the main visits distinct.
A four-day Beijing itinerary with Temple of Heaven, hutong lanes, the Forbidden City and a Mutianyu Great Wall day from The Peninsula Beijing.
A trip from Alisha & MattPlanned with couples in mind.
Palace courtyards.
YOUR TIME4 days · 3 nights
THE FOCUSForbidden City · hutongs · Mutianyu
THE BASESThe Peninsula Beijing
THE PACEArrival + exploring + departure
THE EXPERIENCES TO BUILD A TRIP AROUND
Give these places their time
Give the imperial city and Great Wall separate days, with room around arrival.
A PLACE IN THE PLAN
Hutong lanes
A neighbourhood walk adds everyday streets and an optional craft encounter.
See where it fits →A PLACE IN THE PLAN
Forbidden City
Give the palace complex the afternoon rather than rushing a quick stop.
See where it fits →A PLACE IN THE PLAN
Mutianyu Great Wall
Take a dedicated outing to the Wall and choose a turnaround that suits your legs.
See where it fits →GET TO KNOW THE PLACE
Palace courtyards.
A day above the hills.
Give Beijing a city day and the Great Wall a day of its own. Palace courtyards and hutong lanes call for a different pace from Mutianyu. Arrange the important entries first, then choose how much of the city walk fits comfortably between them.
Arrive from Xi’an, spend one full day in the city, then dedicate another to Mutianyu. The Forbidden City, Tiananmen area and Great Wall each need current admission arrangements, and the busiest city day may need trimming.
See how the route fits together ↘A LITTLE ORIENTATION
Get your bearings before setting out.
Arrive from Xi’an, spend one full day in the city, then dedicate another to Mutianyu. The Forbidden City, Tiananmen area and Great Wall each need current admission arrangements, and the busiest city day may need trimming.
ROUTE DIAGRAM · NOT TO SCALEBeijingThree-night base
Temple of HeavenArrival-day option
Hutongs + palaceFull city day
MutianyuGreat Wall excursion
Beijing airportOnward flight
4 DAYS · 3 NIGHTS · YOUR OWN ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE PLAN
ON THE MAP
Put the places in perspective.
Get your bearings before setting out. The map shows how the outings relate to one another; use the day plan to decide which belong together.
Explore the places in the list below.
Place coordinates: Wikidata , Wikipedia and © OpenStreetMap contributors. Geography: Natural Earth. Select a place for its source.
Your Beijing route and overnight stays
| Day | Route or focus | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | XI’AN → BEIJING | The Peninsula Beijing. |
| 2 | CENTRAL BEIJING | The Peninsula Beijing. |
| 3 | BEIJING → MUTIANYU → BEIJING | The Peninsula Beijing. |
| 4 | BEIJING → SHANGHAI | Shanghai, if continuing. |
THE PLAN
Your Beijing itinerary, day by day
Open a day for the stops and practical advice. Let the plan help you decide where to linger.
4 days · 3 nightsA ROUTE TO MAKE YOUR OWN
BEIJING · THE ROUTE
DAY1Arrive, with a temple stop if time allows.
XI’AN → BEIJINGArrival and settling in · use the time your journey leaves
The flight and transfer determine how much of the afternoon fits.
- Temple of HeavenVisit with your guide if the arrival time and current admission window permit. Move it to another day or add a night if the flight leaves too little time.
- The Peninsula BeijingCheck in and settle into the Wangfujing-area base.
- A Beijing dinnerA duck dinner was part of the hosted trip; choose your own restaurant and dietary alternatives.
WHERE YOU’LL SLEEP
The Peninsula Beijing.
DAY2Hutong lanes and the imperial city.
CENTRAL BEIJINGChoose the main outing · keep alternatives separate
Build this day around the confirmed palace entry.
- Hutong walkChoose a guided neighbourhood walk. Paper-cutting, knot-tying or calligraphy demonstrations require their own arrangement.
- LunchLeave a proper break before the larger afternoon sites.
- Tiananmen area and Forbidden CityArrange the current reservations, identity checks, entry gates and guide meeting point. Do not assume one ticket covers both sites or that a Monday visit works.
- An easy dinnerThese are extensive outdoor visits. Keep an evening performance optional and separately booked.
WHERE YOU’LL SLEEP
The Peninsula Beijing.
DAY3A day at Mutianyu.
BEIJING → MUTIANYU → BEIJINGMain visiting day · give the featured stops their time
Give the Wall the full excursion window.
- Road transfer and entryBook the current visit and decide which ascent and descent services you want.
- Walk the Great WallChoose a section and turnaround that suit your pace. Cable-car access still leaves stairs and uneven stone on the Wall.
- Lunch near MutianyuThe Brickyard was the lunch location in this trip. Confirm its current dining arrangements before building a stop around it.
- Return to BeijingAllow for traffic and a quiet final evening rather than adding another major sight.
WHERE YOU’LL SLEEP
The Peninsula Beijing.
DAY4Onward to Shanghai.
BEIJING → SHANGHAIMain visiting day · give the featured stops their time
Leave the morning for checkout and travel.
- Hotel and airport transferMatch the transfer to the airport on your ticket.
- Continue the routeThe Shanghai guide begins with the same travel day; its arrival evening depends on your flight.
WHERE YOU’LL SLEEP
Shanghai, if continuing.
GET TO KNOW THE PLACE
Things to See in Beijing
Get to know the main sights before putting them into your day. Open a card for the visit details and its place in the route.
XI’AN → BEIJING
Temple of Heaven
Begin with the temple grounds when the arrival leaves a usable afternoon.
Plan your visit
CENTRAL BEIJING
Hutong lanes
A neighbourhood walk adds everyday streets and an optional craft encounter.
Plan your visit
CENTRAL BEIJING
Forbidden City
Give the palace complex the afternoon rather than rushing a quick stop.
Plan your visit
BEIJING → MUTIANYU → BEIJING
Mutianyu Great Wall
Take a dedicated outing to the Wall and choose a turnaround that suits your legs.
Plan your visit
MAKE ROOM FOR THISPalace courtyards.
Palace courtyards.
A day above the hills.
Keep Mutianyu separate from the central-city visits, and let the palace reservation set the order of the hutong day.
A GOOD PLACE TO LAND
Find a base
that suits your days.
Start with where you want to spend the evening, then consider the next morning’s journey.
A BASE TO EXPLORE.
BEIJING · THREE NIGHTS
The Peninsula Beijing
A city base with a separate day trip to Mutianyu.
Find it on the mapThese stays give the route its overnight stops. Before booking, ask about the things that will shape your day: breakfast, arrival time and transfers. Check what your chosen room rate includes.
A little preparation makes a better day.
Use the links below for current visitor information, then check the details with the people arranging your visit.
KNOW THE PACE BEFORE YOU GO
Make the day fit the visit
Give the imperial city and Great Wall separate days, with room around arrival.
GETTING THERE & AROUND
Count the whole journey
Arrange the guide and road transfers around the airport on your ticket. The Mutianyu outing needs its own return journey.
WALKING & CHOICES
Choose the version you will enjoy
The Forbidden City and Great Wall are substantial walking visits. Cable-car access to the Wall still leaves uneven stone and stairs.
BEFORE YOU SET THE DATES
What to arrange first
Reserve the imperial sites and Mutianyu arrangements for the correct dates, then fit smaller craft or evening visits around them.
THE MAIN DECISION
Start with the parts that set the day
Arrange the guide and road transfers around the airport on your ticket. The Mutianyu outing needs its own return journey.
YOUR OWN BOOKINGS
Match the details to your visit
Use the linked visitor information for the sites and journeys you choose. Check arrival instructions, entry and any guide or transfer against your actual booking. Meals and optional outings depend on what you arrange.
PICK YOUR SEASON
Beijing, month by month.
Compare average daytime highs and overnight lows to help choose a season and pack for the trip.
Beijing
Reference station: Beijing · 32 m elevation
Average daily highAverage daily low°F
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Warmest average daysJuly
Coolest average nightsJanuary
Plan for the actual outingUse these averages to compare seasons, then check a forecast before packing. They do not show rainfall or guarantee the weather for your dates.
1991–2020 station normals reported to the WMO, via NOAA. High-temperature data ↗ · Low-temperature data ↗ Coastal, city and mountain conditions can differ. These are averages, not a forecast or record extremes.
View the monthly figures
| Month | °F | °C |
|---|---|---|
| January | 36° / 20° | 2.3° / -6.9° |
| February | 43° / 24° | 6.1° / -4.2° |
| March | 56° / 35° | 13.2° / 1.9° |
| April | 70° / 48° | 21° / 9° |
| May | 81° / 59° | 27.2° / 15.1° |
| June | 87° / 68° | 30.8° / 20° |
| July | 89° / 73° | 31.8° / 23° |
| August | 87° / 72° | 30.7° / 22° |
| September | 80° / 61° | 26.5° / 16.3° |
| October | 67° / 48° | 19.3° / 8.8° |
| November | 51° / 33° | 10.3° / 0.7° |
| December | 39° / 23° | 3.7° / -5° |
A NOTE FROM ALISHA & MATT
Choose the visit
that suits you.
Book the visits that determine the day, then give the gaps a purpose: lunch, the journey and a chance to sit down.
Alisha & MattConfirm admission before fixing the order.
Museum closure days, reservation procedures and site entry arrangements can change.
Plan for long outdoor visits.
Use shade and rest breaks where available. Let the guide help shorten the route if the day feels too full.
Distinguish hosted extras.
Craft demonstrations, private lunches and transport from an escorted tour are separate arrangements for an independent trip.
BEFORE YOU GOA few questions
A few questions
before you go.
Can I combine this with the other guides?
Yes. Join the guides at the travel days, then count the hotel nights. One guide’s departure can be the next guide’s arrival, so adding all the day counts would give you time you do not actually have. Match the connections before booking.
How do we keep a copy?
Use “Save this trip” to bookmark the guide in this browser. For a copy to take along, choose “Print this itinerary”: every day opens for printing, and your device’s PDF option lets you save the plan.
THERE’S MORE TO SEE, TOGETHER.Where shall
Find us on Instagram ↗Where shall
we go next?
Follow along for more places we have been and ideas to help plan your own visit.