Step 1 · Timing
When to visit Beijing
Now in Beijing—:—Sunrise—:—Sunset—:—
April–May, September–October are popular times to visit Beijing. For planning the trip, timing matters: Mild temperatures, blue skies, less smog; summers are humid and winters bitterly cold. Deciding your dates first shapes the rest of the plan — how many days to spend and which area to base yourself in.
Warmest in Beijing: Jun (33°C / 91°F) · Coolest: Jan (2°C / 36°F) · Wettest: Jul (~15 rain days)
Daily highs / lows in °C · bars show rain days per month · ERA5 climate normals (2020–2024)
Step 2 · Trip length
How many days in Beijing?
Pick a length and follow a ready-made Beijing itinerary — each one sequences the sights so your days flow without backtracking.
Step 3 · Itinerary
Build your Beijing itinerary
A good Beijing plan bases you in one central area, groups nearby sights into each day, and leaves room to slow down. Start from a day-by-day itinerary above, then adjust the order to your dates and pace.
Step 4 · Your base
Where to base yourself
A central base cuts travel time between sights.
- Hutongs (Dongcheng). An area to consider: Old grey-brick lanes — courtyards, dumpling shops, the Drum Tower.
- Sanlitun. Base yourself here: Nightlife and shopping district — bars, restaurants, designer boutiques.
- Wangfujing. For your itinerary: Pedestrian shopping street — souvenir stalls, big-brand stores, snack streets.
City centerTap a pin to book stays nearbyClick the map to enable scroll zoom
- Hutongs (Dongcheng)neighborhood22 min walk from center
- Sanlitunneighborhood4.0 km from center
- Wangfujingneighborhood27 min walk from center
Step 5 · Transport
Getting around Beijing
Subway is extensive and cheap; use Didi (China’s Uber) for evenings or remote sights. Moving between sights: Get a VPN sorted before arriving so Google Maps and Gmail work; download offline maps as backup.
Step 6 · Your trip
Plan by trip style
- Family trips. With kids in tow: Great Wall day trips, the Beijing Zoo pandas, kite-flying in Tiananmen Square mornings.
- Couples. For couples: A Mutianyu Wall sunset, a hutong courtyard dinner, a Peking duck banquet under red lanterns.
- Solo travel. Going solo: English is limited but translation apps work fine; hostels in the hutongs make solo evenings easy.
Step 7 · Before you go
Practical planning
Worth knowing before you go: Extremely safe by Western standards. Watch for taxi scams at the airport and pickpockets in dense tourist crowds. Moving between sights: Get a VPN sorted before arriving so Google Maps and Gmail work; download offline maps as backup. Work these into the plan early — they affect which neighborhood to base yourself in and how much to fit into each day.
Step 8 · Where to stay
Hotel or whole home?
Two ways to book your Beijing stay — pick by trip type.
Hotels & city stays
Best for short city breaks and central locations — compare Beijing hotels on Expedia.
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