Beijing itineraries

The Central Axis in a day

Start on Tiananmen Square, walk straight north through the Forbidden City, look down on the golden roofs from Jingshan hill, then drift through hutongs and lakes to end with roast duck at Qianmen. The one-day order most trip reports agree on.

Temple of Heaven, then the Wall

Drop your bags in a Qianmen courtyard hotel, spend day one on the Temple of Heaven and Qianmen, then take the Qianmen shuttle to the Mutianyu Great Wall and ride the Airport Express out of Dongzhimen. No wasted trips back into town.

Palaces, lakes and 798 from Wangfujing

Stay at Wangfujing and the Forbidden City is a 15-minute walk. Day one is the palace and the northern lakes, day two crosses the city from the Summer Palace to Guijie and 798, and the last day winds down with coffee and dim sum in the lanes around the Lama Temple.

Festivals & seasons

• 1 — Ice play on Shichahai
• 2 — Spring Festival temple fairs
• 2 — Yuanmingyuan Spring Festival fair
• 3 — Dust-storm season
• 4 — Cherry blossom at Yuyuantan, spring at the Summer Palace
• 7 — High-summer heat and downpours
• 8 — Beijing Cuisine Culture Festival
• 9 — Golden autumn
• 10 — National Day Golden Week
• 10 — Fragrant Hills red leaves
• 12 — Golden light on the 17-arch bridge

Souvenirs

• Daoxiangcun pastries and mooncakes
• Palace Museum design goods
• Tea (jasmine, pu'er)
• Liubiju pickles and soybean paste
• Magnets, opera masks, carved seals
• Brushes, ink and rice paper
• Tongrentang herbal products
• 798 design goods and prints