7 Days in Beijing: One Week in the Splendid Capital of China

Throughout my schooling, I always learned a ton about the history of China, especially Beijing. Although it was not always high at the top of my priority list to visit, I always knew I wanted to see the Great Wall of China. As I entered my teaching career and began to teach about China, my urge to visit this interesting country grew. I finally spent two weeks in China when I found $500 round-trip airfare from Los Angeles. My husband and I opted to spend most of our time in Beijing and really got a good feel for the city (although my husband did study abroad in Beijing in college, so that helped). The following is a guide to spending 7 days in Beijing. Note that you will need to get a visa in order to visit China.

Want a guided tour to start out your trip and get acclimated to the city? Then check out Guru Walks for a free guided tour. You can book online to reserve your spot and pay what you wish when you get there. Check out the tours in Beijing here.

A Brief History of China

Emperors and dynasties ruled China for over four thousand years. Over twenty different dynasties ruled during that time. Dynasties have basically been around since the founding of China in 2070BC. During that time, China grew to be a powerful country and created many new inventions (like gunpowder).

In 1912, Sun Yat-sen overthrew the final dynasty, and China became a republic. After a warring period, the Communist Party of China took over in 1949 and has ruled since that time. Today, China is the largest populated country in the world with over 1.6 billion people. 

Visa for China

In order to visit China as a US Citizen (and many other countries), you need a visa to enter. I recommend buying one through iVisa prior to visiting so it will be one less thing you have to worry about. This post details the best way to get a visa for China.

Where to Stay for 7 Days in Beijing

When spending 7 days in Beijing, opt to stay in one of the central areas: the Forbidden City/Tiananmen Square area or Wangfujing Street. Make sure you are near a subway stop as that is the main way to get around Beijing. I recommend staying at a four-star or higher hotel as Chinese hotels have a lower standard for stars. TripAdvisor is a great place to start your hotel search. Search for the best Beijing hotels here!

We opted to stay at the Prime Hotel Beijing Wangfujing, and we had no complaints about the hotel. It was located a few blocks from Wangfujing Street, a subway stop was around the corner, and the staff was very nice. There was even an ATM in the lobby of the hotel. It cost $55 a night. 

Other hotel options in Beijing includes:

• Hilton Beijing Wangfujing
• Conrad Beijing
• Hilton Garden Inn Beijing Temple of Heaven
• Renaissance Beijing Wangfujing Hotel
• UrCove Beijing Forbidden City
• Grand Hyatt Beijing
• Regent Beijing
• Holiday Inn Express Beijing Downtown

Transportation Around Beijing

The subway is the easiest and most cost-effective way to get around Beijing. Each ride costs about 50 cents. Most of the station stops are written in English, so it was not difficult to navigate. I recommend getting a Beijing Transportation Card, also known as the Yikatong Card.

These cards are available at the customer service of any subway station and you can use them on the subways, buses, the airport train, taxis, and public bikes. It is basically their version of cash! If you opt to take a taxi anywhere, make sure to get the price beforehand and make sure the driver keeps the meter running to ensure you are not getting ripped off. 

How to Get To/From the Beijing Airport

The cheapest and fastest way to get from the airport to the Beijing City Center is to take the Airport Express Train. It runs from about 6:30am-11pm and costs $3.50. The trains come about every ten minutes and the ride to the center of Beijing (Dongzhimen Station) takes around 30 minutes. Upon arrival at Dongzhimen Station, you can catch subway lines to other places in the city. The easiest way to get to and from the airport is by taxi, which should cost about $20. 

What to See in 7 Days in Beijing

Day 1: Arrival in Beijing

Most flights from the United States arrive in the later afternoon or evening. Spend this afternoon and evening getting settled in the hotel before spending 7 days in Beijing.

Wangfujing Street

After, walk around and grab some dinner near Wangfujing Street. This one-mile-long street contains tons of shops, restaurants, and food stalls. Make sure to walk through the snack street, popular in the evening. Here you can try everything over 500 different famous snacks from all over China including candied strawberries to scorpions. There is a small food court near the snack street in the basement of a building that has delicious dinner choices.

After dinner, if you are feeling up to it, head to Tiananmen Square to catch a glimpse of the area and the Forbidden City at night. Catch up on sleep and make sure to get a good night’s rest for a long day tomorrow.

Day 2: Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City

Today will be about the old and new of China’s government and history. China has been around for thousands of years and has quite a few sites left from its Medieval days. Today will include a lot of walking. I recommend having a large breakfast, and packing snacks as there are not a ton of food options in the area. 

Tiananmen Square

Cost: Free to walk around

Hours: 5am to 10pm

Subway Stop: Tiananmen East

Begin your morning at Tiananmen Square, the center of Beijing. This is the location of Mao Zedong’s proclamation of founding the People’s Republic of China in 1949. In this square, you can find the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong, the final resting place of Mao Zedong. If interested in visiting the inside, make sure to arrive early as the line gets very long. Also, catch a glimpse of the Great Hall of the People, the center of China’s Communist government. 

National Museum of China

Cost: Free

Hours: Tues-Sun: 9am-4:30pm, closed Mondays

Also located in Tiananmen Square is the National Museum of China. This museum is all about the art and history of China. Established in 2003, two museums came together to make the present-day National Museum of China and it is one of the largest museums in the world. Visitors can spend several hours here or spend the entire day. 

Forbidden City

Cost: $8.50

Hours: 8:30am-5pm

The Forbidden City is a historical palace complex in the middle of Beijing. It should be part of any 7 days in Beijing. The oldest of the palaces dates back to the Ming Dynasty in 1420. Construction lasted from 1402 to 1420 after which, this served as the center of the Chinese government and home to the emperors for over 500 years. In total, the Forbidden City covers 180 acres and contains 980 buildings and was officially declared a UNESCO site in 1987.

Now, the Forbidden City contains several museums, including the Palace Museum. The Forbidden City takes several hours to walk through and longer if you want to visit all of the museums. You will enter the Forbidden City through the Meridian Gate and exit at the opposite end. Make sure not to miss the Hall of Supreme Harmony, and the Palace of Heavenly Purity. 

Jingshan Park

Cost: 30 cents

Hours: 6:30am to 9pm

After exiting the Forbidden City, across the street is Jingshan Park. This 57-acre park offers fabulous views of the Forbidden City and the surrounding area. This was once a private garden for the imperial palace for the Forbidden City but later opened to the public. Make sure to climb to the top of Jingshan Hill to get the best views. 

Dinner at Meizhou Dongpo

Cost: $$

Hours: 9:30am-10pm

Address: No. 7 East Damochang Street Xinhuoguan Floor 1-2

Tonight, grab dinner at Meizhou Dongpo. Meizhou Dongpo is a super popular chain in China that serves a bunch of traditional Chinese dishes. All of these dishes are meant for sharing, so order several dishes for the entire table. This is a great opportunity to try Peking Duck, a traditional Chinese dish that they carve in front of you. I loved their Gong Bao Ji Ding (Kung Pow Chicken), and Dan Dan Noodles. They have an English menu, so it is easy to order.

Day 3: The Summer Palaces 

Today you will explore the the Summer Palaces of old and new. The summer palaces have a long history in China and have served as a residence for emperors for thousands of years.

Old Summer Palace

Cost: $1.50

Hours: 7am-5pm

Subway Stop: Yuanmingyuan Park

Spend the morning at the Old Summer Palace, almost five times the size of the Forbidden City. This palace, constructed during the 1700s, was the main residence for emperors of the Qin Dynasty. It had immaculate gardens and an extensive palace design. Looted and destroyed in 1860 during the second opium wars, all that remains today are mostly ruins of this once fantastic palace. The government has begun to develop the gardens a bit more and a handful of buildings are left for visitors to enjoy. Plan to spend at least two hours wandering through the complex. 

Summer Palace

Cost: $4.20

Hours: 7am-5pm

This afternoon, explore the Summer Palace, a collection of gardens, a palace, and lakes. This UNESCO site was once the imperial gardens in the Qin Dynasty. The Summer Palace has a ton of attractions within it and enough to keep you busy for the entire afternoon. Do not miss the Hall of Benevolence, the Garden of Virtue and Harmony, Heralding Spring Pavilion. Make sure to catch a ride across the lake on one of the Dragon boats. There are also many food stalls to grab lunch or a snack. 

Golden Peacock Dai Ethnic Flavor

Cost: $

Hours: 11am-9:15pm

Address: 16 Minzu Daxue Beilu, Weigongcun, Haidian District

Tonight, grab dinner at the Golden Peacock, a Yunnan (area in Southwest China) style restaurant. Make sure to get the pineapple rice, the potato balls, and spicy pork. This restaurant may be a little bit out of the way, but it is super inexpensive, delicious, and a great way to try a different style of Chinese food.

Day 4: Day Trip to the Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China

Cost: $5.50 General Admission or $14 if you want to take the Cable Car/Pulley

Hours: 6:30am to 7pm

The Great Wall of China is one of the top Chinese attractions and the highlight of 7 days in Beijing. The Great Wall of China took over two thousand years to build and runs over 13,000 miles. The Chinese Emperors built the wall to protect China from northern invaders and to ensure taxes on goods along the Silk Road. There are tons of sections of the wall you can visit across China. From Beijing, one of the more popular sections and the easiest to get to by public transportation is the 7.5-mile long Badaling section.

The Ming Dynasty preserved many parts of the Badaling Wall. The walls are about 26 feet high and 20 feet wide. Upon entering Badaling, visitors can choose to walk up the wall, catch the cable car, or ride the pulley system. I recommend the pulley system as it is a super fun ride (like the Matterhorn at Disneyland). Once you arrive at the top, I recommend walking 10-15 minutes down the wall. This will get you out of the crowded area and the ability to get better pictures and views. 

How to Get to the Great Wall

The easiest way to get to Badaling is by bus. First, take the subway line 2 to Jishuitan Subway Station. Right outside of exit B2 is Deshengmen Bus Station. From the Deshengmen Station, follow the signs (they look like Great Wall stamps) and catch bus 877. The line for the 877 is VERY clearly marked and you will most likely see a ton of people in a winding line.

The line moves super quickly as buses are continuously arriving and departing. There may be a policeman on the bus, so do not be alarmed as this is a normal occurrence. This bus runs directly to the Badaling entrance, so when it stops, get off! It will take about an hour to get there.

Day 5: Other Beijing Sites

Today, you will explore some more of the Beijing sites and architecture. It will be a bit more relaxed pace today as the past several days have been jam-packed!

Temple of Heaven

Cost: $5

Hours: 6am-8pm

Subway Stop: Tiantan East Gate Station

This morning, visit the Temple of Heaven, a series of religious buildings. The Min and Qin emperors often visited this complex and held religious ceremonies here. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest is the main building to visit in the complex. It is made of wood and does not contain a single nail! Plan to spend about an hour walking around the complex. 

KFC

Cost: $

Hours: 5am-11pm

Address: Qianmen W. St. (near Tiananmen Square) 

What is so special about KFC in China? It was the first Western fast food outlet allowed in China and is now China’s largest restaurant chain. Their chicken has a delicious seasoning and make sure to get a mouth-watering egg tart with your meal. The flagship KFC holds over 500 people and is the largest KFC in the world. This KFC in China is located near Tiananmen Square. It is the perfect lunch stop after exploring the Temple of Heaven.

Pearl Market (Hongqiao Market)

Cost: Free to Look

Hours: 10am-7:30pm

After lunch, spend some time wandering around the Hongqiao Market. It is known for its pearls, but this huge marketplace has any type of good you could want or need. The Hongqiao Market contains 8 stories and over an acre of shopping. More than one million people visit this market a year. Make sure to negotiate the price on anything you buy.

Beijing Olympic Park

Cost: Free to walk around

Hours: 6am-9:30pm

Subway Stop: Olympic Green Station

This afternoon explore the location of the 2008 Olympics, the Beijing Olympic Park. The Beijing National Stadium, also known as the Bird’s Nest, hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Olympics. Present-day the stadium is used for various sporting events and concerts. The National Aquatic Center, known as the Water Cube, is an aquatics center. It hosted swimming events during the Olympics. Today, it contains a water park ($4 admission fee). For views of Beijing, head up to the Olympic Tower ($28 fee).

Maltail

Cost: $

Hours: 7pm-Late

Address: opposite street of west side of Sanlitun 3.3 Shopping Mall

Tonight, grab a drink at Maltail, a whiskey and cocktail bar located in the Chaoyang area of Beijing. This bar is an adventure to find as it is not clearly marked and hidden behind a large door. Inside, they offer a variety of pleasant cocktails and a relaxed atmosphere. It is the perfect place to unwind after a long day in Beijing.

Day 6: Take a Day Trip to the Ming Tombs

Cost: $18 ticket gets you into all of the tombs

Hours: 8am-5:30pm

Today, visit one of the lesser-known attractions in the Beijing area: The Ming Tombs. The Ming Tombs are a collection of mausoleums that the Ming Emperors built throughout their reign. They are also known as the Thirteen Tombs of the Ming Dynasty. After building the Forbidden City, many of the emperors decided to be laid to rest in the valley right outside of Beijing.

Although there are 13 tombs, only three of the tombs, Changling, Dingling, and Zhaoling are open to the public. I recommend visiting Changling, the largest and best-preserved of the tombs, first. From there, walk or hop back on the same bus to Dingling, which contains an underground palace. After Dingling, make sure to walk the Sacred Way, an ornate path lined with stone animals and a huge memorial archway. 

How to Get to the Ming Tombs

Do NOT take the subway to the Ming Tombs. Although there is a subway stop labeled the Ming Tombs, this drops you off pretty far from the tombs and you will have to take a taxi. Instead, opt to take bus 872 from Deshengmen Station (the same place you caught the Great Wall Bus). This will take you to near the Changling and Dingling tombs. It is a short walk to both from the bus stop.

Xinjiang Crescent Moon Uighur Muslim Restaurant

Cost: $$

Hours: 11am-11:30pm

Address: 16 Dongsi Liutiao

Eat at Xinjiang Crescent Moon Muslim Restaurant tonight for dinner. This restaurant serves Xinjian (area in Northwest China) style Chinese food. Make sure to get the chicken or lamb skewers and flatbread along with a beer.

Day 7: Beijing Culture

Today, you will learn more about Beijing culture and how people live. You will visit some of the local neighborhoods and hangouts. 

Yonghe Temple

Cost: $3.50

Hours: 9am-5pm

Subway Stop: Yonghe Lama Temple

Also known as the Lama Temple, the Yonghe Temple is a monastery and temple of Tibetian Buddhism. The Qin Dynasty built it in 1694 and is now a national landmark. Make sure to visit the Pavilion of Ten Thousand Happiness and the statue of Maitreya Buddha. Plan to spend about an hour walking around. 

Houhai

Cost: Free to walk around

Hours: 24/7

Subway Stop: Shichahai Station

Later, visit Houhai, the lake district in Beijing. Houhai is the largest of the lakes in Beijing. Around the lake is a ton of bars and restaurants, which makes this a good area to grab a meal. This area is popular with the younger generations as it is the perfect area for a night out. You can also take a boat ride around the lake. Houhai is a great place to look at various styles of Chinese architecture and see how some of the people live. Make sure to spend time walking around the lake and allies in the area. 

Hutongs

Cost: Free to walk around

Hours: 24/7

Subway Stop: Lingjing Hutong Station

This afternoon, get lost and wander through the Hutongs. I recommend grabbing a bubble tea and snacks from the stalls along the way. Hutongs are alleys lined with traditional Chinese courtyard homes. The Hutongs date back to the Yuan Dynasty in the 1200s. The emperors planned for this area to be built as residential places for the high-ranking officials and merchants. Now, many people live in the Hutongs. This area is a great place to spend a few hours and take great pictures. 

Great Leap Brewing Company

Cost: $

Hours: Sun-Thurs: 2pm-11pm, Fri-Sat: 2pm-12am

Address: Doujiao Hutong No. 6

Great Leap Brewing Company is one of the main breweries in Beijing and the first microbrewery in the city. They use Chinese ingredients in their beers, such as Sichuan Peppers and teas, which makes for some fun brews.  The brewery also sometimes puts on lecture series. When we were there, we attended a lecture on the Boxer Rebellion. The brewery is a perfect afternoon stop after exploring the Hutongs. 

Haidilao Hot Pot

Cost: $$

Hours: 9:30am-10pm

Address: No. 88 Wangfujing Street Yintai in 88 Department Store Floor 3

Conclude your last evening of 7 days in Beijing with a dinner of Hot Pot. Hot Pot is a classic Chinese cooking method. Think of it as a Chinese fondue. You get a broth soup base at your table. Then you choose a variety of ingredients to cook in it such as chicken, beef, vegetables, noodles, etc. Haidilao is one of the most popular hot pot places in China.

It gets so popular that they offer a waiting lounge where you get complimentary tea and snacks while you are waiting. They also have the option to get a manicure or hand massage or play video games (also free). Half the fun is waiting for your table! Make sure to get the pulled noodles as they make them right in front of your table. 

Day 8: Depart Beijing

Spend your last morning in Beijing walking around or grabbing any last-minute souvenirs. Beijing is such an interesting city to explore with so many different areas. As you can see there are plenty of things to keep you busy when spending 7 days in Beijing. If you have more time, visit other areas in China. I recommend spending at least 4 days in Shanghai. Other popular cities to visit include Xi’an, Chengdu, or Chongqing. 

Total Costs for 7 Days in Beijing

Airfare Cost: $500/person

Visa Cost: $140/person

Hotel Cost:  $55/night, $450/room, or $225/person

Transportation Cost: About $10/person

Attractions Cost: About $50/person

Total Cost: $925/person for 7 days in Beijing

Teacher Tip: Make sure to Baijiu, a local liquor in China. It is traditionally made from rice and can contain 40-50% alcohol!

Want to add another country to your China trip? South Korea is a great addition! Opt to spend two days in Busan and some time in Seoul.

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