North China city guide
Beijing
Imperial sights, museums, hutong walks, and Great Wall day trips.
Recommended stay3-5 days
Best seasonSpring or autumn for outdoor walking and clearer day plans.
What to plan around
- Forbidden City
- Temple of Heaven
- Summer Palace
- Great Wall day trip
First-day pacing
- Keep the arrival day light.
- Use a central hotel area if possible.
- Save Chinese addresses before leaving the airport or station.
Transport notes
- Metro is useful for central sights.
- Use staffed help when a QR or gate does not work.
- Keep a taxi or ride-hailing fallback for late arrivals.
Apps for this city
Prepare these before arrival
DiDi China
Ride hailing, pickup points, and driver messaging
First-city transport and late arrivals
Alipay
Payments, transport QR codes, and local services
Payment setup and wallet fallback
Messaging, payments, mini programs, and service accounts
Payment and communication backup
Google Translate
Downloaded languages, camera translation, and typed phrases
Signs, menus, labels, and staffed help