The yellow roofs of the Forbidden City seen from Jingshan hill, with the Shenwumen gate in the foreground
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Beijing in 1 day

  • 1 day
  • 9.1 km on foot
  • 18 stops
  • Audio guide

One day in Beijing goes a long way if you follow the axis that runs through the city from south to north. This plan strings together our three routes: a loop around the Forbidden City, the old merchant streets of Qianmen, and the northern lakes as the light fades. It's a full day with plenty of walking, but you'll leave with a real sense of the capital, and two very Beijing meals along the way.

One day in BeijingFrom the palace to the lakes

Start early at Tiananmen Gate with “Beijing highlights: around the Forbidden City” – security lines move faster first thing. Follow the moat to the corner tower and climb Jingshan hill for the view over the golden roofs. Then take the metro or a taxi down to Qianmen for shaomai at Duyichu, and walk “Gates, legations and guilds” from Dongjiaominxiang to Liulichang. Head north to Shichahai at sunset for the lakes-and-bells route, and finish with griddled lamb at Kaorou Ji, right by Yinding Bridge.

  1. Morning

    Beijing highlights: around the Forbidden City

    Mixed · 3.5 km · 2 h 30 min

    1. Tiananmen GateThe entrance to the Imperial City, from which edicts were announced and the People's Republic was proclaimed in 1949.
    2. Changpu Canal ParkAn imperial canal that spent half a century buried, and a stone archive where the dynasty's secrets were kept.
    3. Donghuamen, the East GateThe gate through which imperial coffins left, with one row of studs fewer than the others and a rebellion that reached its very doors.
    4. The north-east corner towerNine beams, eighteen pillars and seventy-two ridges: the palace's most photographed tower and the legend of a cricket cage.
    5. Jingshan hillA hill made by hand to protect the palace, the best view of the Forbidden City and the tree where the Ming dynasty ended.
    6. Beihai lake and the White DagobaThe oldest imperial garden in the city, a jade island around which Kublai Khan built his capital.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  2. Lunch

    Try Duyichu shaomai at Duyichu (都一处). Qianmen Dajie, 36, Dongcheng, Pekín

  3. Afternoon

    Gates, legations and guilds: Beijing's southern city

    History · 2.7 km · 2 h

    1. Dongjiaominxiang, the Legation QuarterA quiet street with a Gothic church where, in 1900, hundreds of foreigners and Chinese Christians held out through a 55-day siege.
    2. The old Qianmen railway stationBeijing's iron gateway: a British-looking station through which kings, generals and modern times arrived.
    3. Zhengyangmen, the Qianmen gateThe tallest gate in Beijing's city wall, split in two by an avenue and lined up with the imperial throne.
    4. Qianmen Street and its great archwayThe shopping avenue of the central axis, with a five-bay archway, a vintage tram and restaurants that have been roasting ducks for a century and a half.
    5. Dashilar, the street of century-old shopsA wooden barrier, a fire that wiped out a district, and the pharmacies, silk merchants and shoemakers still open since imperial times.
    6. Liulichang, the scholars' streetWhere the palace's golden roof tiles were once fired, booksellers, painters and brush makers later moved in.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  4. Early evening

    Lakes and bells: the secrets of Shichahai

    Mysteries & legends · 2.9 km · 2 h 10 min

    1. Prince Gong's MansionThe house built by the most corrupt minister of the Qing dynasty, and the character for happiness he is said to have hidden there.
    2. Yinding Bridge and the bomb of 1910A little bridge shaped like a silver ingot, the best view of the Western Hills and a plot against the regent that nearly changed history.
    3. Wanning Bridge and the Fire God TempleThe final port of the Grand Canal, stone beasts that watch over the water and a temple built to keep the palace safe from flames.
    4. The Drum TowerThe tower that told the whole city the time with 108 strikes, and a drum that still bears the slashes of 1900.
    5. The Bell Tower and the legend of the bell maidenA bronze bell more than five metres tall, and the legend of the young woman who is said to have thrown herself into the molten metal.
    6. Nanluoguxiang, the centipede streetA hunchbacked lane with sixteen legs, the home of an ill-fated empress and the mansions of generals who switched sides.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  5. Dinner

    Try Kaorou, Beijing-style griddled lamb at Kaorou Ji (烤肉季). Qianhai Dongyan, junto al puente Yinding, Shichahai, Xicheng, Pekín

The map

Beijing in 1 day, on the map

Each route’s stops are numbered in order; the stars are the extra sights.

Mixed History Mysteries & legends

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Before you go

Tips for Beijing in 1 day

  • Carry your passport all day: you'll need it at the Tiananmen Square checkpoints and sometimes in the metro. Travel light – big backpacks and lighters slow you down at the security scanners.
  • Use the metro to hop between areas: it's cheap, signposted in English and skips the traffic on the big avenues. Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay with your foreign card before you go; they work for the metro, taxis and almost any food stall.
  • Spring and especially autumn are the best seasons, with mild days and clearer skies. Summer is hot and humid, winter dry and bitterly cold – bring an extra layer for the wind off the lakes in the evening.

Questions

Beijing in 1 day: your questions

Can you see Beijing in one day?

You can see the core of the centre, which is what this plan does: the Forbidden City from outside, Qianmen and the northern hutongs. The palace interior, the Temple of Heaven and the Great Wall won't fit, so if you can add another day, you'll be glad you did.

How far will I walk in one day?

The three routes add up to about 9.1 km: 3.5 around the Forbidden City, 2.7 in Qianmen and 2.9 in Shichahai. You'll hop between them by metro or taxi. Beijing is flat, but distances are deceptive, so wear comfortable shoes and take breaks.

Is there time to go inside the Forbidden City?

Not on this plan: a visit inside usually takes around three hours and must be booked in advance with your passport. If it's your priority, swap the afternoon Qianmen route for the palace. Bear in mind it's usually closed on Mondays except public holidays – check first.

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