What to see in Beijing: 7-day itinerary

If you decide to visit Asia and get acquainted with its unique culture, then our useful guide will certainly come in handy for you. Especially for you, we have collected the most necessary information for independent tourists about Beijing, useful tips and tricks. Beijing is an amazing city, here everyone will discover something new. He will certainly win you over from the first day of your stay. Here you can stroll through beautiful parks, have a picnic by the lake, spend an evening in an authentic bar, taste delicious dishes and just enjoy the local flavor. You definitely can't go wrong if you travel to Beijing in spring or fall. Of course, the city can be visited in summer, but keep in mind that many people will find it too stuffy here and not very comfortable for long walks at this time. In winter, a vacation in Beijing is also possible, but you may not be able to take colorful and beautiful photographs. Many people dissuade from going to Beijing when they celebrate the Chinese New Year here, frightening crowds of tourists, but, as practice shows, at this time you can relax here without any discomfort. A nice bonus is various additional discounts in stores.

How to get to Beijing on your own

The easiest way is, of course, the plane. Direct flights from Aeroflot are convenient. The flight from Moscow will take 7.5 hours, and the return flight will take a little longer. You can also fly with transfers by purchasing air tickets for Turkish airlines, Azal, China Southern Airlines, Finnair, but this is less comfortable and more expensive.

Visa

If you purchase a ready-made tour, then you should not worry about a visa. The travel agency will take over the registration. If you go on a trip on your own, you can get a visa at the Consulate or Visa Application Center. To obtain a visa, you must prepare the following documents:

• Completed application form, which can be downloaded on the website of the visa center chinavisacenter.ru in the section "Forms"
• International passport. Keep in mind that your passport must be valid for at least 6 months when you come to apply
• Copy of a foreign passport (page with photo)
• One color photo 3 * 4 cm
• Flights
• Hotel reservation
• A copy of the first page and the page with the registration of the Russian passport
• If so, then copies of previously issued visas to the PRC

You will also need to make a payment in the amount of 4 400 rubles. The processing time is 5 working days. If you need to get a visa faster, it will cost more. It is possible to obtain a visa in one day for 9,900 rubles.

China Visa Application Center: Moscow, st. 1st Kadashevsky per., 13, building 1, floor 2.

How to get around in Beijing

The most convenient way is, of course, the metro. The fare is two RMB. So, without any problems and traffic jams, you can easily get from one end of the city to the other. For your convenience, we recommend downloading the application with the metro map, it will definitely come in handy. Keep in mind that you definitely won't be able to avoid crowds during peak hours, so try to find a more suitable time for your metro travel.

How to get from the airport to the center

There are several possible options. One of the most convenient is the Aeroexpress, which runs through terminals 2 and 3, as well as Dongzhimen and Sanyuanqiao metro stations. Aeroexpress will take tourists to the city from 6 am to 11 pm without any problems. The fare is 25 RMB. Take your time to throw away the ticket, as you will need it when you exit. If you are arriving late at night, we recommend using a taxi. For travel from the airport to the city, you will pay about 100 yuan. Keep in mind that you will have to stand in line.

Of course, private traders will offer their services to you, but we strongly recommend that you refuse them. In order not to have problems with the driver, prepare a note written in hieroglyphs with the required address in advance, as things are not the best for local taxi drivers with any foreign languages. Another option is to print the hotel business card from the website. The internet is here to help you. The cheapest way to get from the airport to the city is by bus. The trip will cost you approximately 1 to 3 RMB. The only obstacle can be the language barrier if you do not know the exact stop or route. In general, in order not to get lost and not train the language of signs and facial expressions on the locals, we recommend that you find out in advance which route you need, the bus number, the name of the stop.

Where to stay

GuruTurizma recommends the following hotels:

Where to eat. Trying local cuisine

For more information on local establishments, visit CityWeekend or TheBeijinger. We can advise you to look into one interesting bar - Beetle In a Box. The original interior, good service, aromatic coffee and delicious sandwiches are guaranteed to you. There is a choice of stronger drinks. Address: Jiaodaokou, 交道口. Bldg 4, 24 Jiaodaokou Dongdajie, Dongcheng District, 东城 区 交道口 东 大街 4 号楼 24 号.

Not far from this bar there is another great place - Alba Café. Finding it is not difficult, you just need to go a little further in the same direction. Here you will be offered delicious food. You will certainly appreciate the interior of this establishment and the attentive service. In addition, the cafe has Wi-Fi.

If you are wondering where to spend your evening and dine, we recommend choosing one of the most popular places in Beijing - F1 First Floor. Address: Ground Floor, Tongli Studios, Sanlitun Beixiaojie, Chaoyang district, 朝阳 区 三里屯 北 小街 同 里 大厦 一层. It is especially pleasant to visit this place on Monday, because on this day there is a 50% discount on all menus. Free Wi-Fi is provided for clients of the institution.

For picky and budget-conscious tourists, we recommend trying delicious dishes in local chifankas. These are small restaurants with Chinese cuisine. Of course, you will not see starched napkins and porcelain cups here, but you will definitely be able to eat on a budget and very satisfying. The portions in Chifankas are always huge and various pleasant "buns" are often offered: free snacks, beer, etc.

If you need a quick bite between sightseeing, then you should definitely try the zaverton, which can be bought near the metro. You can also buy sweet pancakes, a cake with herbs and ham from a seller with a trolley, and exotic lovers can try fried scorpions on a skewer. For sweets, we definitely recommend trying hawthorn berries in sugar syrup. Also in Beijing, you can always find familiar and familiar food at Pizza Hut or, for example, at KFC. In general, you will definitely not stay hungry in Beijing.

First day

Sightseeing usually starts from Tiananmen Square. It is a kind of departure point. Its unique feature is its size. It is the largest in the world. But this is where tourists come across scams. Be vigilant and do not flatter yourself if someone shows special friendliness to your person.

National Theater

Next to the square is another popular attraction - the national theater. If you missed getting to any performance, don't be discouraged. In any case, you need to enter, because inside there is something to see and something to admire.

Forbidden City

Now is the time to go to inspect the Forbidden City. What attracts tourists so much? Of course, the scale and the opportunity to see the unique architecture with your own eyes. Of course, because of the crowds of tourists, it is quite difficult to get to the windows of the imperial chambers, but you should definitely look in.

Hotels near the Forbidden City:

Beihai Park and Jingshan

If you walk north of the Forbidden City, you will find yourself in Beihai Park, and Jingshan Park is also very close. We recommend visiting both, because, for example, in Beihai Park you can enjoy peace and quiet. Jingshan Park offers unique attractions. In addition, in this park you can see the place where the emperor committed suicide.

Second day

Qingyuan Park

Today you can devote time to exploring Qingyuan Park, known as the Summer Imperial Palace. We recommend that you go there as early as possible, since already around ten o'clock there is simply no overcrowding and it is quite problematic to appreciate all the beauty of the place. The easiest way to get to the place is by metro. You need line 4, Beigongmen station. This park has remained practically unchanged since the reign of Emperor Qianlong and to this day is divided into three zones. In the first of them, you can see the palace buildings located near the East Gate. In the second zone, there is the Fosiange tower, which rises on the southern slope of the Mountain of Longevity. The third zone is located behind the mountain and is notable for the fact that Suzhou canal street was recently restored here.

Garden of Perfection and Purity

The Garden of Perfection and Purity is located near Qingyuan Park. Here you can take a leisurely stroll and enjoy the beauty of the lakes and hills. You can also see the ruins of palaces here.

The third day

Sky Temple

Today you can visit the Temple of Heaven (Tiantan), which includes a complex of structures and a park area. This complex is open to visitors from 9 am to 4 pm. The admission fee for one person is 15 RMB. If you plan to visit the temples that are located in the park, then you will need to pay an additional 20 yuan.

You can get to the place by metro. You need line 5, Tantandongmen stop. In the Temple of Heaven, be sure to take a photo of the blue tiles, watch the masters of calligraphy, make sure that the Echo Wall really works, conduct an experiment with the Heavenly Soul Stone.

National Bolshoi Theater

Today you can also visit the National Bolshoi Theater, which is unlike any other theater in the world. We have been working on the development of the project for 50 years and the result is simply amazing. The author of the project was the French architect Paul André. Unusual architecture is a distinctive feature of this building.

Even if you are not a theater lover, there will be plenty to do here. Restaurants and shops are open for visitors at the National Bolshoi Theater. The entrance ticket costs 30 RMB. Take the metro to get to the site. You need the first line, Tiananmen West station.

Fourth day

Zoo

Today you can spend exciting time in one of the largest zoo in China, founded in 1906. Almost 15 thousand representatives of the fauna live here. On the territory of the zoo there are ponds and lakes, buildings from the end of the Qing dynasty. The House of the Big Panda deserves special attention, home to the most popular mammals, including the unique giant panda. You can get to the zoo by subway, line 4, Beijing Zoo station.

Ancient Observatory

Another attraction of Beijing that certainly deserves attention is the Ancient Observatory. Today it presents a thematic museum, which displays ancient exhibits - astronomical equipment. The observatory was built in 1442. If you are taking the subway, then you need the first and second lines, Jianguomen station.

8 metro line

Also devote time to the 8th Olympic Branch Line, which opened in conjunction with the 2008 Beijing Olympics. You can visit the National Stadium "Bird's Nest" and the National Swimming Center "Water Cube", which currently has a water park.

The fifth day

Art Zone 798

Today we recommend visiting another unique place - Art Zone 798 (Dashanzi Art District). Various exhibitions can be visited on the territory, which are often updated. Previously, it was possible to visit the Art Zone absolutely free of charge, today, for the most part, an entrance fee is required.

It is noteworthy that there used to be a factory on this territory, so galleries and expositions are located right in the workshops of abandoned buildings. The easiest way to get to the gallery is by taxi, as there is no metro to this object. Get off at Lianmaqiao Station, which is on the tenth line, catch a taxi and show the address: 大山子 798 艺术 区.

Sixth day

The great Wall of China

Today we go to inspect the Great Wall of China. The easiest way to get to the place is to purchase a tour, which is sold in almost all hotels. You will be able to get to the attraction you need with comfort and without any problems. Another option is to take a tourist bus that departs in the early morning from Tiananmen or Xuanwumen. Buy a ticket and get ready for an exciting excursion. The most courageous tourists, who are not afraid of difficulties, can get to Badaling on their own by buying a ticket for the train, which departs from the northern station.

An important point, if you decide to buy excursions, then choose a section of the Mutianyu wall, as there are many hours of traffic jams on the way to Badaling. Also, do not count on a guided tour in English and, moreover, in Russian. The narration is exclusively in Chinese. Stock up on a light snack as all snacks near the tourist site are very expensive. Before heading out for the inspection, remember the bus number on which you arrived and specify the exact time of meeting with the guide.

Seventh day. Shopping

It will be unforgivable to come to Beijing and not devote time to shopping. Shopping can and should be combined with an excursion program. If you prefer such well-known brands as: Uniqlo, Bershka, Stradivarius, Pull & Bear, H&M, Zara, GAP, then be sure to check out the U-Town mall or any other that comes your way. These brands are not uncommon in Beijing. If you are more interested in local designers, then check out the Hot Wind brand. Also, in search of interesting shopping spots, take a look at The Place. Here you can see the LED screen, already familiar to everyone from the photo from the Internet. We highly recommend checking out the Charterhouse, a bookstore where you can buy English literature.

You can bargain and purchase copies from the collections of famous brands at the Silk Market. If you are told the cost of a thing, then you can safely divide it by 10. In general, you can have a lot of fun here.

If you are looking for interesting souvenirs for relatives, friends or colleagues, then head to Nanluoguxiang. You will definitely find something interesting here. If you wish, we recommend taking a walk to the Houhai Bar Street, which is not far away. Here you can combine shopping and walking with sightseeing. Since the place is tourist, the prices are correspondingly higher than in other places. If you want to save money, you can go to the hutongs for a snack. The food here is no less tasty. If you want to buy interesting souvenirs made of stone or porcelain, ivory or bamboo, wood, antiques, then go to Liulichang Street.

Do you prefer exquisite silk products? The shops you need are located on Xiushui Street. You can buy branded items in Beijing on Xidan Street. The markets of Beijing deserve special attention. Five markets will be interesting for tourists. Wangfujing Market, which is essentially a shopping street and located near the Forbidden City, offers tourists branded products in various boutiques, souvenirs, and bookstores. We recommend coming here in the late afternoon. It is at this time that the "food lane" opens here, where you can taste freshly prepared exotic kebabs, for example, from scorpions. You can also combine walking and shopping with a visit to the Chinese theater, the entrance to which is free for everyone.

To get to Xiushuijie Silk Market, you need to take the subway to Yonganli Station. The market itself is located in a multi-storey building, where mainly tourists are bought, since prices are very high here. There will be no language barrier with traders as they all speak English. Bargaining on the price here is unlikely to work, for the most part it is fixed. You can buy similar goods as in the Xiushuijie market, but only more affordable in terms of price and quality can be found in the Yasiu (Yashou) shichang market. We take the subway to Dongsishitiao station.

A must-see for all shopaholics is the Hongqiao shichang Pearl Market. Here are the most reasonable prices and good quality goods. Another popular Beijing market is Yabaolu. Here you can buy all the goods that you see in shopping centers in Russia. This place is popular among Russian tourists because only here you can easily exchange rubles for dollars, and all the sellers speak Russian. The prices will also delight you.

Where to go in Beijing at night

The main advice to all tourists is not to try strong alcoholic drinks in clubs, as they are of very low quality in Beijing. Even familiar high-end whiskey brands do not guarantee original content. In general, there is a great risk of running into singed alcohol. One of the exceptions is Mao Mao Chong Bar. It is cozy, tasty food, and the reputation is carefully monitored, I offer only high-quality alcohol. The interior of the bar is decorated with paintings painted by the owner of the establishment. He and his wife can often be found at the bar. They will offer you high quality service, attentive attitude and branded liqueur.

If you are looking for some great beer in the evening, then we recommend stopping by the Great Leap Bar on Gongti. If you believe the reviews, then the most delicious beer in Beijing is brewed here. If you like live music and noisy company, then head to Salud in the evening. You will definitely not be bored here.

Itinerary in Beijing for 7 days on the map