Shanghai &
Beijing

Leave hotel by 08:00. Hongqiao is huge — give yourself 45 min before departure. The G-train (高铁) Shanghai Hongqiao → Beijing South. Book the earliest convenient train on Trip.com or the 12306 app. Seat: 2nd class is fine, ~¥555.

The world's largest public square. Register entry in advance on the official Beijing tourism app (passport number required). Security checkpoints — no liquids. Worth seeing even briefly on arrival day. The portrait of Mao hits differently in person.

Beijing's main pedestrian shopping street, 5 min from most Dongcheng hotels. Relaxed first evening — food stalls in the snack street (Donghuamen) sell scorpions, stinky tofu, and lamb skewers. Skip the scorpions if squeamish, try the lamb.

Book weeks ahead on the Palace Museum official site — it sells out, especially Saturdays. 80,000 tickets/day, timed entry. Passport required at the gate. Enter from the south (Meridian Gate / 午门), exit north (Shenwu Gate). Allow 3–4 hours minimum. Wear warm layers — the courtyards are exposed and freezing.

Artificial hill built from the excavated soil of the Forbidden City moat. Climb to Wanchun Pavilion at the summit — the view straight down the palace's golden rooftops is the best photo in Beijing. Go before 14:30 while the sun is still facing south. ~¥2 entry.

Beijing's most famous hutong (old alley). Commercialised but still charming — browse the side alleys off the main drag for the real atmosphere. Good for snacks, craft beer (Great Leap Brewing nearby), and local ceramics.

~1.5 hr from central Beijing. Best option: hire a driver for the day (~¥500 round trip, negotiate via hotel) or join a morning tour. Public bus is possible (Bus 867 from Dongzhimen) but slower. Leave early — it's a full day.

Best-restored, least-crowded major section. Take the cable car up (¥100 return). Walk the wall east — towers 14–20 are the most dramatic in winter. Coming down: the toboggan (luge) run is ¥100 and genuinely fun. DRESS IN SERIOUS LAYERS — it's exposed, windswept, and will be several degrees colder than Beijing city. Bring gloves and a hat.

The wall is tiring, especially in the cold. Take the evening easy — a hot pot dinner is the perfect post-Wall recovery meal.

Vast ritual park where emperors prayed for a good harvest. Mornings are best — locals do tai chi, fan dancing, and group singing in the outer park before 10am. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is the iconic circular wooden structure. ~¥34 for the park + main hall. Allow 2 hours.

Beijing's most atmospheric active temple — Tibetan Buddhist, thick with incense smoke. Free incense sticks given at the gate. The Wanfu Pavilion houses an 18m Buddha carved from a single sandalwood trunk. Genuinely sacred space — dress respectfully, no shorts. ~¥25.

Lake ringed by hutong alleyways and bars. Hire a pedicab (rickshaw) for a 45-min hutong tour — negotiate ¥100–150 for the circuit. The lake sometimes freezes in December and locals skate on it. Bar street along the south shore gets lively after dark.

Imperial lakeside retreat — 2.9km² of gardens, pavilions, and corridors. Kunming Lake often freezes over in December, allowing a silent, glassy walk across the ice. Enter from the East Gate. Walk the Long Corridor (728m of painted scenes), climb Longevity Hill for the view. ~¥30. Allow 3 hours.

Bauhaus-era military electronics factories turned into Beijing's premier contemporary art district. Warm indoors (perfect contrast to a cold morning at the lake). UCCA gallery is the anchor — check their current show. Lots of design shops, studios, and good coffee. Great last-day energy.

Make it count. Peking Duck (北京烤鸭) is mandatory if you haven't had it yet — Quanjude or Dadong (book ahead). Then pack, confirm your airport transport for tomorrow, and rest up.