Beijing is China’s vast capital and political heart, where 800 years of imperial planning meet a kinetic megacity. Here, broad ceremonial avenues frame ancient temples, narrow hutong lanes cradle family courtyards, and glassy towers rise over lakes once reserved for emperors. It’s home to multiple UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, and stretches of the Great Wall.

For photographers, Beijing is a play of contrasts: vermilion palace gates at sunrise, blue-tiled temples at golden hour, and city neon rippling across the moats at night. For shoppers, it runs from antiques and tea markets to design boutiques and sleek malls. And for eaters, Beijing cuisine stars from imperial Peking duck to sizzling mutton hotpot and sesame-scented breakfast crepes (jianbing).

Practical notes: public transit is excellent and clearly signed in English; taxis and ride-hailing are plentiful. Foreign cards can be linked to Alipay/WeChat Pay for easy cashless purchases. Pack layers—winters are crisp and clear (great for photos), summers hot and lively, and spring/fall offer mild days for palace gardens and the Great Wall.

Beijing

Ancient capitals tend to whisper; Beijing speaks in boulevards, courtyards, and monumental squares. It’s a city for walkers and metro-hoppers, where each neighborhood reveals a different chapter—from imperial rituals at the Temple of Heaven to indie galleries inside a former factory at 798 Art District.

• Top sights: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Jingshan Park, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, the Great Wall (Mutianyu or Jinshanling), hutongs around Shichahai and Nanluoguxiang.
• Great photo spots: Jingshan Park’s Wanchun Pavilion at sunset, Seventeen-Arch Bridge at the Summer Palace, Mutianyu Great Wall watchtowers 14–20, Shichahai lakes at blue hour, Olympic Park “Bird’s Nest.”
• Shopping: Panjiayuan Antique Market (weekends best), Taikoo Li Sanlitun, Dashilan & Qianmen for traditional brands, 798 for design and galleries.

Where to stay (aligned to a mid-range budget, with options):

• Novotel Beijing Peace (Wangfujing; great value, walkable to Tiananmen/Forbidden City): Check availability
• New World Beijing Hotel (near Temple of Heaven; bigger rooms, rooftop bar): Check availability
• 365 Inn Beijing (budget-friendly near Qianmen, social vibe): Check availability or Read reviews
• The Opposite House (Sanlitun; design-forward splurge): Check availability
• The Peninsula Beijing (all-suite classic luxury near Wangfujing): Check availability

Browse more stays: VRBO Beijing | Hotels.com Beijing

Getting there & around: For flights into PEK (Capital) or PKX (Daxing), compare prices on Trip.com and Kiwi.com. Airport Express/subway to central Beijing takes ~25–45 minutes; taxis to Wangfujing typically 45–70 minutes depending on traffic.

Domestic trains are fast and frequent; e.g., Shanghai–Beijing by high-speed rail is ~4.5–5.5 hours, Xi’an–Beijing ~4.5–6 hours. Check schedules and fares on Trip.com Trains.

Handpicked tours for this itinerary (bookable on Viator):

• MuBus: Mutianyu Great Wall ENG/ESP/RUS Guided Bus Tour — budget-friendly, early start, and plenty of wall time.

  

• 4-Hour Small Group Tour to Forbidden City with Entry Tickets — story-rich walk through palace courts.

  

• Beijing Hutong Walking Food and Beer Tour at Hidden Restaurants — perfect for night photos and local bites.

  

• Private Full Day Tour: Forbidden City, Tiananmen & Summer Palace — an upgrade if you prefer a guided city day.

  

Day 1: Arrival, Wangfujing Flavors, and Sunset Over the Forbidden City

Morning: Fly into Beijing and settle into your hotel. If you arrive early, grab a light breakfast near your stay—try Soloist Coffee Co. (filter coffee and croissants) or a street-side jianbing (egg crepe with cilantro and chili) from a stall near Jingshan Park’s east gate for a local start.

Afternoon: Stretch your legs along Wangfujing. Pop into the snack street for candid photography—skewers sizzling, sesame candies being pulled—then head to Jingshan Park. Climb to Wanchun Pavilion for a sweeping, golden-hour panorama of the Forbidden City’s sea of rooftops—one of Beijing’s best sunset shots.

Evening: For dinner, book Peking duck. Siji Minfu (Qianmen Branch) is beloved for crisp skin and lychee wood smoke; Da Dong is a sleeker take with artful plating. After, wander Dashilan and Qianmen Street’s time-worn shopfronts. Nightcap at a hutong speakeasy such as Amble (seasonal infusions) or sip jasmine tea at Teahouse Yu if you prefer a calm finish.

Day 2: The Great Wall at Mutianyu + Hotpot Night

Morning: Join a guided bus to the Great Wall at Mutianyu for fewer crowds and photogenic watchtowers. We recommend this value-forward tour: MuBus: Mutianyu Great Wall ENG/ESP/RUS Guided Bus Tour. Expect ~1.5 hours each way, ample wall time, fast-track entry, and bilingual guides.

Afternoon: On the wall, ride the cable car up and walk between towers 14–20 for sweeping ridge-line views; photographers love the undulating stone and wooded valleys. If you’re feeling playful, take the toboggan down (great video!). Return to the city mid-to-late afternoon; rest up at the hotel.

Evening: Warm up with Beijing-style hotpot. Dong Lai Shun is a century-old institution famed for paper-thin mutton and sesame paste dipping sauce; budget-friendlier branches are scattered around Dongcheng. Prefer noodles? Mr. Shi’s Dumplings (Baochao Hutong) is lively and affordable, with pan-fried dumplings perfect for sharing. Cap the night with a lakeside stroll at Shichahai for reflections of arched bridges and lanterns.

Day 3: Tiananmen & Forbidden City Stories, Hutong Food Crawl

Morning: Begin at Tiananmen Square to frame the day’s history, then continue into the palace with a guided, ticket-included walk: 4-Hour Small Group Tour to Forbidden City with Entry Tickets. You’ll traverse the Meridian Gate into sunlit courtyards, learn court rituals in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, and peek at quieter side halls where the stories get intimate.

Afternoon: Walk to Beihai Park for willow-framed lake shots and the White Dagoba viewpoint. Sip a flat white at Metal Hands Coffee (Nanluoguxiang area) and wander Yandai Xiejie for calligraphy brushes, silks, and enamel trinkets. Bargain kindly. For a late lunch, try Huguosi Snacks—a classic canteen serving sesame buns, pea cakes, and Beijing-style noodles.

Evening: Dive into hutong flavors on a night tour that hits family-run spots tourists miss: Beijing Hutong Walking Food and Beer Tour at Hidden Restaurants. Expect bubbling stews, grilled skewers, hand-pulled noodles, and local brews—plus moody alley photos under lantern light.

Day 4: Temple of Heaven, Markets & 798 Art, Summer Palace Finale

Morning: Arrive early at the Temple of Heaven to photograph morning tai chi, dancing, and card games among cypress groves—then step inside the echoing, blue-tiled Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. Shoppers: if it’s a weekend, head to Panjiayuan Antique Market (best 7–11am) for calligraphy, woodblocks, Cultural Revolution posters, and ceramics. On weekdays, browse Hongqiao Pearl Market for souvenirs or Maliandao Tea Street to sample oolongs and pu’er.

Afternoon: Ride to the Summer Palace for lakeside breezes. Walk the Long Corridor’s painted beams, boat across Kunming Lake, and photograph the Seventeen-Arch Bridge from the island—the curve frames beautifully in late afternoon. Coffee stop at a lakeside kiosk, then browse for silk scarves or cloisonné near the east gate vendors.

Evening: Wrap up in Taikoo Li Sanlitun, where courtyards mix with flagship stores and indie labels—good for last-minute gifts. Eat casual and satisfying at Jing-A Brewing Co. (craft beers and Beijing fried chicken) or try a refined vegetarian feast at King’s Joy near the Lama Temple if you’re celebrating. Depart for the airport this afternoon or evening depending on your flights.

Prefer a guided city day? Swap Day 4’s self-guided plan for this curated option: Private Full Day Tour: Forbidden City, Tiananmen & Summer Palace (efficient routing and deep context).

Budget tips (targeting 50/100): Use the metro for most hops (cheap, fast, English signage). Choose one premium meal (duck or fine veggie) and balance others with dumplings, noodles, or canteen-style Beijing bites. The MuBus wall tour and small-group Forbidden City walk deliver great value without sacrificing depth.

Photography notes: Best light hits the Forbidden City from Jingshan at sunset; Mutianyu is lovely mid-morning on clear days; the Summer Palace’s bridge glows near sunset; Shichahai mirrors lanterns after blue hour. Always carry a polarizer for palace reds and lake scenes, and a lightweight telephoto for wall watchtowers.

Transport booking shortcuts: compare flights on Trip.com Flights or Kiwi.com. For regional bullet trains, check Trip.com Trains for schedules and prices.

In four days, you’ll trace imperial axes, taste the capital’s comfort foods, and stand atop the Great Wall’s ridgelines—camera full, suitcase a little heavier. Beijing rewards curiosity, and its layers unfold fast when you know where to look. Safe travels and happy shooting.