Beijing in a Day
Description:
Seeing Beijing in a day? You must be kidding. People spend years here and still fail to see everything they should. But if a day is all you have, focus on the sights in the center of the city and try to avoid getting trapped in Beijing traffic. (Or go local and rent a bike.) This itinerary will take you to Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, Wangfujing Pedestrian Street, the Lama Temple, Houhai Lake, Beihai Park and still leave time for Peking duck.
Author: Jennifer
Day 1 - Beijing
This is an ambitious itinerary, but if you've only got one day in Beijing, it will get you to the highlights in the center of town. Begin with breakfast in the hotel (the lobby bakery has some of the best croissants this side of Paris) and then head down Chang'An Avenue toward Tiananmen Square. If you're still suffering from jet lag, you may catch the 6 a.m. flag raising or some early morning tai chi. The line forms early and grows quickly to catch a glimpse of embalmed Chairman Mao. ZhengYanMen, at the south end of the Square, provides a nice view of the rapidly developing Qianmen area, but if you're running late, head directly for Tiananmen Gate, pass under the Mao portrait, and enter the Forbidden City. (Make certain you buy tickets for the Forbidden City and not access to the gate.) Exploring the sprawling Forbidden City can take awhile and afterwards your feet will surely want a break. Head back east to the Wangfujing area and check out the bizarre delicacies available at DongHuaMen night market. (It is open at lunch as well.) If nothing there appeals to you, fill up on Peking duck at the Quanjude Wangfujing branch. Now you're nearly back at the Hyatt where you can rent bikes for the rest of the afternoon. (No shame in a cab if you're really tired.) With a good map in hand, trek over to the Lama Temple and then peddle through Beijing's hutongs to Nanluoguxiang shopping street. Pick up a few souvenirs or recharge with a coffee at one of the many cafes. Exiting Nanluoguxiang to the south, you will be at the north entrance of Beihai Park or just to the east of Houhai Lake district. Either makes for an enjoyable stroll at dusk. If you want to stick around to see the lights come up over Houhai, try the Yunnan cuisine at South Silk Road (just past Starbucks) and grab a drink just across the lake at East Shore Jazz. If you're looking for something more upscale, head back to the hotel, spruce up a bit and then dine in style at the Courtyard. Book ahead for a table with the best views of the Forbidden City. On the walk home, pop into RBL for a cocktail.
1
Stroll on Chang An Avenue
Location:
view in google mapsChang An Avenue
100004 Beijing, China
Phone:
+86 10 8119 10112
Tiananmen Square
Location:
view in google mapsChang An Avenue
Dong Cheng District
100006 Beijing, China
3
Mao Ze Dong Mausoleum
Location:
view in google mapsTiananmen Square
Chongmen District
100006 Beijing, China
Phone:
+86 10 6513 22774
ZhengYangMen Gate
Location:
view in google mapsSouthern end of Tiananmen Square
Xuanwu District
100006 Beijing, China
Phone:
+86 10 6351 0018 (Beijing Tourist Information Center)5
Tiananmen Gate
Location:
view in google mapsNorth end of Tiananmen Square
Dongcheng District
100006 Beijing, China
Phone:
+86 10 6512 30436
Forbidden City (Gu Gong)
Location:
view in google mapsNorth of Tiananmen Square
Dong Cheng District
100009 Beijing, China
Phone:
+86 0 10 6512 2255 / +86 0 10 6513 22557
Wang Fu Jing Shopping Area
Location:
100005 Beijing,8
Dong Hua Men Night Market
Location:
view in google mapsXing Dong An Plaza
off Wangfujing Daije
100005 Beijing, China
Phone:
+86 10 8119 10119
Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant
Location:
view in google maps32 Qianmen Avenue
100051 Beijing, China
Phone:
86 10 6701 137910
Yonghe Gong (Lama Temple)
Location:
view in google mapsYong He Gong Dajie 12
South of the North Second Ring Rd. (entrance on the south end of the complex)
100007 Beijing, China
Phone:
010/6404-376911
Nanluoguxiang
Location:
view in google mapsRuns north to south between Jiugulou Dajie and Dianmen Dajie, respectively
Southern entrance a few blocks east of Houhai
Beijing, China
12
Bei Hai Gongyuan (Beihai Park)
Location:
view in google mapsWenjin Jie 1
Xi Cheng Qu (south entrance is just west of the north gate of the Forbidden City; east entrance is opposite the west entrance of Jing Shan Park)
100034 Beijing, China
Phone:
010/6404-061013
South Silk Road
Location:
view in google maps19 Lotus Lane
Beijing, China
Phone:
86 10 6615 551514
East Shore Live Jazz Café
Location:
view in google maps2/F, 2 Qianhai Nanyuan Lu
Eastern bank of Houhai
Beijing, China
Phone:
10 8403 213115
The Courtyard (Siheyuan)
Location:
view in google mapsDonghua Men Dajie 95
10-min. walk, on north side of street
100006 Beijing, China
Phone:
010/6526-888316
RBL
Location:
view in google maps53 Dong An Men Street
Xi Pei Lou
100747 Beijing, China
Phone:
86 10 6552 139317
Grand Hyatt Beijing
Location:
view in google maps1 East Chang An Avenue
100738 Beijing, China
Phone:
+86 10 8518 1234