Beijing 5 Days 4 Nights In-Depth Travel Guide๏ฝExplore the Imperial Capital with a 4000 RMB Budget, See the Red Walls, Green Tiles, and Everyday Life
๐City Impression: Millennium Ancient Capital, Political and Cultural Center๏ฝRich History, Vibrant Life
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Recommended Travel Time: April-May (spring blossoms), September-October (clear autumn skies, off-peak during National Day)
๐ฐTotal Budget: 4000 RMB (for 2 people, 2000 RMB per person, economical and comfortable)
๐ฏKeywords: Forbidden City, Great Wall, Hutongs, Museums, Beijing Local Life
๐ฏDay 1: Arrive in Beijing ยท Tiananmen Night View ยท First Experience of Qianmen Hutong
Transportation:
- Arrive by high-speed train/plane at [Beijing West Station/Beijing South Station/Capital Airport]
- Subway direct to downtown (subway fare 3-8 RMB, recommended to get a "Yikatong" card or use the "Yitongxing" app to scan QR codes)
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Per person transportation: 30 RMB
Accommodation: Budget hotel near Qianmen/Nanluoguxiang (Recommended: Home Inn Business Qianmen Branch or Qiuguo Hotel Nanluoguxiang Branch)
- ๐กCentral location, walking distance to multiple attractions
- ๐ฐPrice: 380 RMB/night (double room, breakfast included)
Itinerary:
- Evening: Check out the night view of [Tiananmen Square] (free, must book in advance via "Tiananmen Square" official WeChat)
- See the Monument to the People's Heroes, exterior of the National Museum
- Dinner: Eat at [Qianmen Street] (Recommended: Menkuang Hutong Lu Zhu, Zhajiangmian King, Tanghulu, about 60 RMB per person)
- Stroll: Walk into [Yangmeizhu Xiejie] or [Wudaoying Hutong] to feel the old cityโs artistic vibe
๐Daily expenses subtotal: Transportation 30 + Accommodation 190 + Food 60 = 280 RMB/person
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Day 2: In-depth Forbidden City Tour ยท Jingshan Park Overlooking the Forbidden City ยท Wangfujing Nightlife
Tickets:
- Palace Museum: 60 RMB/person (off-season), 80 RMB (peak season, must book 7 days in advance via the Palace Museum mini program!)
- Jingshan Park: 10 RMB/person (climb to the top for a panoramic view of the Forbidden City)
Transportation: Subway + walking, 5 RMB per person
Itinerary:
- Morning: Deep tour of the [Forbidden City] (recommended to enter before 8:30 to avoid crowds)
- Must-see route: Meridian Gate โ Hall of Supreme Harmony โ Palace of Heavenly Purity โ Western Six Palaces โ Treasure Gallery โ Gate of Divine Might
- Noon: Light meal at the Forbidden City Corner Tower Cafรฉ (about 50 RMB per person, popular check-in spot)
- Afternoon: Exit from Gate of Divine Might, walk to [Jingshan Park], climb Wanchun Pavilion for a full view of the Forbidden City
- Evening: Stroll [Wangfujing Pedestrian Street], check in at century-old shops "Donglaishun" and "Daoxiangcun"
- Dinner: Wangfujing snack street or Beijing-style restaurant (Recommended: Siji Minfu Roast Duck, about 100 RMB per person)
Accommodation: Continue staying at Qianmen hotel
๐ฐ380 RMB/night
๐Daily expenses subtotal: Transportation 5 + Tickets 70 + Food 150 + Accommodation 190 = 415 RMB/person
๐งDay 3: One-day Trip to Badaling Great Wall ยท Check in at Hero Slope
Transportation:
- Option 1 (recommended): Beijing North Station/Qinghe Station โ Badaling Great Wall Station (high-speed train 30 minutes, second class seat 29 RMB/person, round trip 58 RMB)
- Option 2: Take bus 877 from Deshengmen (one way 12 RMB, takes 1.5 hours)
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Per person transportation: 60 RMB
Tickets: Badaling Great Wall: 40 RMB/person (off-season), 45 RMB (peak season, buy tickets in advance via "Badaling Great Wall" official WeChat)
Itinerary:
- Morning: Climb [Badaling Great Wall] (recommended to climb from the north line, North Tower 8 is "Hero Slope")
- Optional cable car (one way 100 RMB, saves effort but walking is recommended)
- Noon: Simple meal inside the scenic area (Recommended: farmhouse dishes at the foot of the Great Wall, about 60 RMB per person)
- Afternoon: Visit [Bear Paradise] or [Great Wall Museum] (free)
- Evening: Return to downtown by high-speed train
Accommodation: Continue staying at Qianmen hotel
๐ฐ380 RMB/night
๐Daily expenses subtotal: Transportation 60 + Tickets 40 + Food 60 + Accommodation 190 = 350 RMB/person
๐๏ธDay 4: Boating at Summer Palace ยท Reminisce at Old Summer Palace ยท Sanlitun Nightlife
Transportation: Subway Line 4 direct, 6 RMB per person
Tickets:
- Summer Palace: 30 RMB/person (combined ticket 60 RMB including the Garden within the Garden, recommended to buy combined ticket)
- Old Summer Palace: 25 RMB/person (ruins park, strong historical atmosphere)
Itinerary:
- Morning: Tour [Summer Palace] โ Chinaโs largest imperial garden
- Must-see: Kunming Lake, Seventeen-Arch Bridge, Long Corridor, Tower of Buddhist Incense (additional 10 RMB)
- Optional: Boat ride on the lake (40 RMB/person)
- Noon: Lunch near Summer Palace (Recommended: Old Beijing Zhajiangmian, Douzhi with fried dough rings, about 50 RMB per person)
- Afternoon: Visit [Old Summer Palace] โ see the Western-style building ruins, feel the vicissitudes of history
- Evening: Head to [Sanlitun] โ a modern Beijing microcosm, check in at Taikoo Li, bookstores, trendy shops
- Dinner: Light meal or Beijing cuisine restaurant in Sanlitun (about 80 RMB per person)
Accommodation: Continue staying at Qianmen hotel
๐ฐ380 RMB/night
๐Daily expenses subtotal: Transportation 6 + Tickets 85 + Food 130 + Accommodation 190 = 411 RMB/person
๐Day 5: Temple of Heaven Prayer ยท Hutong Cycling ยท Last Stop Before Departure
Transportation: Subway + shared bike, 10 RMB per person
Tickets: Temple of Heaven Park: 15 RMB/person (combined ticket 34 RMB including Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests and Echo Wall, recommended to buy combined ticket)
Itinerary:
- Morning: Visit [Temple of Heaven Park] โ place where Ming and Qing emperors worshipped heaven
- Must-see: Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, Echo Wall, Circular Mound Altar
- Experience the beauty of the "unity of heaven and man" ritual system
- Noon: [Niujie] halal food street (Recommended: Hongji snacks, Baiji rice cakes, Yibao lotus leaf steamed cakes, about 60 RMB per person)
- Afternoon: Rent shared bikes to ride through [Old Beijing Hutongs] (Recommended route: Niujie โ Xijiaominxiang โ Dongjiaominxiang โ around Yonghe Lama Temple)
- After 3:00 PM head to train station/airport, end of trip
๐Daily expenses subtotal: Transportation 10 + Tickets 34 + Food 60 = 104 RMB/person
๐ฐTotal Cost Summary (per person)
- Transportation: 30 + 5 + 60 + 6 + 10 = 111 RMB
- Accommodation: 190 ร 4 nights = 760 RMB
- Tickets: 70 + 40 + 85 + 34 = 229 RMB
- Food: 60 + 150 + 60 + 130 + 60 = 460 RMB
- Others (snacks, souvenirs, emergencies): reserve 200 RMB
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Total per person expense: about 1,760 RMB
๐ Total for 2 people: 3,520 RMB (well below the 4000 RMB budget, remaining 480 RMB can be used to upgrade accommodation or add a roast duck feast)
๐Helpful Tips
1. Ticket Reservations: Must book in advance for Forbidden City, Tiananmen, National Museum, especially during holidays
2. Transportation Advice: Subway is most convenient, avoid rush hours; shared bikes are good for short distances
3. Must-try Foods: Roast duck, Zhajiangmian, Douzhi with fried dough rings, Donkey Roll, Ai Wo Wo, Sugar Fire Cake
4. Clothing Advice: Bring a jacket in spring and autumn, keep warm in winter, sun protection in summer; wear comfortable shoes when visiting palaces
๐ฏConclusion: 5 days and 4 nights,
You walk past the red walls and golden tiles of the Forbidden City,
Climb the beacon towers of Badaling,
Watch boats sway on Kunming Lake at the Summer Palace,
Hear Beijing dialect calls deep in the hutongs.
Beijing is not just a political center,
It is an old city full of warmth, stories, and everyday life.
4000 RMB for two people, exchange for a journey through a thousand years of the imperial capital โ worth setting off.
Amelia Gray Amelia96๏ช10