Beijing in Five Days

Beijing is the capital city of China and the host city of the 2008 Olympics. I was born in Bejing and lived there until the age of six before I moved with my family to New York. From my childhood memories, the city was sprawled with hutongs (small streets), siheyuans (traditional Chinese courtyards) and bicyclists (with very little cars) - that was the 80s. Now, the city is a combination of culture and modernism. Upon walking around the city, you will be able to see traditional Chinese architecture as well as modern sky scrapers, wide freeways as well as small hutongs, cars as well as bicyclists.

Tips & Recommendations:

1. Join a tour if you do not speak the language or know any locals. Although Beijing is a large modern city, many of its residents do not speak English and it could be extremely difficult to get around. 
2. Carry hand sanitizers and tissues everywhere you go. The public bathrooms are not very sanitary and often do not have toilet paper.
3. The best way to travel around the city is via the underground. Beijing is one of the most populous cities in the world and has horrible traffic. Taking a cab will take you twice as long to get to your destination versus taking the underground. 
4. When in Beijing, be brave and try the street food. It's a must and you won't  be disappointed. 

Day 1

STOP ONE - Tiananmen Square

You have not gone to Beijing if you didn't go to Tiananmen Square. The site is one of the greatest cultural significance of Chinese history. In Chinese translation, Tiananmen Square means The Gate of Heavenly Peace, separating it from the Forbidden City. As you visit the site, you will notice that the guards have fire extinguishers next to them. This is because protestors often set themselves on fire at the square. 

STOP TWO - Forbidden City

The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty till the end of the Qing Dynasty. For almost 500 years, it served as the home of emperors and their households, as well as the ceremonial and political center of Chinese government. The palace complex exemplifies traditional Chinese palatial architecture and has influenced cultural and architectural developments in East Asia and elsewhere.  

On the way to the Forbidden City, we saw numerous Chinese soldiers, some marching, some playing basketball. It was quite the sight!

The last stop in the Forbidden City was a beautiful garden.

STOP THREE - Hutongs (small streets) and Siheyuans (traditional Chinese courtyards)

After the Forbidden City, we went to take a look at daily Beijing life by exploring the hutongs via a ricksaw and siheyuans. A siheyuan is a traditional Chinese courtyard that houses four homes. This is typical of how the Beijing housing community is structured. We also were able to experience eating a Chinese home-cooked meal in a siheyuan.

STOP FOUR - Da Dong Roast Duck
For dinner, we went to Da Dong. They are one of the best restaurants in Beijing to go to for Peking Duck. The restaurant was modern and clean. Upon entering, you can see the chef roasting the duck in a stone oven at the center of the restaurant, surrounded by a lazy river of water lilies and koi fish. Everything on the menu is absolutely delicious and at an affordable price. 

Day 2

STOP ONE - Breakfast Pancake Street Vendor
If you see one of these street vendors in the morning, be sure to stop and try the egg pancake. The pancake is so thin, its more like a crepe and is a classic Peking breakfast. It's usually served with a scallions and a special sauce - absolutely delicious. 

STOP TWO - Beijing National Stadium, Bird's Nest

This magnificent stadium was build for the 2008 Olympics. Located at the Olympic Green, the stadium cost US428 million. The design, which originated from the study of Chinese ceramics, implemented steel beams in order to hide supports for the retractable roof, giving the stadium the appearance of a bird's nest (a Chinese delicacy). It is a sight to be seen. 

STOP THREE - Thirteen Tombs of the Ming Dynasty

Located right outside of Beijing center, in the Changping District, is this collection of tombs of imperial mausoleums built by the Chinese Ming dynasty emperors. The site, on the southern slope of Tianshou Mountain, was chosen based on the principles of fengshui by the third Ming dynasty emperor Yongle. It's a beautiful place to visit on the way to the Great Wall from Beijing city center. 

STOP FOUR - Great Wall of China, Badaling

The Great Wall of China is one of the World's Seven Wonders, and obviously a must see. The 13,171 mile long wall is a series of fortifications made of stone, brick, tamped earth, wood, and other materials, general built along an east-to-west line across the historical northern borders of China in part to protect the Chinese Empire. Several walls were built as early as the 7th century BC. The most famous wall built was between 220-206 BC by the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang. The part of the wall we saw was in Badaling, 50 miles outside of Beijing city. The highest point of the wall in this part is 3,330 feet above sea level. 

STOP FIVE - Hanging Out with the Locals

We were lucky enough to know a few locals, so after the Great Wall, we went back to the city and met up with a few people by the Bell Tower. We went to a small hole in the wall place for dinner and ordered some Peking specialties: dumplings, pig intestines, roasted peanuts, sautéed vegetables and Tsingtao beer. To get a true taste of the daily life in Beijing, I'd highly recommend venturing out to one of the hutongs and trying a small local hole in the wall restaurant - order some dumplings (at the very least). 

After dinner, we went a local bar for drinks. The bar, surprisingly, was full of Chinese "hipsters"playing pool. 

Day 3
STOP ONE - The park at the Temple of Heaven

We arrived at the park at the Temple of Heaven early morning and saw numerous Beijing residents exercising, dancing, doing tai chi and playing chess. It was quite the place to be for the locals. 

STOP TWO - The Temple of Heaven (Tian Tan)

The Temple of Heaven (Altar of Heaven) is a complex of religious buildings situated in the southeastern part of central Beijing. The complex was visited by the Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties of annual ceremonies of prayer to Heaven for good harvest. It has been regarded as a Daoist temple, although Chinese heaven worship, especially by the reigning monarch of the day, predates Daoism. It is quite a beautiful sight. 

STOP THREE - Summer Palace

The Summer Palace is one of the most beautiful parks in Beijing. It is a vast ensemble of lakes, gardens and palaces, mainly dominated by Longevity Hill and the Kunming Lake. It covers an expanse of 720 acres, three-quarters of which is water. Many locals come here to fish and take walks. 

STOP FOUR - Ghost Street (Giu Jie)

Ghost Street is extremely well known to locals as food street. It stretches over 1 kilometer and hosts more than 150 eateries. We came here for the famous Little Lamb hotpot, what Beijing is known for. You know you are on Ghost Street when you see hundreds of thousands of red lanterns hung above. 

Day 4
STOP ONE - Wangfujing

Wangfujing is located in the Dongcheng District and is one of Beijing's most famous shopping streets. The majority of the main shopping area is pedestrianised and is very popular for shopping for both tourists and residents. Wangfujing hosts one of the most famous tailor shops in China, so I came here to get my Chinese wedding gown custom made. When getting custom-made clothing, you can pick out your fabric of choice using your own design. It only takes two days before you get the final product!

The Crowd

Picking out fabric

Sample mockup

Final product

STOP TWO - Snack Street
The Wangfujing Snack Street, located in the hutongs of the main street is densely packed with restaurants and street food stalls. The food stalls serves a wide variety of common and exotic street food. More common fare such as Chuanr (meat kebabs, commonly made of lamb) and desserts such as Tang hu lu or candied fruits on a stick are among the most popular snacks. We decided to come here for "brunch". 

STOP THREE - Silk Street Market

If you love to shop, then be prepared to spend at least half a day at Silk Street Market. The shopping center is located in Chaoyang District and accommodates over 1,700 retail vendors, notorious among international tourists for their wide selection of counterfeit designer brands ranging from Chanel, Christian Louboutin, Gucci all the way down to Gap, Banana Republic, and Zara. The most fun part of this experience is learning to haggle. All the merchandise prices have room for negotiation so be prepared to work on your negotiating skills!

Day 5

STOP ONE - Dog Street 

For all the dog lovers out there, it may be worth a little trip to venture out of the city center for Dog Street. It is about 30/40 minutes away via the train and is located on the outskirts of Beijing. Not only will be you able to see numerous different breeds of adorable puppies, but you will also get a good look at the Chinese suburbs. Upon arrival, you will find an entire square full of breeders showcasing their cute puppies, some running around freely on the streets, some dressed in cute costumes and others in little cribs. 

I hope this was a helpful guide! Please email me if you have any questions and happy travels!!