There are too many scenic spots and shopping places worth visiting in Beijing, China. You may feel difficult to choose routes with combination of scenic spots and shopping places with limited time to stay in Beijing. The heavy traffic in the international city makes your schedule tighter. To improve the efficiency of your trip in Beijing and make your trip enjoyable, here I list some routes suggested by professional tour guides, most of which can be done in one day if not specified. If you know a better route, have any question, or feel weird or uncomfortable with a route suggested by a tour guide or friend, just let us know.

 

Route 1: Tian'anmen - The Forbidden City, or Zijingcheng - Jingshan Park - Beihai Park

Route 2: Tian'anmen - Dashilan street - The Temple of Heaven, or Tiantan - Hongqiao market

Route 3: The Badaling Great Wall - Ming Tombs

Route 4: The Summer Palace, or Yiheyuan - The Old Summer Palace, Yuan Ming Yuan or the Gardens of Perfect Brightness

Route 5: Beihai Park -  Shishahai - Nanluoguxiang

Route 6: The Summer Palace, or Yiheyuan - The Temple of Heaven, or Tiantan

Route 7: Liulichang, or Glass Street - Panjiayuan Antique Market - 798 Art Center - Gallery Street

Route 8: Xiangshan - Biyun Temple - Wofu Temple

 

Here are a few tips for choosing a travel route in Beijing: 

1. You can take buses and subways to almost all of the scenic spots in Beijing. You can even walk to certain places. Taxi is the last choice.  

2. The best way to The Badaling Great Wall is to take No. 919 bus in Deshengmen to which you can take bus or subway. Do not take those "one-day trip" bus.  

3. Do not let anyone lead, accompany, or follow you to a hotel, especially those taxi drivers or someone standing around a hotel, because the hotel will charge you introduction fee. But the hotel never tells you about the fee. When you bargain fees with a hotel clerk, he or she will pay close attention to anyone so-called " business introduction agent" following or accompanying you. To avoid that, you'd better clarify with the hotel clerk that nobody introduces the hotel to you.

4. Start with those scenic spots farther from the downtown and those more interesting ones.

5. Go out earlier. For example, experienced tour guides normally take the tour group to The Summer Palace, The Temple of Heaven, and The Forbidden City before 8 am because these places are too crowded after 10 am. 

 

If you need a personal tour guide in Beijing, please check these personal tour guides.

You can also check these travel agencies in China to find a great travel deal. 

Do not forget these important websites on Beijing and blogs talking about Beijing. You may want to check these bars and hotels in Beijing.