[Ultimate Beijing Travel Guide] 5 Days 4 Nights to Discover the Capital's Charm!

📍 Must-Visit Attractions TOP List 1⃣ The Palace Museum | A 600-year Royal Epic 🕒 Peak season: 8:30-17:00 (Closed on Mondays) 💡 Tips: Rent hanfu for photos at Meridian Gate, exit via East Prosperity Gate for direct access to Jingshan Park's panoramic view 🚇 Pro tip: Book tickets 7 days in advance on official website. Enter via East Prosperity Gate to avoid long security lines at Tiananmen! 2⃣ Badaling Great Wall | You're not a hero until you reach the Great Wall 🚌 Transportation: Bus 877 from Deshengmen/High-speed rail from Beijing North Station → Badaling Station 🌄 Hidden route: Continue hiking from North Tower 8 to North Tower 12 for fewer crowds and wilder views 🎫 Cable car round trip: 140 yuan, recommended to hike up and take toboggan down (80 yuan, super thrilling!) 3⃣ Summer Palace | How Stunning is Empress Cixi's Garden? 🛶 Must-try: Boat ride on Kunming Lake (electric boat 120 yuan/hour) 📸 Photo spot: Painted Gallery building complex (newly opened area, overlooking lake and mountain views) 🥟 Taste of Beijing: Local's Secret Food Map 🔥 The Big Three Peking Duck Restaurants Siji Minfu (Palace Museum Branch): View of Corner Towers, around 150 yuan per person Da Dong (Workers' Stadium Branch): Innovative duck dishes, crispy but not greasy Liqun Roast Duck (Hutong Branch): Authentic atmosphere, reservation required 🍜 Soul Food in Hutongs Fangzhuanchang No.69 Zhajiang Noodles: Nicholas Tse's pick, 20 yuan till full Hongji Snacks at Niujie: Tripe + Sesame Sauce Pancakes, 30 yuan per person Douzhir Challenge: Yin San Douzhir (North Gate of Temple of Heaven) with fried rings and pickles, for the brave only! 🎭 In-depth Cultural Experiences ✅ Temple of Heaven Night Tour (Only open Friday/Saturday) Light show at Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, 198 yuan including guide, like traveling through time ✅ Hutong Exploration Yangmeizhu Xiejie: Art bookstores + vintage shops Shijia Hutong Museum: Listen to Old Beijing stories ✅ Deyunshe Xiangsheng (Comic Dialogue) Sanqing Yuan/Guangde Lou Theater, tickets from 80 yuan, book one week in advance! 🚇 Super Practical Tips 🛏 Accommodation Guide Core area: Wangfujing/Qianmen (walking distance to attractions) Artistic choice: Wudaoying Hutong boutique homestays Nightlife lovers: Sanlitun/Workers' Stadium area 🚇 Transportation Tips Use Yitongxing Metro App for QR code rides, Airport Express reaches downtown in 30 minutes Shared bikes + walking = best combo for hutong exploration 🎒 Warning Tips Avoid "cheap Great Wall tours" near attractions! Look for "Sanhe" mark when buying Daoxiangcun products, too many fakes! Most museums closed on Mondays, plan ahead! 📅 Seasonal Highlights 🌸 Spring (Mar-Apr): Yuyuantan cherry blossoms/Palace Museum crabapple flowers 🌿 Summer (Jun-Aug): Beihai Park boating/sunset at Jingshan 🍁 Fall (Oct-Nov): Fragrant Hills red leaves/Temple of Earth ginkgo avenue ❄ Winter (Dec-Feb): Shichahai ice rink/Gubei Water Town Ice Festival