Don't Step on These Beijing Tourist Traps on Your First Trip!

🌺🌿✨🚶♀️📸 May in Beijing is the season when Chinese roses and peonies compete for beauty. The brick walls of the old Hutongs are covered with wisteria, and the ancient buildings on the central axis shine in the blue sky. As the capital, it has the grandeur of royal gardens, the laziness of artistic blocks, and the down-to-earth atmosphere hidden in the alleys. Avoid the crowds and follow this guide to unlock the gentle early summer of the capital! Day 1: Classic Walking Day | A Journey Through the Imperial City 🌅 Morning: Tiananmen Square → Forbidden City Watching the flag-raising ceremony in Tiananmen Square is a very ceremonial start to the day (special forces are advised to arrive by 4:30 am!). Security checks are strict, so remember to travel light. Book your Forbidden City tickets 7 days in advance, avoid the crowds on the central axis, and go straight to the small courtyards of the West Six Palaces. The dragon robes and jade seals in the Treasure Gallery are even more shocking than in TV dramas! ⛰ Noon: Jingshan Park → Beihai Park Climb Jingshan Mountain for 10 minutes to reach the top, and overlook the entire Forbidden City from Wanchun Pavilion. Go straight to Beihai Park to rent a boat. An electric boat for CNY 60/hour will give you a panoramic view of the lake and mountains. 🌃 Evening: Wangfujing Pedestrian Street → Siji Minfu Peking Duck Wu Yutai's jasmine ice cream (CNY 15) is great for cooling off in the summer heat. Siji Minfu's crispy and tender Peking duck is a must-try, and the duck rack and cabbage soup is so delicious that you'll want to lick the bowl! Must-see 📍 Forbidden City Features: Red walls and green tiles, AR guide for an immersive experience of palace dramas How to play: The light is best at 4pm at the red wall corner of Xihua Gate. Wear a new Chinese style outfit and take photos like you're in "Story of Yanxi Palace" Free admission: None, but free admission may be available on Museum Day on May 18 (check the official website) Day 2: Artistic Wandering Day | A Collision of Art Museums and Hutongs 🎨 Morning: National Art Museum of China → Longfusi Cultural and Creative Park The museum's masterpieces are worth savoring. The replicated "Temple in the Air" on the 9th floor of Longfu Building offers a great view of the Guomao in the east and the White Pagoda in the west! 🍜 Noon: Dahuai Shu Barbecue → 798 Art District Enjoy old Beijing-style barbecue with Arctic Ocean soda in the Hutongs. The graffiti walls and M Woods Museum in 798 are perfect for taking photos. Wear solid colors for better photos! 🌌 Evening: Liangma River Night Tour → Hutaoli Bar Rent a bike along the Liangma River for CNY 20/hour. The Lotus Market at sunset looks like an oil painting; order a mojito at the bar, listen to folk songs, and watch the lanterns reflected on the lake~ Must-see 📍 798 Art District Features: Industrial-style graffiti, UCCA exhibitions, Xiaodiaolitantg (pear balls with shrimp and pine nuts are a must-order) How to play: Wear sneakers and walk around. When you're tired, go to %Arabica for coffee and take selfies in the mirror Day 3: Micro-vacation in the Suburbs of Beijing | Fangshan Flower Sea and the Wild Fun of the Great Wall 🌸 Morning: Zhoukoudian Site → Yunju Temple Trace the origin of mankind at the free Zhoukoudian Site. The stone scriptures and rubbing experience at Yunju Temple are super interesting! 🏡 Noon: Huangshandian Homestay → Pofengling Stay at Grandma's Homestay, a mountain courtyard with a healing atmosphere; the smoke trees in Pofengling are like pink mist, and you can enjoy a panoramic view of Fangshan from the top. 🌙 Evening: Tianyushan Villa Intangible Cultural Heritage Banquet Iron pot stew with wild vegetable dumplings, mountain spring water for tea and stargazing, so quiet you can hear your own heartbeat 💤 Must-see 📍 Pofengling Features: Smoke tree flower sea in May, 360° viewing platform at the top of the mountain Free reminder: Yunju Temple and Zhoukoudian Site offer free admission during the May Day holiday! Day 4: Central Axis Cultural Day | A Citywalk Blending Ancient and Modern 🏯 Morning: Qianmen Street → Beijing Ancient Architecture Museum Enjoy old Beijing-style breakfast at Qianmen (Du Yi Chu Shaomai!). The Longfusi caisson ceiling in the museum is breathtaking, and the fridge magnets are the top sellers in the cultural and creative world~ 🛍 Noon: Yangmeizhu Xiejie → Drum and Bell Tower Browse vintage items in the artistic shops, and check in at the northern end of the central axis at the Bell Tower. 7.8 kilometers of history is condensed here. 🌇 Evening: Aoyuan City Street → Archaeological Museum of China The newly opened Aoyuan Street is a one-stop shop for eating and shopping. The turquoise dragon-shaped artifact in the Archaeological Museum is a "super national treasure"! Must-see 📍 Drum and Bell Tower Features: The highest point of the central axis, send postcards from the central axis post office in Hongen Temple How to play: Avoid the doorman at the main entrance when taking photos at the Drum Tower. The red wall on the side is more photogenic 🚌 Transportation Guide | Sharing Blood and Tears Experiences 👍 Good experience: Metro Line 8 runs through the central axis, making it super convenient to go directly from Jingshan to Aoyuan! 😫 Suffering experience: The Badaling Great Wall is crowded with people, so it's better to get the Mutianyu cable car + slide package (CNY 140) to save effort and have fun! 🍜 Food Radar | You'll Fall in Love After One Bite Siji Minfu Peking Duck: Crispy skin and tender meat, wrapped in pancakes with sweet sauce, it's heavenly 🦆 Jubaoyuan Hot Pot: Hand-cut fresh mutton with sesame sauce, the sesame pancake with meat is so delicious you'll stomp your feet! 🥩 Beixinqiao Stew: The large and small intestines are stewed until soft and tender, add garlic juice and chili oil and you'll be in heaven 🍲 Fangzhuanchang Fried Sauce Noodles: CNY 15 a bowl with Laba garlic, certified by the Hutong grandpa as "the emperor's meal" 🍜 Longfusi Pea Cake: Cold and delicate, with a rich bean flavor, a delight for dessert lovers 🍮 🏨 Accommodation Recommendation | Sleep in the City Skyline Kerry Hotel, Beijing: The ceiling of CBD night view, floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the traffic, the breakfast buffet has a complete range of Beijing snacks! The executive room comes with a cocktail voucher, and you can take a bath and watch the Guomao three-piece set, worth the price! 💡 Tips | Life-saving Guide Book your tickets for the Forbidden City/Great Wall 7 days in advance, and don't run in vain on Mondays when they are closed! Sunscreen + sunglasses are essential, and people with allergies to willow catkins in May should wear masks 😷 Use the "Yi Tong Xing" APP for buses and subways, and avoid peak hours when taking a taxi! Don't disturb residents when taking photos in the Hutongs, and ask politely before entering the courtyard~ 💰 Consumption List Attraction tickets: approx. CNY 300 (Forbidden City 60 + Jingshan 2 + Drum and Bell Tower 20) Transportation: Subway and bus CNY 50, taxi approx. CNY 200 Dining: CNY 150 per day (Peking duck CNY 120 per person, stew 30) Accommodation: Kerry Hotel approx. CNY 1,500/night, homestay CNY 500-800 🌼🍃💃🚲🌆 May in Beijing is the gorgeousness of the peonies in Jingshan, the tenderness of the wisteria in the Hutongs, the down-to-earth atmosphere of the hot pot, and the ancient and modern dialogue on the central axis. Spend one amount of money and see two kinds of scenery - the royal grandeur and the warmth of the city, the A and B sides of the capital are waiting for you to unlock!