After one year’s work, it comes to our annual break. This year, I came to Beijing and enjoyed a 5 days Beijing tour from Nov 20 to 24. Beijing is the capital city of China, which I always want to come here to visit the amazing Great Wall and Forbidden City.
Day 1: Chengdu flight to Beijing-Jinshan park-South Luogu Lane
This morning, we took an early flight from Chengdu at 07:30 am, upon arrive in Beijing, it is 10:05am. The weather in Beijing is really cold, it is subzero temperature, much colder than in Chengdu. But luckily, it is sunny day although cold and windy. We order a Didi (similar with Uber in your country) to transfer us to our hotel, which is near the Forbidden City.
The first stop of today, we visited the Jinshan Park. It is a beautiful royal landscape garden, which stands on the central point of the south-north axis of the city and faces the north gate of the Forbidden City. Looking from the peak, we can get a full and clear view of the Forbidden City.
Vivien in the Jinshan Park
Great view of Forbidden City from peak of Jinshan Park
After Jinshan Park, we came to South Luogu Lane, which is so called Jinli in Beijing (Jinli Street is a famous street in Chengdu). I guess it is because in the low season, there aren’t lot visitors in there. But still it is a good place to have a leisure walk.
Vivien Visited South Luogu Lane
Day 2: Great Wall (Mutianyu section)-Bird Nest and Water Cube
The highlight of my Beijing tour is the Great Wall visit today. Mutianyu section is less crowded than other Great Wall section. Foreign guests prefer to visit this section than the Badalin and Juyongguan section. We can see foreign guests everywhere in here. Because we get up very early, after a 2 hour drive, it is around 9:30am when we arrive in Mutianyu. At this time, it is still cloudy and cold. We decided to take a cable car to the No. 14 watch tower. Then we started to climb, a 2 hours climb, we reach the No. 20 watch tower.
The steps from No.19 to No. 20 are steep, almost vertical. After around 2 hour climbing, we reach No. 20. There is a sign here says after No. 20, it is belongs to the Wild Great Wall, which may dangerous. Hence we stop at No. 20. We can see the sunrise during our climb to No.20 watchtower. Look down from here, it is just amazing!!!
Mutianyu Great Wall
Vivien at Great Wall Mutianyu
It is around 3:00pm when we back to downtown city. We took subway to the Olympic Sports Center to visit the Bird Nest and Water Cube. We didn’t go inside, just view it from outside. We can feel the beauty of them.
Water Cube Outside View
Bird Nest Outside View
Day 3: Prince Gong Mansion-Summer Palace
Today we visit the Prince Gong Mansion, which has its own guides. Guide tells us a lot history and interested stories along the way. Generally, domestic guests will be more interest than foreign guests in visit Prince Gong Mansion. We spent around 1.5 hour in here before we had lunch.
In the afternoon, we visited the Summer Palace, also called Yiheyuan in Chinese, used to be the summer retreat for emperors. But now it is a park for both locals and tourists. Visitors can stroll around the ancient pavilions, temples, bridges and huge lakes to enjoying the amazing view of this Royal garden. It is large in Summer Palace; we leisurely walked for around 2 hours, which just visit one quarter of it. It is very beautiful!
Vivien in Prince Gong Mansion
Vivien in Summer Palace in Beijing
Sunset over Kunming Lake in Summer Palace
Day 4: Beihai Park-Hutong-Beijing Zoo- Confucius Temple
Today we meet our friends in Beijing, and have a one day tour together with our friends. The weather is great! We have a wonderful time.
Beihai Park
Enjoy Hutong Rickshaw among the old street
Vivien at Beijing Confucius Temple
Day 5: Forbidden City-Beijing Departure
Today we visited the Beijing landmarks – Tian’anmen Square and Forbidden City. Tiananmen Square is a vast open concrete expanse at the heart of Beijing. Visitors can see the national flag raised at dawn and lowered at dusk every day. Forbidden City is absolutely the top must-see place in Beijing, which show us what the Chinese culture and Dynasty is all about.
Beijing Tian’anmen Square
Even in the low season, there are lots visitors coming all over the world to visit the Forbidden City. We booked our entrance ticket online with ID card one day in advance. We get up early in the morning, around 7:00am, because our hotel is near the Forbidden city, we don’t need to get up even earlier like other visitors who may take one or two hour drive to here. We entry from the South Gate, and walked along the way to the North Gate. Forbidden City is a huge palace complex of more than 9,000 rooms where 24 emperors of Ming and Qing Dynasties used to live in. Pass through various doorways to admire the magnificent and well preserved buildings decorated with yellow glazed tile roof, white marble base and splendid colorful paintings. Really a great tour experience.
Vivien at Forbidden City
My Beijing tour is about to end! The 5 days tour isn’t long, but it do leave me a wonderful experience.
Travel with Vivien: recommended similar Beijing trips
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