# One day in Beijing: an itinerary in the best order > One day in Beijing means the Forbidden City and the old town around it. Morning in the imperial palace: you enter only from the south through the Meridian Gate and leave by the north. Right behind the north gate is Jingshan Park with the best view over the palace's yellow roofs. After lunch, the hutongs, old Beijing's lanes, and Houhai Lake towards evening. Walks and taxi hops take 15–25 minutes. Web page: https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/in-1-day ## Plan 1. [Forbidden City](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/forbidden-city.md) — YesGo score 61/100 (Yes, go) · 3 h 30 min · ¥40 Nov–Mar, ¥60 Apr–Oct Lunch break, about 1 h ↓ 22 min by transport 2. [Beijing hutongs](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/beijing-hutongs.md) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free; rickshaw about ¥100–200 ↓ 16 min on foot 3. [Houhai Lake and Shichahai](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/houhai-lake.md) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free Total with walks: 8 h 8 min ## What to do in Beijing in one day The Forbidden City needs 3–4 hours: it runs almost a kilometre from south to north. The exit leads straight to Jingshan Park, and from there it is 15–20 minutes to the hutongs and the Shichahai lakes. Remove any stop with the cross or drag it with ≡, and add another one nearby — the times recalculate. ## How to visit the Forbidden City Tickets are sold only by passport booking on the museum's website or mini-app, usually 7 days ahead; there is no ticket desk. From 1 November to 31 March it opens 8:30–16:30, last entry 15:30. Closed on Mondays except public holidays. ## Getting around The metro is cheap and easy; line 8 serves the hutongs by the lakes. Call taxis with DiDi inside Alipay. Distances are big — allow 20–40 minutes between districts. ## Is one day in Beijing enough? For a first taste, yes. The [Temple of Heaven](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/temple-of-heaven), [Lama Temple](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/lama-temple) and [Nanluoguxiang](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/nanluoguxiang) are in the 3-day itinerary. The [Summer Palace](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/beijing-summer-palace) has a lake and the Long Corridor; [Beihai Park](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/beihai-park) with its White Dagoba is next to the palace. ## Tips - Forbidden City bookings open 7 days ahead — grab a slot straight away. - On a Monday, when the palace is closed, do the Great Wall instead. - Many museums and parks in China admit visitors only with a passport booking — via WeChat, the website or a mini-app, usually 1–7 days ahead. Carry your passport. - China runs on Alipay and WeChat Pay — link a foreign card before you go; keep some cash yuan as a backup. - Set up Alipay at home before you fly: it handles payments, taxis and tickets. ## Questions ### What can you do in Beijing in one day? The Forbidden City, Jingshan Park, the hutongs and Houhai Lake. ### How much is the Forbidden City? 40 yuan November–March and 60 April–October, by passport booking only. ### Can I buy Forbidden City tickets on the day? No — online only with your passport, usually 7 days ahead. ### When is the Forbidden City closed? On Mondays, except public holidays. ### Where is the best view of the Forbidden City? From the pavilion on top of Jingshan Park, 2 yuan. ### How much does the day cost? About 50–70 yuan in tickets, plus metro or taxis. ### Can I fit in the Great Wall? Only instead of the city: Mutianyu is about 70 km away. ### Is it good with kids? Yes, though the palace means 3–4 hours of walking. ### When is the best time to visit? Spring and autumn. ### How do I pay in Beijing? China runs on Alipay and WeChat Pay — link a foreign card before you go; keep some cash yuan as a backup. --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.