# 2 days in Beijing: an itinerary day by day

> Two days in Beijing: the palace and the Great Wall. Day one: the Forbidden City, Jingshan Park, the hutongs and Houhai Lake. Day two: Mutianyu, the easiest Great Wall section for a first visit — ≈ 70 km north-east of Beijing, a restored Ming-era wall with towers above the forest. Entry is 40–45 yuan, with the shuttle and cable car extra. Leave early to be back for dinner.

Web page: https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/in-2-days

## Day 1

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

## Day 2

1. [Great Wall at Mutianyu](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/great-wall-mutianyu.md) — YesGo score 19/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · ¥40–45 entry; cable car ¥100–140

Total with walks: 4 h

## How the two days work

Day one is the one-day Beijing itinerary. Day two is a full day on the Wall. If day one falls on a Monday, swap the days: the palace is closed on Mondays.

Remove any stop with the cross or drag it with ≡, and add another one nearby — the times recalculate.

## Which Great Wall section to choose

Mutianyu has fewer people than Badaling and fine views, with a cable car to the top. [Badaling](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/badaling-great-wall) is closer, ≈ 60 km, and the busiest. [Juyongguan](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/juyongguan-great-wall) is the nearest to the city, a fortress in a pass. [Simatai](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/gubei-water-town) also opens in the evening, together with Gubei Water Town.

## Is 2 days in Beijing enough?

For the palace and the Wall, yes. The [Temple of Heaven](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/temple-of-heaven) and [Lama Temple](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/lama-temple) are day three; the [Ming Tombs](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/ming-tombs) lie on the way to Badaling.

## Tips

- Reach the Wall at opening time: tour buses arrive later.
- Wear proper shoes: the steps are steep and uneven.
- 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.
- Bring water and snacks: little is sold on the Wall, and it is expensive.

## Questions

### What to do with 2 days in Beijing?

Day one: the Forbidden City, Jingshan, the hutongs and Houhai. Day two: the Great Wall at Mutianyu.

### How much is Mutianyu?

40–45 yuan entry, 100–140 yuan for the cable car, shuttle extra.

### How do I get to the Great Wall on my own?

By bus or a car with driver; Mutianyu is about 70 km away.

### Which Great Wall section is best?

For a first visit, Mutianyu: fewer people and a cable car.

### Is 2 days in Beijing enough?

For the palace and the Wall, yes. The Temple of Heaven and Summer Palace need a third day.

### How much does it cost?

About 60 yuan on day one and 150–200 yuan on the Wall with the cable car.

### Is it good with kids?

Yes; the cable car gets you up in minutes.

### When is the best time for the Wall?

Spring and autumn, early in the day.

### Do I need to book the Wall?

Tickets are sold online and at the gate; book ahead on holidays.

### 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.

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