When to Go
Best Time to Visit
Now in Beijing—:—Sunrise—:—Sunset—:—
April–May, September–October. Mild temperatures, blue skies, less smog; summers are humid and winters bitterly cold.
Warmest in Beijing: Jun (33°C / 91°F) · Coolest: Jan (2°C / 36°F) · Wettest: Jul (~15 rain days)
Daily highs / lows in °C · bars show rain days per month · ERA5 climate normals (2020–2024)
Daily Spend in USD
Budget
Budget
$50/day
Mid-range
$130/day
Luxury
$350/day
- Budget $50/day ≈ €44 · £37 · ₹4,750 · A$72 · C$71
- Mid-range $130/day ≈ €115 · £97 · ₹12,500 · A$185 · C$185
- Luxury $350/day ≈ €305 · £260 · ₹33,500 · A$505 · C$495
Converted at ECB reference rates, refreshed daily.
Street food and hutong dumplings keep budget days affordable; courtyard hotels push the luxury tier.
With Kids
Family Travel
Great Wall day trips, the Beijing Zoo pandas, kite-flying in Tiananmen Square mornings.
Together
Couples Travel
A Mutianyu Wall sunset, a hutong courtyard dinner, a Peking duck banquet under red lanterns.
On Your Own
Solo Travel
English is limited but translation apps work fine; hostels in the hutongs make solo evenings easy.
Food
What to Eat
- Peking duck. Crisp lacquered duck wrapped in thin pancakes with scallion and hoisin.
- Jiaozi (dumplings). Northern-Chinese pork-and-chive dumplings — a winter staple.
- Zhajiangmian. Hand-pulled noodles with fermented soybean sauce — the Beijing comfort dish.
- Jian bing. Crepe-style street breakfast with egg, scallions, cilantro, crispy cracker.
Transportation
Getting Around
Subway is extensive and cheap; use Didi (China’s Uber) for evenings or remote sights.
Get a VPN sorted before arriving so Google Maps and Gmail work; download offline maps as backup.
Where to Base Yourself
Neighborhoods
- Hutongs (Dongcheng). Old grey-brick lanes — courtyards, dumpling shops, the Drum Tower.
- Sanlitun. Nightlife and shopping district — bars, restaurants, designer boutiques.
- Wangfujing. Pedestrian shopping street — souvenir stalls, big-brand stores, snack streets.
Get Your Bearings
Beijing Map & Walking Distances
City centerNeighborhoodsClick the map to enable scroll zoom
- Hutongs (Dongcheng)neighborhood22 min walk from center
- Sanlitunneighborhood4.0 km from center
- Wangfujingneighborhood27 min walk from center
What to Know
Safety
Extremely safe by Western standards. Watch for taxi scams at the airport and pickpockets in dense tourist crowds.