Traveling tips to Beijing in December

2026-01-23 01:45

The following is a travel guide to Beijing in December: ** 1. Travel preparation ** The weather in Beijing in December was cold and dry, and the temperature was low. It was necessary to prepare warm clothes, such as down jackets, cotton pants, scarves, hats, and gloves. At the same time, prepare moisturizer and skin care products. Comfortable shoes were also a must, as a lot of walking was required during the tour. In addition, if you want to check which attractions online, you need to make an appointment or buy tickets in advance. ** 2. Scenic spots recommendations and tour arrangements ** 1. **5 - 7 days schedule example ** - ** Day 1 **: After arriving in Beijing, go to the hotel to check in. It was recommended to choose a hotel near the subway station, such as Wangfujing, Qianmen or Sanlitun, for the convenience of subsequent visits. If he still had the energy, he could stroll around the streets of Beijing and get used to the environment. - ** The next day **: Palace Museum + Tian 'an Gate. The Forbidden City implements a real-name reservation system. Same-day tickets are not available. You can book tickets seven days in advance through the official website or an officially authorized third-party platform (such as Weixin Mini Programs). The off-season is from November 1 to March 31 of the following year. The big ticket is 40 yuan per person. The tickets for the Treasure Hall and the Watch Hall are 10 yuan per person respectively. Except for legal holidays, the museum is closed on Mondays. The opening time is 08:30, the closing time is 16:10, and the closing time is 17:00. Tianamen Square is close to the Forbidden City. If you want to watch the flag-raising ceremony, you need to make an appointment at Tianamen Square 1 - 9 days in advance. - ** Day 3 **: National Museum + Temple of Heaven. The National Museum implemented a real-name reservation system. One could reserve tickets 1 - 7 days in advance through the official website or Weixin Official Accounts. The opening hours were 09:00 - 17:00 every day. The admission stopped at 16:00 and the museum was closed every Monday (except national holidays). The Temple of Heaven can be booked on the Weixin Official Accounts "Beijing Local Treasure" to buy a full-price ticket. After the ticket is successfully purchased, you can swipe your ID card to enter the park according to the date and time of the appointment. In the off-season (November 1-March 31), the ticket is 10 yuan. There are also tickets that include the ticket and the park. The off-season ticket is 28 yuan. The opening hours are 6:30 - 21:00. - ** Day 4 **: Tsinghua University, Peking University, Bird's Nest, etc. Tsinghua University and Peking University were not open to the public under normal circumstances. They would only be open at specific times and during holidays. Campus visits were also booked online with real names. In the afternoon, you can visit the Bird's Nest and Water Cube in the Olympic Park to experience the glory and passion of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. In the evening, you can enjoy dinner near the Olympic Park and enjoy the night view. - Day 5: The Great Wall. Badaling Great Wall requires real-name booking. You can book tickets by following the official Weixin Official Accounts of Badaling Great Wall. - Day 6 (if it's a 7-day trip): You can choose Prince Gong's Mansion and Military Museum or Temple of Heaven Park and National Natural Museum (if you haven't been to Temple of Heaven before). The Military Museum and the Natural History Museum were popular venues. They were free of charge, but tickets needed to be booked in advance. If they could not make an appointment, they could buy the 2024 Beijing Museum Pass in advance (120 yuan including two tickets) to enter the museum without reservation. If time was limited, one could choose one of the attractions to visit. - ** Day 7 (if it's a 7-day trip)**: Return trip. 2. ** If it is a short trip (3 - 4 days)** - ** Day 1 **: After arriving in Beijing, go to the hotel to check in. After a short rest, go to Tian 'an Square to watch the flag-raising ceremony (you need to check the flag-raising time in advance) and visit the Palace Museum. In the evening, you can taste Beijing snacks on Qianmen Street or Wangfujing Pedestrian Street and experience the nightlife of old Beijing. - ** Day 2 **: Go to the Badaling Great Wall and experience the feeling of "not being a real man until you reach the Great Wall". You can take the cable car or ropeway to save energy. After returning to the city in the afternoon, they went to the Olympic Park to visit the Bird's Nest and the Water Cube. - ** Day 3 (if it's a 4-day trip)**: Visit Summer Palace, which is the most well-preserved imperial garden in China. Focus on visiting scenic spots such as the promenade and Buddha Fragrance Pavilion. In the afternoon, go to Yuanmingyuan Ruins Park to learn about its history and current situation. At night, you can stroll around Nanluogu Alley or Shichahai area to experience the culture and nightlife of the hutong. - ** Day 4 (if it is a 4-day trip)**: Return trip. ** 3. Cost budget ** According to experience, if it was a more conventional way of visiting, the total cost was about 2200 yuan per person, including tickets to all scenic spots, accommodation (depending on the accommodation conditions), meals in the scenic area, transportation fees outside the scenic area, tour guide service fees, pick-up services, and insurance fees (if there was a tour guide's arrangement). ** 4. Transportation Guide ** 1. ** Public Transportation **: Beijing has very developed public transportation. You can reach most of the scenic spots by subway and bus. It would be more convenient to buy a Beijing transportation card. You could apply for and recharge at the subway station. When you left, you could refund the deposit and balance of the card. 2. ** Self-driving **: If you choose to drive, you must pay attention to Beijing's traffic rules and restrictions. The parking lot of some scenic spots might be tight. For example, the fuel cars in Gubei Water Town were parked in parking lot No. 1, and the trolleys were parked in parking lot No. 6. 3. ** Special tourist routes **: Some scenic spots have special tourist routes that can directly reach them. You can check the relevant information in advance. ** 5. Delicacy recommendations ** You can try authentic Beijing snacks, such as Zhajiangmian, Douzhi, Roast Duck, etc. There were many traditional food shops on Qianmen Street or Wangfujing Pedestrian Street. The novel "There's Snow in Kyokuboku" is equally exciting. Everyone is welcome to click and read it!