Use this itinerary for planning ideas. Confirm current availability, prices and arrangements with the operator before booking.
Five calendar days give couples room for three substantial sightseeing days between arrival and departure. Use the extra time to separate the Great Wall, the imperial city and the gardens, rather than adding a longer checklist to each day. This route preserves space for shared meals, neighbourhood walks and whichever cultural experience matters most to you.
Day one: arrive without a deadline
Settle into the hotel and explore nearby if the journey has left you with energy. Keep the first meal easy and avoid a reserved evening show that depends on the plane arriving punctually. Check the palace date and the wall transport before the next morning.
Choose accommodation with your evenings in mind. A convenient walk to restaurants or public transport may suit you better than a more elaborate hotel that adds a transfer to every outing.
Day two: the imperial city
Give Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City the main part of the day. Follow the palace's sequence from its southern approach to the northern exit and choose one collection or architectural theme to explore more closely. Have lunch before deciding whether to continue to the Temple of Heaven.
If the morning has been long, save the temple for another slot and spend a lighter afternoon around Shichahai. A roast-duck dinner can be the day's final event; it does not need a late performance attached. Arrange the Palace Museum admission before fixing the order of the city days.
Day three: Simatai and the mountain setting
Make Simatai a dedicated day, allowing for its distance from central Beijing. Choose the currently open wall route and match the ascent and descent to both travellers' preferences. If one person wants a shorter walk, agree a comfortable meeting plan rather than treating a tower count as compulsory.
Steep steps and watchtowers at Simatai. Photograph: Tour Beijing.
Use our Simatai guide to distinguish the wall, town and evening options. Staying overnight in the Gubei area can suit an evening visit, but changes the hotel and transfer plan. Confirm that choice explicitly before booking.
Day four: gardens and one cultural choice
Spend the morning at the Summer Palace, following the lake and Long Corridor at an unhurried pace. Add a hill climb or an operating boat only if it fits the day you want. In the afternoon, choose the Lama Temple, a confirmed Capital Museum visit or time around the Olympic landmarks.
These alternatives are in different parts of the city. Pick one, then leave the later afternoon free for a neighbourhood or cafe. If a current urban-planning exhibition particularly interests you, confirm its venue and opening date and substitute it for another interior.
Day five: a flexible departure
Keep the final morning for packing, a nearby breakfast and your transfer. With a late departure, a short local walk is easier to manage than a distant monument. Allow time for luggage collection and the correct airport or railway terminal.
Arrange the parts you care about
Tour Beijing is associated with Beijing Page. Use its five-day options to discuss the exact hotel nights, wall section, cultural stop and any evening event you choose. Request current admissions, meals, transport, prices and cancellation terms in writing. An evening without a booking is useful space to enjoy the city together.