Beijing

The Honest 7-Day China Itinerary (No Fluff, No Gatekeeping) By Joran | 10+ years navigating China as a foreigner I remember my first China trip. I spent three weeks planning, made every rookie mistake in the book, and still ended up missing the Terracotta Army because I ran out of time. Don’t be that guy. This 7-day itinerary is the exact route I’ve run with friends, family, and readers for years. It’s tight, it’s efficient, and it’s designed to actually work not some inflated 14-day itinerary that only backpacker blogs recommend. ...

Beijing is where China’s imperial past collides head-on with its futuristic present. You’ll cycle past 600-year-old palace walls in the morning and sip craft beer in a restored hutong courtyard by night. It’s chaotic, grand, and absolutely unmissable. Getting There & Around Airports: PEK (Capital): Older, closer to city center. Airport Express train to downtown in 30 min. PKX (Daxing): Newer, massive, designed by Zaha Hadid. Airport Express connects to subway. Metro: The world’s longest subway system. Buy a Beijing Transit Card or use Alipay/WeChat transit QR. Avoid rush hours (79 AM, 68 PM) unless you enjoy human sardine situations. ...