Beijing

One of the world's largest cities is not only China's center of political and historical significance, it should also be at the center of your visit there.

When I first visited China, it wasn't at the top of my list. But after going, it became one of my favorite places. There is so much ancient history and cultural interests to experience. Beijing is the place to start with everything from history like the Forbidden City to the famous Great Wall.

One of the benefits of traveling in China is that it is very budget friendly. With the exchange rates compared to most countries like the United States and Europe, you can get around without spending very much. As a result, it is possible to go luxury for what you'd expect with a tight budget in the United States. While you can use a credit card most places, having a decent amount of cash for taxis, food and novelties will make things much easier.

You will need a visa approved by the government and it is worth spending a few dollars to have a service go through the sponsorship process for you. But make sure you plan this out in advance with plenty of time. Also, carry around your visa and passport (and a copy of each in an easy access pocket sometimes works fine). There will be periodic checkpoints near main tourist sites for all people to show identification and you will want to have it ready.

Duration: 3 full days

Budget: $1,500 (total for two people not including airfare)

Getting (there and around)

A number of direct flights to Beijing run consistently from the United States and it is easy to get to. Prices are actually fairly reasonable, but likely more than going to Europe. When arriving, it will be much easier to take a taxi to the hotel, especially with the exchange rate.

Beijing has a subway transit system at the level you would expect from a large global city and it is easy to get around to many of the main tourist sites. Stops and instructions will have English as options to reduce any confusion. If you are a traveler that doesn't mind taking public transit like this in Europe, you will have no problem. However, if you have a specific location to go to like the Great Wall, it is even more simple to hire a taxi or driver for the low price.

Staying

The Fairmont Beijing is exceptional, though there are many luxury options in Beijing that will suit individual needs. The Fairmont is an amazing property in a good location, and would be a runner up to my top favorite hotels in the world. It is not in the heart of downtown or walking distance to things (it is located in more of a business district), but it is only two blocks from a main subway station and short trip to Tiananmen Square and other prominent locations. It might be one of the best hotel deals anywhere in the world for less than $200 per night. The inside is immaculate and the picture of luxury. The service is first rate, which is helpful for getting advice or help arranging drivers.

Experienced Tip: Get the buffet breakfast as part of your reservation process. It might also be offered at check in. It will cost about $10 per person per day (required to buy all days), but if you try to eat just once the breakfast will run about $80 per person. Getting a solid meal is a great way to start the day and if you are used to an American diet and are not ready to eat Chinese food each meal, even using the buffet once or twice is well worth having the fuel to keep sightseeing.

Doing

Tiananmen Square is a large, concrete public square surrounded by government buildings. Architecturally it is not as interesting as it is famous for demonstrations such as the 1989 student protests. It is something you must do and a great starting point for a number of nearby sites.

Across the street from Tiananmen Square is the Forbidden City and recognizable by the famous picture of Mao Zedong hanging in front. It is the expansive and exceptionally designed palace with a large number of different, yet connected buildings dating back to the 14th century. It also includes the Imperial Gardens, which has ancient trees and rock gardens among temples throughout. Take your time walking through and appreciating both the architecture, art and religious artifacts. At the other end is Jing Shan Park. For a small fee you can enter and hike to the top of the hill and look back down on the Forbidden City.

The Great Wall is likely a bucket list item and it surely is something to experience at some point. Similar to many of the iconic places in the world like the Grand Canyon, it is something you really need to be close to and see in person to really appreciate. It is just a bit over an hour or so from the city and there really isn't a good reason not to do it. There are three primary places for tourists to visit and hike near Beijing. I recommended going to Jinshanling. It is the farthest from the city, but still reasonable. I preferred it for two reasons. First, it is in more of the original form and not restored. Second, it is less crowded and you can walk along the wall in peace, appreciate the site and even get some good pictures without numerous tourists. In a three hour hike, I barely saw anyone else.

Experienced Tip: Book a private driver through the hotel. If you stay at a place like the Fairmont Beijing, it will have a hired driver for the day to take you and your party directly to the wall on your schedule. The driver will wait for you and the entrance and it is a way to remove stress and enjoy the day. There will be prices for different types of cars. A Mercedes will be more expensive, but if you are okay riding in a brand new, black Hyundai Sonata type sedan looking like a Mercedes with a driver in a suit, you can probably go for less than $100 per person or so (though rates may change).

Temple of Heaven is one of the largest temple complexes in China and a beautiful example of Chinese architecture. It is an expansive complex that is spread out so plan on doing a good deal of walking. However, it is worth seeing to get an appreciation of the temples. But if you are the sort of traveler that gets tired of seeing churches in Europe, you should do this one and then feel like you don't need to see others in the area. Mornings are best before the crowds arrive.

Eating

Even though I do not frequent Chinese food restaurants often when home (and am a very picky eater even when traveling), I found the food in Beijing to be amazing. With the exchange rate, going to a nice restaurant is really cheap by United States prices. So order a number of things on the menu to sample different things.

Since this trip was packing a number of tourist activities in a short time, most meals were had on the go by finding a restaurant when hungry and walking around an activity. There were no bad choices. If you stay at the Fairmont Beijing, there is a little side street about a block away with a number of authentic, upper end restaurants.

A piece of advice is to ensure you get the breakfast buffet when staying. You may not be a big eater or want to try a lot of local places, but China hotels have some pretty legendary buffets that have lots of international food. These are not budget buffets but rather high-end restaurant cuisine. It's well worth the incremental, few dollars to add on for the assurance of one great meal per day of whatever you are craving or interested in trying. It is also a matter of convenience to be able to start the day off right instead of spending a lot of time searching for a restaurant.

Day Planning

Day 1: Arrive

Day 2: Head over to Tiananmen Square which is across the street from the entrance to the Forbidden City. Take your time walking through and have a good meal. Finish the day on the other side of Tiananmen Square walking through the Qian Men gates and browse the shops in Dazhalen and Liulichang areas.

Day 3: Take a trip to the Great Wall

Day 4: See the Temple of Heaven in the morning, then visit Hong Qiao Market (a large, multi-level building for bartering for souvenirs and collectibles) or some of the shops in Dazhalen and Liulichang areas if you previously missed it.

Day 5: Leave

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