A first-timer’s 3 days in Beijing

Three days is enough to see Beijing’s essentials without rushing. Start in the old imperial core — Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and a walk through the surrounding hutong lanes — before heading out to Mutianyu for a quieter, less-crowded stretch of the Great Wall.

Spread your meals across a Peking duck dinner, a bowl of zhajiangmian at a street stall and a hutong courtyard hotpot. Keep evenings light; the walking adds up faster than it looks on a map.