Beijing Autumn Guide | Must-See Beijing in Autumn

Number of days：4 days
Time: November
Average cost: 2000 yuan
With whom: and friends
Tour kinds: Photography, Free Travel
The author went to these places: Beijing Tiananmen Great Wall Summer Palace Sanlitun Shichahai Prince Gong's Mansion Temple of Heaven Dashilar Qianmen Wangfujing Qianmen Street Great Hall of the People Sanqing Garden Bird's Nest Water Cube Mutianyu Great Wall Beigongmen Suzhou Street Longevity Hill Buddhist Incense Pavilion Garden of Harmony Seventeen-hole Bridge Beihai Park Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests Huanggan Hall Circle Hill Echo Wall Imperial Vault Danbi Bridge Zhai Palace Jingshan Park Forbidden City Corner Tower

"You absolutely must live in Beijing in autumn. I don't know what heaven is like, but judging by my life experience, autumn in Beijing is heaven." Upon seeing autumn in Beijing, Lao She's words came to mind: it truly is paradise on earth.

As someone who has always lived in the south, I long for the four seasons of the north, so I planned a week-long autumn adventure. Beijing's autumn is perfectly balanced, neither too hot nor too cold, with evenly spaced days and nights. The clear, cloudless skies, tinged with a hint of coolness, always inspire a rush.

Our trip was only four days, but despite the short duration, we managed to witness the flag-raising ceremony at Tiananmen Square, climb the Great Wall, visit the Summer Palace, visit Sanlitun, stroll through Beihai and Shichahai, soak in the aura of Prince Gong's Mansion, listen to prayers at the Temple of Heaven, and savor the delicious cuisine of traditional Beijing.

As written in the guide, you need to buy tickets in advance for all attractions, except for the flag-raising ceremony at Tiananmen Square.

DAY 1: Tiananmen Flag Raising Ceremony & Deyun Club & Dashilan

We chose to stay near Qianmen and Wangfujing, as we decided to watch the flag-raising ceremony at Tiananmen Square. Staying here means we can walk to Tiananmen Square and watch the flag-raising ceremony conveniently (there are many courtyard-style B&Bs on Qianmen Street, giving you a taste of old Beijing life).

Tips: ① You can search online for the daily flag-raising time. It’s a Chinese tradition to watch the flag-raising ceremony as it greets the sunrise. ② Be sure to wear running shoes. If you want to be in the front row, you have to run. ③ For reference, the flag-raising ceremony was at 6:55 a.m. that day, so we set out from the hotel at around 3:00 a.m. to queue. It took about 20 minutes to walk from the hotel to the first security checkpoint. (It was quite foggy that morning.) Because I watched the flag-raising ceremony early in the morning and hardly slept, the first day's schedule was relatively relaxed. I watched the flag-raising ceremony, took a photo with Tiananmen Square, and took a photo of the Great Hall of the People on the RMB.

Slowly walked to Qianmen from the west side of the square.

Slowly walked to Du Yi Chu on Qianmen Street from the west side of the square to have breakfast, and then walked to the hotel to check in. At around 2 pm, because I had booked tickets for Deyun Club on Damai.com in advance, the hotel was about a 15-minute walk away.

About Deyun Club, as a Deyun girl, it is a place I must go to. I booked a table at Guangde Building in Dashilan. There are two gardens in Dashilan, Sanqing Garden and Guangde Building. Sanqing Garden is where Team 8 is stationed, but I didn't make a reservation. Guangde Building is the most famous and oldest time-honored brand in Beijing, and it is very close to Sanqing Garden. The tables in the front area of Guangde Building are not numbered, and the tables in the back area are not numbered.

After the Deyun Club performance, you can stroll around Dashilan and try the delicious food hidden in the alleys. In the evening, you can go to Niujie to have mutton hot pot. After that, take the subway to the National Olympic Sports Center to see the Bird's Nest and the Water Cube. These two places can only be viewed and photographed from the outside. The Bird's Nest is being renovated in preparation for the Winter Olympics, so it is not open to the public. You can stroll around and then go back to the hotel to rest.

DAY 2: Mutianyu Great Wall & Summer Palace

We chose Mutianyu Great Wall primarily because it's less crowded than Badaling and offers stunning scenery. We booked a chartered car through China-TravelNote, departing from our hotel at 7:00 AM and arriving around 9:00 AM. Mutianyu is a uniquely beautiful spot, and the best times to enjoy the red leaves are from late September to mid-October (early crimson); mid-October to early November (peak crimson); and early November to mid-to-late November (late crimson). The cable car route to the Great Wall is 100 RMB one way, 120 RMB round trip. Considering our upcoming trip, we opted for the round-trip cable car, which takes us directly to Beacon Tower 14. Mutianyu Great Wall has 20 beacon towers in total. Beyond Tower 20 is the unmaintained, untouched section of the wall, closed to traffic. The best photography is between Towers 16 and 20, when there are fewer people, allowing for excellent photos. Since we visited in November, we didn't see the red leaves, but it was a truly unique experience. The weather was great and the photos were great, so we didn’t go down until around 1 a.m. and headed to the Summer Palace. The Summer Palace is a perfect place to enjoy the autumn scenery. We only had half a day, but it's worth a full day to explore. To fully appreciate the Summer Palace's autumn glory, be sure to follow the route below and avoid the lesser-known attractions.

Enter through the North Palace Gate - Suzhou Street - Four Continents - Longevity Hill - Tower of Buddhist Incense - Pavilion of Orchids - Garden of Harmonious Interests - Hall of Jade Ripples - Seventeen-Arch Bridge - East Palace Gate

We arrived in the afternoon and arrived at the Seventeen-Arch Bridge just as the sun was setting. The golden light streaming through the Seventeen-Arch Bridge is truly a sight not to be missed. You can see it any day as long as the sun is shining, but definitely in the afternoon, as the sun sets. Back Lake is a perfect place to enjoy the autumn scenery. After crossing Suzhou Street, walk along the shore of Back Lake, where the lake's banks are a vibrant blend of red and yellow.

TIPS:

①There is a long corridor behind the Zhai Palace, which is very photogenic, with red walls and green tiles;

②The Temple of Heaven is also a holy place for enjoying autumn, and there is a golden avenue that is also very photogenic;

③Be sure to rent an electronic guide to clearly understand the story of each building

DAY 4: Jingshan Park – Sanlitun

Because we didn't book in advance, we didn't get tickets for the Forbidden City. However, our obsession with the Forbidden City convinced us to visit Jingshan Park and overlook it. The main attraction of Jingshan is the climb to the top, a small hill that takes about 10 minutes to see the entire Forbidden City. Along the path, you'll find many elderly people exercising and practicing various instruments, making it a popular place for elderly Beijingers to relax and have fun. The trail down the mountain offers views of the Forbidden City's corner towers, making it a perfect spot for enjoying the autumn scenery and capturing photos.

Taikoo Li Commercial District is arguably the core of the Sanlitun commercial district. Designed by eight world-class architects from China, Japan, Hong Kong, and the United States, it's primarily a commercial center where you can shop and eat.

Beijing is a charming city, blending both classical charm and modern style. Small alleyways, old teahouses, trendy bar streets, and bustling commercial districts—a blend of modern elements and authentic Beijing flavors—construct Beijing's profound cultural heritage and authentic yet elegant lifestyle. Autumn in Beijing is a perfect time to visit, with crisp, clear skies, crimson maple leaves, and ginkgo trees paving the way.