2 to 4 December
3 Dec
天安门广场
Free, but you need a morning slot. Reserve 26 Nov to 2 Dec in the WeChat mini programme 天安门广场预约参观, using your passport.
How long it takes: 30 to 45 minutes, plus 30 to 60 minutes for security and the walk north.
3 Dec
故宫博物院
¥40 per person (about £4)
Tickets open 26 Nov at 12:00 UK time (8pm Beijing). Aim to enter around 13:00. Last entry 15:30.
How long it takes: 1.5 to 2 hours, plus 30 to 60 minutes for access and security.
2 or 3 Dec
天坛公园
¥28 per person (about £3)
Buy your ticket in the WeChat mini programme. Winter entry covers the Hall of Prayer, Echo Wall and Circular Mound. Go early, when locals are out doing tai chi. Halls shut at 17:00, last entry 16:30.
How long it takes: 1.5 to 2 hours, plus travel.
2 or 3 Dec option
景山公园
¥2 per person (about under £1)
Cross the road from the Forbidden City's north gate and walk up to Wanchun Pavilion for the view over the palace roofs.
How long it takes: 30 minutes to 1 hour, plus travel.
3 Dec option
慕田峪长城
¥140 to ¥280 per person (about £16 to £31)
The quieter Wall, and it takes the whole of 3 Dec instead of the city sights. The higher price adds the cable car. Book now, and check winter buses and wind.
How long it takes: about 7 to 10 hours in total. That is 2 to 2.5 hours each way by coach from Qianmen, 30 to 60 minutes each way by transfer bus and cable car, and 2 to 3 hours on the Wall.
3 Dec option
八达岭长城
¥205 to ¥245 per person (about £23 to £27)
The later-start Wall option, by train from Qinghe. Trains go on sale 19 Nov. The north cableway is closed until 25 Dec, so use the south funicular.
How long it takes: about 4 to 6 hours in total. That is 1.5 to 2.25 hours each way from Wangfujing, and 1 to 1.5 hours on the Wall.
2 or 3 Dec option
中国国家博物馆
Free, and a good indoor swap on a bitter day. Timed slots open 7 days ahead at 09:00 UK time (5pm Beijing).
How long it takes: 2 to 3 hours, plus travel.
2 or 3 Dec option
雍和宫
¥25 per person (about £3)
Temple halls and courtyards. Winter ticket sales end at 16:00.
How long it takes: 1 to 1.5 hours, plus travel.
2 or 3 Dec option
什刹海
Free. Walk the lanes from Yinding Bridge and stop for a hot drink by the lake.
How long it takes: 1 to 1.5 hours, plus travel.
Example dish3 Dec
全聚德前门店
The duck dinner on your route, a short walk from Qianmen Street. Sliced duck with pancakes and spring onions. Confirm the last dinner seating.
How long it takes: 1 to 1.5 hours, plus travel.
四季民福烤鸭店
¥130 to ¥220 per person (about £15 to £25)
The classic choice and better value, known in China as Siji Minfu. Several branches. The Forbidden City one can queue for 1 to 2 hours, so try another if you are short of time.
大董
¥300 to ¥500 per person (about £33 to £56)
The smarter option for a special night, known for its crisp duck and artful plating. Its Dongcheng flagship, 美·大董, is in the Michelin guide.
花家怡园
¥285 per person (about £32)
Old courtyard restaurant on Guijie (Ghost Street) with an open duck oven, also known for its Huajia cabbage. Pick the courtyard main branch. Reviews of the duck vary, and the price is a rough figure from one listing.
利群烤鸭店
Old-school duck in a hutong. Check it shows as open on Amap before heading over.
方砖厂69号炸酱面
¥15 per person (about £2)
Family-run zhajiang noodles, on the Michelin list for years.
满姐饺子
¥60 to ¥70 per person (about £7 to £8)
Thin-skinned, generously filled dumplings from a reliable local chain. Get the Man Jie signature dumplings (满姐招牌饺子).
南门涮肉
Classic Beijing lamb hotpot in a copper pot. Ideal for a freezing night.
聚宝源
Famous lamb hotpot on Niujie. Check the branch address on Amap before you go.
胡大饭馆
Spicy crayfish on Guijie, the late-night food street. The main branch is listed as open 24 hours and it is known for its queues.
2 or 3 Dec option
前门大街
Historic pedestrian street, good just before dinner. Quanjude is close by.
How long it takes: 30 minutes to 1 hour, plus travel.
2 or 3 Dec option
北京apm
Head inside apm for shops, cafes and a warm break. Guides warn off the nearby snack street as a tourist trap.
How long it takes: 1 to 2 hours, plus travel.
三里屯太古里
Open-air mall for fashion, flagship stores and people watching.
潘家园旧货市场
Huge flea market, at its best on weekend mornings, so your midweek stay will be quieter. Haggle, and assume antiques are not genuine.
稻香村
Traditional cakes to take home. Local advice is to look for the 三禾 brand.
护国寺小吃
The classic old Beijing snack shop. Try lvdagun (sticky rice rolls) and aiwowo. Queues at lunchtime.
姚记炒肝
Stewed liver soup with little pork buns. Very local, and an acquired taste.
牛街
Beijing's main halal area, around the old mosque. Lamb skewers, baodu and sweet treats.
煎饼果子
¥8 to ¥15 per person (about £1 to £2)
The breakfast crepe. Best from a cart early in the morning.
December averages a high of 3C and a low of -7C, the coldest stop by far. Pack proper layers, as most of the sights are outdoors.
Choose Mutianyu to avoid the crowds. Entry (¥45) does not cover everything, so also get tickets for the transfer bus (¥15) and the cable car (about ¥140 return).
Forbidden City: 26 Nov, 12:00 UK time. Tiananmen Square: 26 Nov to 2 Dec. Badaling trains: 19 Nov. Mutianyu: on sale now.
Bring the original you booked with to every sight. The Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square are separate bookings and separate security queues.
Your route has one duck dinner, at Quanjude on 3 Dec. You land at 05:15 on 2 Dec, so that evening is free for a second one.
Your Guangzhou flight is 08:30 on 4 Dec. Book a 05:15 taxi the day before.
4 to 7 December
4 Dec
永庆坊
Free. Follow Enning Road through restored Xiguan lanes and stop for Cantonese snacks on the way to Shamian.
How long it takes: 1 to 2 hours, plus travel.
5 Dec
长隆欢乐世界
¥250 per person (about £28)
Launch coasters and the Super Rapids in Panyu. Book by 4 Dec, bring your passport, and check the rides running that day.
How long it takes: 6 to 8 hours, plus travel.
6 Dec
白云山索道
¥45 per person (about £5)
Line 11 to Yuntai Garden, then follow the signs. About 7 minutes each way to Summit Park. Price includes the return and park entry. Check the last downhill car.
How long it takes: 1.5 to 2 hours, plus travel.
4 Dec option
陈家祠
¥10 per person (about £1)
Look up at the carved roof ridges, then explore the courtyard galleries. Pairs well with Yongqing Fang.
How long it takes: 1 to 1.5 hours, plus travel.
Museum exterior4 Dec option
粤剧艺术博物馆
Free. Embroidered costumes and stage props at 127 Enning Road, beside Yongqing Fang.
How long it takes: 1 to 1.5 hours, plus travel.
4 Dec option
沙面岛
Free. Finish the old-city walk on this leafy island, along the waterfront past the old trading houses.
How long it takes: 1 hour, plus travel.
4 Dec option
天字码头
¥50 to ¥150 per person (about £6 to £17)
Evening sailing from Tianzi Wharf. Match the pier on your ticket to this one, as the last departure varies.
How long it takes: 1 to 1.5 hours, plus travel.
5 Dec option
长隆国际大马戏
¥350 to ¥450 per person (about £39 to £50)
Evening acrobats after the rides. Separate ticket, so confirm there is a 5 Dec show. Rules out the Zhuhai day trip.
How long it takes: 1.5 hours, plus 30 to 45 minutes to get in and find seats.
5 Dec option
珠海长隆海洋王国
¥547 to ¥655 per person (about £61 to £73)
Whale shark aquarium and the Parrot Coaster, as a swap for Chimelong Paradise. Price includes return trains.
How long it takes: 6 to 8 hours, plus 2 to 3 hours each way by train.
6 Dec option
白云山风景区南门
¥5 per person (about £1)
Walk from the south gate to Summit Park and back instead of taking the cableway.
How long it takes: 3 to 5 hours, plus travel.
6 Dec option
广东省博物馆
Free timed entry, booked through the museum's Alipay channel. Slots update at 14:00 UK time, 7 days ahead. See the Chaozhou woodcarving.
How long it takes: 2 hours, plus travel.
6 Dec option
花城广场
Free. Walk south through the square to the river for views of Canton Tower.
6 Dec option
广州塔
¥150 per person (about £17)
On a clear day, go up to the 433m indoor deck. Outdoor rides cost extra.
How long it takes: 1 to 2 hours, plus travel.
Example dish6 Dec
广州酒家文昌总店
¥80 to ¥110 per person (about £9 to £12)
The 1935 flagship for morning tea on your route. Order har gow and char siu bao with tea.
How long it takes: 1 to 1.5 hours, plus travel.
陶陶居
One of the oldest and most famous dim sum houses. Michelin Plate at its Ya Yuan branch in 2024 and 2025.
莲香楼
Dates from 1889 and is known for lotus seed paste. Good for pastries as well as tea.
6 Dec option
北京路步行街
Shop the pedestrian street and look through the glass panels at the old road underneath.
How long it takes: 1 to 2 hours, plus travel.
上下九步行街
Older and more atmospheric, with arcaded buildings, cheap food stalls and cafes. Close to Yongqing Fang.
六运小区
Quiet residential blocks in Tianhe known for small independent shops and cafes.
Example dish4 Dec option
源记肠粉
¥20 to ¥35 per person (about £2 to £4)
Between Chen Clan Hall and Yongqing Fang, at 93 Huagui Road. Get the freshly steamed shrimp rolls with sweet soy. Expect a queue, and check hours as guides disagree.
How long it takes: 30 to 45 minutes, plus travel.
南信牛奶甜品专家
The place for double-skin milk, made with rich buffalo milk. Number 47 on Dishifu Road.
银记肠粉
¥10 per person (about £1)
Silky rice noodle rolls. The beef in soy is the one to get.
林林牛杂
Beef offal and radish in broth, near Shangxiajiu. Cheap and very local.
December averages a high of 21C and a low of 11C. Bring a light jacket for the evenings.
You land at T3 at noon on 4 Dec. Take an official taxi to Yuexiu or Liwan and allow 45 to 75 minutes.
Dim sum is mainly a morning and lunchtime meal. Go before 10am to beat the queues.
Most places charge per person for tea, usually ¥5 to ¥10. It is normal and will appear on the bill.
Many places use a paper slip you tick, or a QR code. Point at the Chinese names if you get stuck.
The Sanya flight leaves T2 at 07:05. Book the airport hotel near T2 and confirm a 04:30 shuttle or taxi.
7 to 11 December
7 Dec
海棠湾
After your flight, walk the sand by the resort strip and finish at your hotel pool.
How long it takes: 1 to 2 hours, plus travel.
8 Dec
亚特兰蒂斯水世界
¥250 to ¥400 per person (about £28 to £45)
Give it the day. Try the Leap of Faith slide and the lazy river. Check whether your room rate includes entry, and confirm closing time, as Atlantis lists both 18:00 and 20:00.
How long it takes: 4 to 6 hours, plus travel.
9 Dec
三亚保利瑰丽酒店
¥780 per person (about £87)
The foot massage, at 6 Haitang North Road. Open 11:00 to 23:00. Confirm the last treatment when booking.
How long it takes: 1 hour, plus travel.
10 Dec
蜈支洲岛
¥144 per person (about £16)
Ferry from Houhai, then walk the coastal paths. Price covers entry and the return boat. Last ferry out 16:00, last return 19:30 in low season. Check at the pier.
How long it takes: 4 to 6 hours, plus travel.
7 Dec option
后海村
Browse the lanes and watch the surfers. An easy first afternoon from Haitang Bay.
How long it takes: 1 to 2 hours, plus travel.
7 Dec option
亚特兰蒂斯失落的空间水族馆
¥188 per person (about £21)
Underwater viewing windows inside Atlantis, for an indoor afternoon.
How long it takes: 1 to 2 hours, plus travel.
Example lesson9 Dec option
后海冲浪
¥498 per person (about £56)
Priced for a class of two with basic English. Agree the meeting point and time with the school.
How long it takes: 2 hours, plus travel.
9 Dec option
鹿回头风景区
Free on foot, with sunset views above the harbours. Allow for the drive into the city.
How long it takes: 2 hours, plus travel.
10 Dec option
亚龙湾热带天堂森林公园
¥158 per person (about £18)
Park shuttle uphill to rainforest paths and bay views. Winter entry includes the shuttle. The glass walkway is extra.
How long it takes: 3 to 4 hours, plus travel.
10 Dec option
南山文化旅游区
¥129 to ¥159 per person (about £14 to £18)
A day on the west coast at the temples and the offshore Guanyin, with a long transfer. The higher price adds the park bus.
How long it takes: 3 to 5 hours, plus travel.
Example dish8 Dec option
椰小鸡海棠68
¥115 per person (about £13)
Chicken cooked in fresh coconut water, on the ground floor of Haitang 68. Good after Aquaventure. It can have a long queue.
How long it takes: 1 to 1.5 hours, plus travel.
林姐香味海鲜
Well known seafood restaurant with a branch in Haitang Bay, near Atlantis, so the handy choice for your stay.
第一市场
Buy live seafood at the market, then pay a nearby kitchen to cook it. It is in the city, a long ride from Haitang Bay. Read the tips in Good to know first.
春园海鲜广场
A famous seafood area in the city, best for dinner. Look for 海鲜广场, because prices differ at the similarly named 海鲜排档.
糟老头文昌糟粕醋火锅
Hainan's sour vinegar hotpot, inside First Market. Seafood is the thing to dip.
萌哒哒椰子鸡
Coconut chicken hotpot, recommended by locals. The owner is from Hainan.
文昌鸡
Hainan's most famous dish, served cold with rich yellow skin.
9 Dec
三亚国际免税城
Beauty and fashion at Haitang Bay, open 10:00 to 22:00. Read the duty free rule in Good to know, and ask how collection works.
How long it takes: 2 to 3 hours, plus travel.
亚龙湾奥特莱斯
Outlet shopping by the beach, with a big seafood market alongside.
抱罗粉
Hainan's must-try noodle soup. The hot, savoury broth is the point.
清补凉
Cold coconut milk dessert with beans and fruit. Perfect after the beach.
群众路小吃街
Where locals go for traditional Hainan snacks and shrimp cakes. In the city, so pair it with Luhuitou.
December averages a high of 27C and a low of 19C, the warmest stop. The sun is strong, so bring sunglasses, a hat and sunscreen.
You stay in Haitang Bay, 40 to 60 minutes by taxi from Phoenix Airport. Luhuitou, First Market and Nanshan are all long rides, so give each its own trip.
Over 18s, including foreigners, qualify when leaving Hainan for elsewhere in China with a ticket and passport. Your 11 Dec flight to Guangzhou should count, but confirm at the shop.
People around the market pull customers in for kitchens that pay them commission. Ignore them and choose your own.
Prices are per jin (500g), so a price that looks cheap may not be. Agree the price and watch it being weighed.
Book a 06:30 resort pickup on 11 Dec, to reach the airport by 07:40 for the 09:40 flight.
11 to 13 December
12 Dec
红桥公园
A 4km red forest walkway in Guangming, 75 to 90 minutes from Futian. Walk the western section towards Bihu Lake. One local source says not all of it is open, so check before you set off.
How long it takes: 1.5 to 2 hours, plus travel.
12 Dec
罗湖万象城
¥200 to ¥400 per person (about £22 to £45)
Thai massage after Dongmen. This button opens the mall, and the exact branch and price will be on your Klook voucher.
How long it takes: 1 to 1.5 hours, plus travel.
11 Dec option
深圳市民中心
Free. Check 11 Dec is listed, and reserve a viewing slot in the WeChat mini programme 福田中心区夜景灯光预约导引服务.
How long it takes: 30 to 45 minutes, plus travel.
12 Dec option
世界之窗
¥220 per person (about £25)
Miniature world landmarks and rides, for the whole Saturday in place of the park and shopping. Buy a dated ticket by 11 Dec.
How long it takes: 6 to 8 hours, plus travel.
12 Dec option
锦绣中华民俗村
¥220 per person (about £25)
Folk performances and miniature Chinese landmarks, also a day-long swap. The spa can still follow in the evening.
How long it takes: 5 to 7 hours, plus travel.
12 Dec option
大芬油画村
¥50 to ¥150 per person (about £6 to £17)
Ask for an indoor studio seat and paint a canvas to take home. A morning swap for Hongqiao Park. Agree the price first.
How long it takes: 2 to 3 hours, plus travel.
12 Dec option
莲花山公园
Free. Walk to the summit above the Civic Center for the Futian skyline, in the morning before heading east.
How long it takes: 1 to 1.5 hours, plus travel.
12 Dec option
华侨城创意文化园
Former factory courtyards with design shops, cafes and exhibitions. Pairs with Nantou for a west-side day.
How long it takes: 2 hours, plus travel.
12 Dec option
南头古城
Free. Enter through the South Gate for old lanes, local snacks and independent shops.
How long it takes: 2 hours, plus travel.
12 Dec option
深圳湾公园
Free. Walk the bay promenade from Shenzhen Bay Park metro, and look out for winter birds on the mudflats.
How long it takes: 1 to 2 hours, plus travel.
12 Dec option
平安金融中心云际观光层
¥180 to ¥200 per person (about £20 to £22)
The 116th floor of Ping An Finance Centre. Choose a clear day, or take the free Lianhuashan view.
How long it takes: 1 to 1.5 hours, plus travel.
东湾
Two Michelin stars in the city's first guide (2026). Cantonese with Chiu Chow flavours. The big splurge.
八合里海记牛肉火锅
The best known Chaoshan beef hotpot, with over 20 branches. The beef is cut fresh.
潮汕大目牛肉火锅
Open for about 42 years, in the Guomao area of Luohu, close to Dongmen.
阿翔鲜牛肉火锅
A local recommendation in Luohu. Get the neck cut and the beef dumplings.
润园四季椰子鸡
Shenzhen's favourite hotpot style, with branches in Futian near your hotel area. 润青 is a different brand with a similar name.
12 Dec
东门步行街
Street shopping in the lanes around Laojie, then a short walk or ride to the spa.
How long it takes: 1 to 2 hours, plus travel.
12 Dec option
赛格广场
Start at SEG Plaza for electronics stalls and components, then continue east to Dongmen. An alternative to Hongqiao Park.
How long it takes: 2 hours, plus travel.
购物公园
Mall option in Futian, handy for your hotel. Pair it with a nearby spa to limit taxis.
深圳万象城
The big polished mall for international brands, and where the Thai Comfort branch is.
罗湖商业城
Known for bargains and tailoring, right by the Hong Kong border. Sellers are pushy, so haggle hard.
12 Dec option
东门町美食街
¥35 to ¥80 per person (about £4 to £9)
Stalls near Laojie metro. Try an oyster omelette or seafood congee, then a buffalo milk dessert before the spa.
How long it takes: 45 minutes to 1 hour, plus travel.
小龙牛肉面
Beef noodles with a Michelin Bib Gourmand for its Futian branch.
December averages a high of 22C and a low of 13C.
11 Dec Guangzhou South to Shenzhen North goes on sale 27 Nov, so choose one after 15:00. 13 Dec back goes on sale 29 Nov, so choose one by 13:00. Allow ¥45 to ¥82 each way on 12306.
12 Dec is your only full day here, and a Saturday. Hongqiao Park is far out in Guangming, so pick either the west side or the east side, not both.
Locals book through Dianping or WeChat. Ask your hotel to call for the starred places.
Test anything you buy. Check that plugs and batteries suit the UK, and remember the power bank rule in All China.
Leave Futian around 11:30 on 13 Dec, and aim for Baiyun T3 by 18:15 for the 21:15 flight.
Visa free for up to 30 days, and you enter at Beijing on 2 Dec. UK advice is 6 months' validity from arrival (2 June 2027 or later) and two blank pages.
Fill in the free online arrival card before you leave Manchester, and skip sites that charge a fee. Save your first hotel's Chinese address offline.
A UK roaming plan or travel eSIM usually keeps Google and WhatsApp working, but hotel and cafe wifi will not. VPNs are unreliable, so sort this before you land.
Amap (the links on this page need it), Alipay, WeChat, Trip.com, 12306 and Didi. Didi can also run inside Alipay.
Each button searches Amap for the exact Chinese name in that city, so chains show several branches. Choose the closest and check the opening hours.
A round date mark on a stamp means that place is on your route. Option, inside a stamp, means it could fit that day as a swap or extra.
Your passport is your ticket, so scan the one you booked with at the gate. Set up and verify it in 12306 now.
For your flights inside China, the 3C mark must be printed on the power bank itself, and it must go in hand luggage. Without the mark, staff can stop you taking it on board.
Do not drink the tap water. Tipping is not expected.
Restaurants close and move, and opening hours shift. Look at Amap before crossing town.
Photos are resized and cropped, and keep their listed licences. Some show an example of the dish or activity.