What's a good 3-day itinerary for Beijing?

Day 1 stays on Beijing's central axis, the 7.8-km line running from Yongdingmen in the south to the Drum Tower in the north. Start at Tiananmen Square by 7:30 AM, when the morning light is flat and the flag-raising crowds have cleared. The square covers about 440,000 square metres, and the concrete radiates heat by midday even in mid-June. Cross north through Tiananmen Gate (15 CNY, roughly $2.20) into the Forbidden City by 9 AM. You need a pre-booked ticket through the palace's WeChat mini-program, 60 CNY in peak season. Budget 3 hours. The Hall of Supreme Harmony smells like old lacquer and camphor wood, and the red-and-gold paint on the columns still carries the original 1420 colour scheme in places. By noon the courtyards fill shoulder-to-shoulder. Exit through the north gate and climb Jingshan Park (2 CNY) for the best overhead view of the palace's 72-hectare roof grid. Lunch at Siji Minfu on Nanheyan Dajie, a 10-minute walk east. Half a Peking duck runs about 160 CNY ($24). The skin arrives first, shatteringly crisp, dipped in white sugar. The meat follows with scallion, cucumber, and sweet bean sauce wrapped in thin pancakes.

Day 2 starts south at the Temple of Heaven, built in 1420 and set in a 273-hectare park that opens at 6 AM. Arrive by 8 AM and you'll hear retired couples singing Peking opera under the Long Corridor while groups practice tai chi on the worn flagstones. The Echo Wall and the circular Altar of Heaven are worth the 34 CNY ($5) combined ticket. By 11 AM, take Metro Line 8 north to Shichahai. The hutong alleys around Houhai Lake still have grey-brick courtyard houses and plane trees throwing shade across lanes barely wide enough for a bicycle. Mind you, the Houhai lakefront bars can feel like a strip mall after dark, but the daytime version is a different neighbourhood entirely. Walk north up Yandai Xiejie to the Drum Tower, climb the 69 steep wooden steps (20 CNY), and catch the drumming performance at 2 PM. Lunch at Yaoji Chaogan on Gulou Dongdajie for chao gan, a stir-fried liver stew that costs about 22 CNY ($3), paired with jiaoquan, a sesame ring bread that's chewy and faintly sweet. The room is noisy, the tables communal, and the menu on the wall in Chinese only. Point and nod.

Day 3 heads 15 km northwest to the Summer Palace, the 290-hectare lakeside retreat that Empress Dowager Cixi rebuilt in 1888 with navy funds she redirected. Take Line 4 to Beigongmen station and enter through the north gate (30 CNY, about $4.50). Walk the 728-metre Long Corridor first, each crossbeam painted with a different scene. Kunming Lake covers three-quarters of the grounds, and on humid June mornings the surface looks like brushed pewter. If your legs ache from the previous two days, rent a pedal boat for 80 CNY ($12) per hour. By early afternoon, metro back east toward the Olympic Park. The Bird's Nest stadium from the 2008 Games is more interesting from the outside than in. That said, the Water Cube next door now operates as a water park (260 CNY, about $38) if you need air-conditioned relief from the humidity. Spend late afternoon at 798 Art District in Jiuxianqiao, a repurposed military electronics factory with free-entry galleries like UCCA Center for Contemporary Art. Dinner at Transit on Gongti Beilu in Sanlitun. The dry-pot lamb is 88 CNY ($13) and numbs your lips for a solid hour.

A few logistics that might save your first morning. Beijing's subway runs from about 5:30 AM to 11 PM and costs 3-9 CNY per ride depending on distance. You'll need Alipay or WeChat Pay loaded on your phone for almost everything. Cash still works at ticket windows, but most restaurants and street vendors expect a QR code scan. The Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, and Summer Palace all require advance booking 2-3 days ahead through WeChat mini-programs or their official sites. Same-day walk-ups tend to sell out by mid-morning. June weather currently sits around 24°C with drizzle and 93% humidity, so pack a light rain jacket and expect damp air that clings to your skin. Total walking and transit distance across the 3 days comes to roughly 30 km, with the subway covering the long stretches on Days 2 and 3.