Arriving in Beijing for the first time is overwhelming in the best possible way. The first thing I did after dropping off my bags was to get informed about transportation in Beijing, because getting around efficiently is the key to the entire trip.
That same afternoon, I took a walk through the hutongs of Beijing near my hotel. These traditional alleyways have an atmosphere that no guidebook can fully convey. As night fell, I tried Beijing’s cuisine for the first time at a small noodle shop, and I understood why so many people talk about the Peking duck.
If you’re planning to travel to Beijing, my advice is not to try to see everything on the first day. The city is enormous, and it’s best to acclimate gradually.