Beijing for Two
Golden Roofs, a Lakeside Evening & a Quiet Wall

This is the most romantic view in Beijing, and most visitors never make it up here. Jingshan is an artificial hill directly north of the Forbidden City. Climb to the Wanchun Pavilion at the summit and the entire field of golden roofs lies spread out below you. As the late light hits, the whole expanse glows orange-gold — it is the kind of view that makes you both go quiet. Entry is just ¥2 (about US$0.30), the best-value ticket in the city.

As the heat fades, Houhai turns into Beijing's classic date night. The lake is ringed with willow-lined lanes, lakeside bars, and small venues with live music. Hire a rowing boat for half an hour just as the lights come on around the water, or simply walk the shore hand in hand. One side is a lively bar strip; the other is quieter and calmer — you can choose the mood of the evening. It is one of the few places in the city centre that genuinely slows you down.

The Great Wall is the most dramatic two-some view there is — if you pick the right section. Mutianyu has a cable car up and down, is wrapped in green hills, and draws far fewer crowds than Badaling, which makes it ideal for an easy walk together. Jinshanling suits couples who want a genuinely quiet hike, with few other visitors on the wall. Some couples go at first light or late afternoon to catch the soft light and escape the groups. Autumn — clear skies and turning leaves — is the most beautiful time of year up here.

The Summer Palace is the lakeside imperial garden the emperors built to escape the heat, and it is one of the loveliest places to walk together in Beijing. Take a boat across Kunming Lake, which is so wide it feels like a natural lake, and stroll the Long Corridor, a covered walkway painted with thousands of scenes along its beams. Cross the Seventeen-Arch Bridge to the island, and you have an easy morning of it. The grounds are so large it never feels crowded — come early when the air is cool and the light is soft.

Most people come to the Temple of Heaven for a photo of the round, blue-roofed Hall of Prayer and then leave. But the real charm for couples is the broad, shaded park around it, full of cypress trees hundreds of years old. In the morning, locals come here to exercise, dance, and play music among the trees — the atmosphere is wonderfully relaxed. Wander hand in hand under the canopy, sit and watch local life, and let the pace drop away from the rush of the rest of the city.

If you want the hotel itself to be part of the memory, spend a night in a hutong courtyard house (siheyuan) — a traditional Beijing square-courtyard home converted into a small, atmospheric stay. There is a quiet central courtyard; you wake up and sip tea in it surrounded by the old lanes, then step out the gate into real hutong life. It is something a high-rise hotel simply cannot give you, and it suits couples after calm and a sense of the old city. Many are within walking distance of Houhai and Nanluoguxiang.

After a day among the history, switch the mood to modern Beijing for the night. The CBD (Guomao) and Sanlitun districts have rooftop bars high enough to take in the city's lit-up skyline. Sitting over a cocktail watching the lights together is a date night that contrasts nicely with the old lanes. Sanlitun is also the city's liveliest restaurant, bar, and nightlife quarter, so there is plenty more to wander to afterwards.

No trip to Beijing is complete without one dinner of roast Peking duck at a good house — crisp golden-brown skin, carved at the table, wrapped in thin pancakes with spring onion, cucumber, and sweet bean sauce. It is both delicious and just ceremonial enough to feel like an occasion. Book a table at a well-known restaurant ahead, especially at weekends, and choose somewhere with a bit of atmosphere so it becomes the date-night dinner you remember. One duck is usually plenty to share between two.

If you want a more spectacular night than a bar, take in a Beijing acrobatics show, where performers pull off astonishing feats on stage, or a Kung-fu show that tells a story through Chinese martial arts. Both make a fun evening to watch together, and neither needs much language to follow. Book ahead to get good seats. It is a nice alternative date night that breaks up the daytime sightseeing.

End the evening with a wander through the old hutong lanes. Nanluoguxiang is the main lane, lined with cafés, dessert spots, and little gift shops, with quieter side alleys to slip into away from the crowd. After dark the lanterns come on and the mood turns warm — perfect for strolling hand in hand, picking up a snack, and ducking into a tiny café. For something quieter, turn off into the side hutongs, where there are far fewer visitors. It is close to Houhai, so you can do both in one evening.