To most Western visitors, Beijing is a wildly exotic place. Everything is different and unusual, except for the ubiquitous traffic every city-dweller can relate to. Having a week to explore the city allows you to take your time at the major sites. At least three of them are so complex you can spend the entire day wandering around taking in all they have to offer. A fourth day should be spent exploring the Great Wall of China. That leaves you with three additional days to see the other interesting things in Beijing many visitors never make it to. You might even opt to take a day to explore a nearby archeological site. Because your day at the Great Wall will be primarily out-of-doors, plan your itinerary according to the weather.