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Forbidden City

Forbidden City: Our most recommended tours and activities

Beijing: Tian'anmen Square and Forbidden City Walking Tour

1. Beijing: Tian'anmen Square and Forbidden City Walking Tour

Meet in front of Beijing Urban Planning Center(or your Beijing downtown hotel's lobby if you choose the private tour), follow your tour guide to enter Tian'anmen Square from the travel agency passage which save you some time. Once get on the Tian'anmen Square, your tour guide will introduce the buildings around you, including the The Great Hall of the People, The National Museum of China, The Mausoleum of Mao Zedong, The Monument to the People's Heroes. Learn how the building was brought to life. Hear about the history events that took place here over time. Walk through the square and enter through the Tian'anmen gate, then enter the Forbidden City from the Meridian Gate. The Forbidden City is the largest and the best-preserved imperial palace complex in the world. You will visit the most important buildings along the middle axis of the palace, then visit two courtyards in the west chamber, be immersed in their history explained by your licensed and passionate guide. Lastly, you will visit the Imperial Garden and your tour will ends here, you can choose to explore more of the Forbidden City on your own, or your tour guide will advise where to catch a taxi to your next destination.

Beijing: Temple of Heaven and Forbidden City Private Tour

2. Beijing: Temple of Heaven and Forbidden City Private Tour

Meet your tour guide in the lobby of your hotel, your private tour will begins with a visit to the stunning Temple of Heaven visited by the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties for annual ceremonies of prayer to Heaven. Stroll around the garden with your tour guide, watching local people doing morning exercises and you are welcome to join! Follow your tour guide to stroll around the courtyards in the Temple of Heaven park, learn the histories and stories about the temple with your tour guide, get to know what an emperor's worship looks like. You will visit major buildings inside the park, including Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest, Hall or Imperial Zenith, Echo Wall, Nine Dragon Cypress, Circular Mount Alter and more. After lunch in the local restaurant, then head to the Tienanmen Square, home to the National Museum of China and many other buildings. If there is anything you particularly want to see, feel free to let your guide know. The best thing about having a private guide is that the tour can be tailored to the things that interest you the most. Pass through the south gate to the magnificent Forbidden City, a 250-acre complex of courtyards, palaces, pavilions and gardens, which served as the imperial palace for emperors and their households for more than 500 years. Follow your tour guide to explore most important buildings inside the Forbidden city, Hall of Great Harmony, Hall of Central Harmony, Hall of Preserving Harmony, Hall of Heavenly Purity, Hall of Union, Hall of Earthly Tranquility and the Imperial Garden. If you want to spend more time to explore the Forbidden city just let your tour guide know. After the tour finish, you will be transferred back to your hotel in Beijing.

Forbidden City and Jingshan Park Walking Tour

3. Forbidden City and Jingshan Park Walking Tour

Meet in front of Donghuamen Gate, follow your tour guide to enter the Forbidden City. Start the tour with your tour guide who will introduce the buildings around you, including the Meridian Gate. The Forbidden City is the largest and the best-preserved imperial palace complex in the world. You will visit the most important buildings along the middle axis of the palace, then visit two courtyards in the west chamber. Fascinated by the history explained by your licensed and passionate guide, you could enjoy the fabulous tour in the forbidden city. The most amazing place will be the Imperial Garden where you could appreciate the imperial scenery with rockeries and pavilion. After a short rest at here, you could follow the guide to our next stop, Jingshan Park. Jingshan park is located across the road from the Forbidden City. It was an excluded imperial garden with a natural mountain. With about 20 minutes walk, you could get on top of the mountain which is the perfect place to see the panoramic view of the Forbidden City. The guide will introduce the history and the anecdote story of the Jingshan Park. And you could take around in the park by yourself. The tour will end here.

Beijing: Tiananmen Square Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour

4. Beijing: Tiananmen Square Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour

This mesmerising tour of Tiananmen Square, the heart of Beijing, and a world famous cultural landmark, features many of the most famous sights in the city. See the mausoleum where the body of Mao Zedong lies, and other great works of Communist architecture such as the Monument to the People’s Heroes and the Great Hall of the People, the distinctive National Performing Centre for the Arts, the National Museum of China, the highly unusual China Numismatic Museum, the Zhengyamen Gate, the Tiananmen Gates, Chang'an Avenue, and the Forbidden City, the fascinating home of generations of Chinese royalty, with thousands of rooms. A wonderful overview of the sights of Tiananmen Square, this tour is both interesting and informative. A visit to Tiananmen Square is essential for any visitor to Beijing. Your tour. Your way.

From Beijing: 3-Day UNESCO World Heritage Sites Private Tour

5. From Beijing: 3-Day UNESCO World Heritage Sites Private Tour

This private 3-day tour gives you plenty of time to explore Beijing's UNESCO World Heritage Sites, such as the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, and The Great Wall of China. If you have extra time, you can add other sites into the itinerary(entrance fee at your own cost): Beihai Park, Jinshan Park, Miaoyin Temple or other sites you are interested to go (within the 3rd ring road of Beijing city)Since this is a private tour, please list any special interests you have while booking, from art and architecture to history and culture, so the guide can better prepare for your Beijing experience. Day 1: After meet your tour guide, start by exploring one of the world’s largest public areas, Tian'anmen Square. Pass through the south gate to the Forbidden City, stroll around the courtyards and halls of the Forbidden city with your tour guide, and learn the histories and stories about this massive palace. You will visit most important buildings inside the Forbidden City. Stop in a local restaurant for lunch, then discover the Lama Temple in the afternoon. Lama Temple is one of the largest and most important Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in the world. For evening, you can enjoy an amazing Chinese show, such as the Acrobatic show, Kongfu show or Peking opera.(at your own cost) After the show finished, you will be transferred back to your hotel in Beijing Day 2: After meet your guide, heading to Mutianyu Great Wall. Once arrive at the The Mutianyu Great Wall, you’ll enjoy a less hurried experience and take time to marvel at this wondrous structure and the surrounding hillsides. Hiking up and down for about 1.5 hours at the various sections of the Wall, exploring the watch and beacon towers. Stop at a Local Restaurant for lunch. On the way to city stop to take photos at the iconic "Bird's Nest"– the Beijing National Stadium, where hosts many spectacular events of the 2008 Summer Olympics. Continue to the Drum Tower area, stroll around the local Hutong neighborhood. Get to know the local life and people. You also can explore the Houhai lake area and Nanluoguxiang Hutong allays. After the tour finished, you will be transferred back to your hotel in Beijing. Day 3: Begins with the Temple of Heaven, once visited by the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties for annual prayer ceremonies. Follow your tour guide to explore many important buildings including: Hall of Prayer for good harvest, Danbi Bridge. 9 dragon Juniper and more Spend time in the pearl market to purchase your China souvenir, your guide will teach you how to negotiate price in the market. Next, see the pandas in the Beijing Panda House and have a delicious duck lunch in the local restaurant Continue to the Summer Palace, a well-preserved royal garden that's renowned for its beautiful landscape and spectacular architecture, and is considered one of the most classical gardens in the world. After the tour finished, you will be transferred back to your hotel in Beijing.

From Datong: Yungang Grottoes and Hanging Temple 2-Day Tour

6. From Datong: Yungang Grottoes and Hanging Temple 2-Day Tour

Discover China's Hanging Temple and the Yungang Grottoes on this 2-day tour through Chinese history. Begin from your location in Datong and make your way to the world-famous Yungang Grottoes. Catch the Hanging Temple early next morning and ponder how it sits serenely along steep cliffs. Perched 50 meters high in the air, its 40 perilous halls and pavilions lean straight over Golden Dragon Canyon. Continue to the town of Yinxian and uncover the Wooden Pagoda. Detailed Itinerary: Day 1: Datong - Yungang Grottoes Begin with a pick-up from your location in Datong and head to Yungang Grottoes. Dating back to the 5th-century, the UNESCO World Heritage site is full of rare and splendid sculptures. Take in over 50,000 Buddhist statues over the course of 1 km. Enjoy a delicious lunch before continuing toward the Nine-Dragon Wall, the biggest, oldest, and tallest dragon wall in China. Stop by the historic Huayan Temple, the largest and most well-preserved temple from the Liao and Jin dynasties. Finally, explore the Shuanhua Temple before returning to your hotel for the night. Day 2: Hanging Temple - Yinxian - Datong Enjoy an early morning breakfast before heading toward the Hanging Temple. Located just outside the town of Hunyuan, the temple was built precariously along sheer cliffs above Jinlong Canyon. Make your way through the grounds as you trace back more than 1,400 years of history. In the afternoon, head to Yinxian to see the Wooden Pagoda. At the end of the day, return to your destination in Datong.

From Tianjin Xingang Port: Private 2-Day Beijing Tour

7. From Tianjin Xingang Port: Private 2-Day Beijing Tour

See the Great Wall of China and discover the most important sights of the Forbidden City, with a stop at Tiananmen Square. Learn about the history and architecture of the areas you visit from your local expert guide. Day 1: Pick-up service from Tianjin Port, Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City(L) Your Beijing English-speaking guide will be holding a sign with your name on it and waiting in the lobby of Tianjin Port at 08:00. After 2.5-hours of driving, you will visit Tiananmen Square to observe monuments created from Mao's influence on China's modern history. From there, proceed to the Forbidden City, the largest and best-preserved ancient imperial palace with 600 years of history in the world. Visit the Forbidden City along the central axis from south to north for approximately 2-hours. Then, you will have a chance to visit a Silk Museum and learn about traditional silk culture. After having a short stop, have a typical Chinese lunch for about 40 minutes in a local restaurant. Later, go back to your hotel. Day 2: Great Wall and the Summer Palace(L) On the second day, you will experience China's No.1 highlight attraction, the Badaling Great Wall through Juyongguan entrance side. This is the less crowded and quieter part of the Great Wall. After your visit, enjoy a Chinese lunch at the authentic Jade Gallery Restaurant, then you can also experience interesting ancient Chinese Jade culture there, later on visit the most impressive and beautiful Summer Palace, the largest and most beautiful Chinese imperial garden. Stay for about 1.5-hours before you leave to enjoy an amazing Chinese tea ceremony at a local tea house. Then, you will be transferred back to your hotel. Please note the hotel is not provided.

Tianjin Cruise Port: Beijing City Highlights Shore Excursion

8. Tianjin Cruise Port: Beijing City Highlights Shore Excursion

Our tour guide will wait for you at the exit of the Arrival Hall with your name sign, then travel by private vehicle to Beijing City which takes about 2.5 hours. This private tour is specially customized based on your interests. While driving, discuss with your guide the attractions you would like to visit in Beijing City (you will have approximately 4-5 hours to spend on sightseeing), your expert tour guide will put together an itinerary, then set off and explore! No matter you want to visit a market for souvenirs or explore the local allays to see the local life, we will try our best to make your dream come true. Basically, in the five hours of time available, you can visit the Tian’anmen Square and Forbidden City(tickets need to purchase at least 3 days in advance), Temple of Heaven, the Hutong alleys or wander through the shopping streets as well as taste typical local dishes. Here are other places you might like: Drum Tower and Hutong allays Lama Temple and Confucius temple and Imperial College Summer Palace(require at least 3 hours) Houhai lake area with bars and restaurants Pearl or Silk Market A delicious lunch in the local restaurant is included, at the end of the tour, your driver will take you back to Tianjin Xingang International Port.

From Taijin Cruise Port: 2-Day Beijing Sightseeing Tour

9. From Taijin Cruise Port: 2-Day Beijing Sightseeing Tour

Day 1: Tianjin International Cruise Port to Beijing - Temple of Heaven- Tiananmen - Forbidden City Once the cruise ship docks in Tianjin International Cruise Port, your private guide will welcome you at the exit of the arrival hall, assist you with your luggage, then begin the 2.5-hour journey to Beijing. On the way, your guide will keep you entertained with fun facts and trivia about the city and its countless sights. Once arrival in Beijing, your tour will start from the Temple of Heaven. The magnificent and colorful Temple of Heaven was where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties would make offerings to heaven and pray for full harvests.  Then, you will stop at a local restaurant for a traditional Chinese lunch. Afterwards, you will explore the Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City area. Spend about 2 to 3-hours to explore the palace and learn the detailed history and stories with your knowledgeable tour guide. After that, your will be transferred back to your hotel in Beijing. (Please book your own hotel in advance) Day 2: Summer Palace - Great Wall - Tianjin International Cruise Port Check out of your hotel in the morning to begin your tour. Your first stop will be the Summer Palace. The Summer Palace is the best-kept existing royal garden in Beijing. With a concentration of the best of ancient buildings as well as styles of gardening, it is a virtual museum of traditional Chinese gardening.  Then after about a 1-hour drive to the Great Wall at the Mutianyu section, stop at the local village for a delicious Chinese lunch. Then, set off on a 30 minute journey along the scenic mountains and villages to the Great Wall as your guide explains the stories and histories of the the Great Wall. Have plenty of time to enjoy the surrounding mountains and ride in a cable car or ski lift with toboggan at your discretion.  Your shore excursion will then conclude back at Tianjin International Port in time for your cruise departure. The journey back will take approximately 3.5-hours. Your tour guide and driver will ensure your timely return back to the ship at Tianjin International Cruise Port.

Other Sightseeing Options in Forbidden City

Want to discover all there is to do in Forbidden City? Click here for a full list.