Half Day Walking Tour to Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City
Description
This a half-day walking tour of several UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Beijing, must see heritage attractions in Beijing. Start with a look at the monuments of Tiananmen Square, then tour the immense Forbidden City complex with your knowledgeable tour guide.We could help you to buy Forbidden City ticket in advance if you book it 7 days in advance.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Picked by our tour guide at your hotel between 8am to 1pm or meet the guide at the meeting point at 7:40am or 13:00 pm. Then head to Tiananmen Square, the largest public square of this kind in the world. Located in the heart of Beijing City, it is the site for massive parades and rallies.This was the site when in 1949, from a rostrum on Tiananmen (the Gate of Heavenly Peace), Chairman Mao proclaimed the establishment of the People's Republic of China. For security reason, Tiananmen Square is a fenced square circled by low iron grids with main four entrances – east, west, south and north. The square is now open to the public till sunset, but all the tourists have to pass a security check before they enter the square. So check points have been set up at all the entrances leading to the square.
Have a glimpse at the outside of Memorial Hall of Chairman Mao, the Monument to the People's Heroes, the magnificent Great Hall of the People, the National Museum of China, the ancient Zhengyang Gate and Arrow Tower as well as the Tiananmen Tower which leads to the well-known Forbidden City.
Then move on to the Imperial Palace, also known as the "Forbidden City" , the largest and best-preserved ancient imperial palaces group with 500 years history. We will buy ticket in advance to skip the line. The palace was built between 1406 and 1420, but was burnt down, rebuilt, sacked and renovated countless times, so most of the architecture you can see today dates from the 1700's and onwards. You will have a highlight tour of the Forbidden City. Afterward, you will end the tour at the north exit of Forbidden City. Please feel free to ask tour guide help you to get taxi or bus to your own next destination. Note: A current valid passport is required on the day of travel.
Visiting
Visiting
Visiting
Visiting
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Chinese tourists( including Taiwan and Hongkong ) must book over 8 days in advance.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Please note: Passport name and number is required at time of booking for “all participants” upon booking
- Passport is required for all travelers on the day of travel for direct entry. (not for Chinese tourist)
Reviews(47)
It was a small group of 4 We were picked up at a good location and everything went smoothly Sophia was great well informed and took us at our pace. Definitely recommend.
Dear Guest Thank you very much for your nice review! We’re glad you loved our small group tour of four people with convenient pickup and a totally smooth journey. It’s wonderful to hear Sophia was knowledgeable and took the tour at your comfortable pace. We’ll pass all your praise to Sophia right away and really appreciate your recommendation! Best regards, Lily's Beijing Tours Team
Fantastic trip for the day. We chose this as our day 1 trip to get up and used to the time change after a long flight. Lucy was amazing as she kept our group together and taught us about the history of the forbidden city as well as recent discoveries. She had a good sense of humour as well which made the trip even more fun. I would recommend this trip if you wish to learn about the history of the forbidden city but to also stretch your legs and get moving for the day.
Dear Guest Thank you for your fantastic review! We’re glad this tour was the perfect first day outing to beat jet lag after your long flight. It’s lovely to hear Lucy did a great job keeping your group organized, sharing vivid history and new archaeological findings of the Forbidden City, plus her great sense of humour made the whole journey lively and enjoyable. We truly appreciate your recommendation for anyone wanting to dive into the palace’s history while getting some exercise. Wish you many more wonderful days exploring Beijing! Best regards, Lily's Beijing Tours Team
Thorough and excellent forbidden city tour, however we only drove past the Tianmen square and did not enter as expected, which was a little disappointing. We were told this is due to significant lines at the square to enter. We will have to book a trip to the square soon.
Dear Guest, Thank you for your honest feedback. We sincerely apologize that we were unable to visit Tiananmen Square as scheduled due to extremely long queues. Considering you were travelling with an infant, our tour guide recommended skipping the queue and viewing the square by car. We wish you a pleasant visit here next time. Best regards, Lily's Beijing Tours Team
Covered the history of the forbidden city with knowledge and enthusiasm. Well structured, and most helpful in signposting us to our onward destination.
Dear Guest Thank you for your kind review! We’re thrilled your tour guide delivered a well-structured introduction to the Forbidden City with rich knowledge and great enthusiasm. It’s really thoughtful of you to mention how helpful they were in giving clear guidance for your next destination. We’ll gladly pass your wonderful feedback to the guide, and hope to welcome you back to discover more historic charms in Beijing soon! Best regards, Lily's Beijing Tours Team
Tour was nice, could be a bit shorter though. Great guide, all thanx to Marco who spoke very good english and provided us with a lot of useful and funny informations.
Dear Guest Thank you so much for your honest and lovely review! We’re really glad you enjoyed the tour and highly appreciated Marco’s great service. It’s wonderful to hear he speaks excellent English and shared plenty of useful and interesting information with you. We’ve noted your feedback about adjusting the tour duration properly, and we will make improvements to offer a more comfortable experience for our guests. Thank you again for your kind support, and we hope to welcome you back again someday! Best regards, Lily's Beijing Tours Team
Our tour guide Lisa was great! She picked us up from our hotel in the morning, helped us navigate the hectic lines and security at Tiananmen Square, provided historical insight at the Forbidden City, and took us on a nice stroll through Jingshan Park! A very enriching experience
Dear Guest Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! We’re really glad you had such an enriching day with Lisa. She’s a fantastic guide—so helpful with hotel pickup, navigating the crowds and security at Tiananmen Square, sharing fascinating history at the Forbidden City, and showing you the lovely Jingshan Park. We’ll pass your kind compliments to Lisa, and hope you have a fantastic time in Beijing! Best regards, Lily's Beijing Tours Team
Had a tour with Sofia! She did a great job telling us about the history of that Forbidden city.
Dear Guest, Thank you so much for your kind review! We are delighted to hear you enjoyed your tour with Sofia and that she shared the fascinating history of the Forbidden City with you. We truly appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you back to explore more of Beijing soon! Best regards, Lily's Beijing tours team
Marco did a great job making the history of the forbidden city come to life. He was able to answer my questions and adjusted the focus based on my areas of interest
Dear Mark, Thank you so much for your wonderful review of our Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City tour! We’re absolutely thrilled to hear that Marco brought the rich history of the Forbidden City to life for you—this is what makes our tours truly meaningful. We’re incredibly proud of Marco for his exceptional professionalism: his ability to thoughtfully answer all your questions and tailor the tour focus to your specific areas of interest perfectly reflects his dedication to creating a personalized and engaging experience for every guest. Your kind feedback means a great deal to us and to Marco, and we greatly appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. We look forward to welcoming you back for more amazing cultural adventures in Beijing soon!
This was my favorite private tour of my entire trip! Linda was amazing and went above and beyond to make us feel comfortable and made it an enjoyable experience! She’s extremely helpful and knowledgeable! Made our experience unforgettable!! Highly recommend this tour!
Dear Guest, Thank you so much for your glowing review of our Half Day Walking Tour to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City—and for naming it your favorite private tour of your entire trip! This means the absolute world to us. We’re absolutely thrilled to hear Linda was incredible and went above and beyond to make your experience comfortable, enjoyable and truly unforgettable. Her exceptional knowledge and thoughtful, helpful care are what make her such an amazing guide, and we’re so glad she brought these iconic Beijing sites to life for you in such a special way. Your enthusiastic recommendation means everything to our team, and we’re incredibly grateful you had such a wonderful time with us. We hope to welcome you back soon for more amazing explorations of Beijing’s wonders! Best Regards, Lily's Tours Beijing Team
A nice walking tour of the Forbidden City! Nice guide, very knowledgeable and humorous. We had a great time!
Dear Tobias, Thanks for your lovely review! So glad you had a great time on the Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City walking tour, and loved our knowledgeable, humorous guide. Appreciate your feedback 😊 Warm regards, Lily's Tours Team
