Full-Day Heart of Beijing City Tour

Beijing, China

Discover the heart of Beijing on this intensive, guided 1-day tour that focuses on the city's UNESCO-listed Central Axis. You'll visit Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, Jingshan Park, and ride a rickshaw through the hutong near the Drum and Bell Towers, before ending the day with an acrobatic show at Chaoyang Theater.

You'll meet the tour at 9am at Exit B of Tiananmen East subway station (line 1), at the heart of Beijing's Central Axis. Discover the history of the establishment of modern China and visit monuments to Chinese heroes such as Mao Zedong as you walk through Tiananmen Square en route to the Forbidden City.

At roughly 10am you will enter The Forbidden City for a 2-hour tour through this vast complex – once the exclusive domain of Ming and Qing Dynasty emperors and their court. Beginning at the Meridian Gate and ending at the Gate of Divine Prowess, discover royal gardens, imperial halls, concubines' quarters, and museums.

Next, enjoy a picnic lunch in Jingshan Park with a traditional Chinese lunch box, before hiking to the top of Jingshan Hill to enjoy the panoramic view over Beijing's Central Axis and the city as a whole. Weather depending, you should be able to spot other popular Beijing sights like the egg-shaped National Theater and the White Pagoda in Beihai Park.

At 2pm, you'll explore the hutong, single-storey, laneway neighborhoods where local people in Beijing traditionally lived. Beijing is laid out on a grid pattern with each hutong running from north to south or east to west. Take a rickshaw ride, visit a siheyuan (courtyard) family, and get to know some Beijing natives.

You'll have free time to shop for gifts and taste some food in Yandai Xiejie, an ancient alley near the Drum Tower. Along the street, there are many traditional Chinese restaurants providing delicacies from all over the country. Souvenirs include: traditional clothing, pottery, and tea, not to mention memorabilia of Chairman Mao.

Finally, take the subway to the Chaoyang Theater for the acrobatic show at 5:30pm. Eye-catching performances, impressive technique, and traditional music allow you to experience an entirely new perspective on Chinese folk arts. It finishes at 6:30pm.