Private Beijing Culture and Food Tour: Forbidden City and Off-the-Beaten-Path Hutong Food Tour

Beijing, China

See the world-famous Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City on this private tour with a knowledgeable guide who introduces you to Beijing's history, culture, street art and food. Enjoy a homemade lunch at a local hutong (traditional village) home, and walk along the narrow streets and alleys of Beijing.

Meet your guide at your hotel in the morning to begin your Beijing private tour. Choose either a taxi or subway ride (own expense) for your exploration of one of the world's largest public areas, Tiananmen Square, which is home to the National Museum of China, the mausoleum of Mao Zedong and the great Monument to the Peoples’ Heroes.

Pass through the south gate to the magnificent Forbidden City, a UNESCO World Heritage site where you can stroll around the 250-acre (100-hectare) complex of courtyards, palaces, pavilions and gardens. Learn about Chinese emperors and their concubines, and see the largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world.

Next, take a short bus ride to a hutong to witness the lifestyle of local people who live in these areas and gain a deep understanding of hutong culture. Enjoy a homemade noodle lunch at a courtyard home in the neighborhood, and then spend about two or three hours exploring the narrow hutong streets and alleyways, where you can try authentic fare with 20-plus food tastings at local restaurants.

Your tour ends with return to your hotel by taxi or subway (own expense).

Traveler Reviews

Review by:   Martin B,    August 2017
We liked that this was a walking tour which meant also catching local public transport. Bella had also made sure that we had faster entry into the Forbidden City in busy school holidays period. This was appreciated in the very hot weather. Bella gave us fascinating insight into the history of the Forbidden City which could not be achieved with just a combination of visiting and reading signs and books. We also liked eating local foods afterwards although we became rather full from too much food. I would recommend Bella as an excellent English speaking guide.

Review by:   Bruce K,    June 2016
Our tour guide was Becky who was friendly, spoke excellent English, and did a great job of tailoring the tour to our interests. We had walked through Tiennamen Square the night before the tour, so she took that off the agenda and we spent more time in the Forbidden City instead.

All Traveler Reviews...