Welcome to Beijing Walks
Beijing Walks provides the cultural and historical Beijing walking tour itineraries with free travel consultancy service and escorted walking tours as well. Beijing is large. That inescapable fact aside, exploring Beijijng on foot is an option if you have the time and energy. Strolling through Dashilan street, Liulichang street and Yandaixiejie and many more makes for a good supplement to a bus tour or car trip. Experience the fascination of the Capital Beijing on our personalized walking tours!
You'll see it all as our English-speaking tour guides take you to both the old Beijing and the trendy Beijing! We'll tell you the history, the legends, and the intriguing secrets of Beijing as ancient capitals in the past dynasties. Taking a walk in Beijing is not an easy job. But it does pay off if you take some time to explore the inside of Beijing. Especially, it's constructive to take a stroll around the hutongs (old alleys and quadrangles).
You may also benefit from our walking tour information and travel on your own. Stretch your legs now!
For walking trips immersing youself in the magnificence of the hills and villages around Beijing, please check Beijing Hiking Tours; For Great Wall Hiking, please visit our another page of Great Wall Tours.
| Beijing Escorted Walking Tours & Free Walking Tour Information |
| Beijing Central Axis Walk | Old Beijing Walk | Traditional Beijing Walk |
| Modern Beijing Walk | Traditional and Trendy Beijing Walk | Beijing Walking Tour Information |
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Just a reminder If you prefer Beijing walking tours outside Beijing, check out Beijing Hiking Tours. |
Welcome to Beijing Walks
| Beijing Central Axis Walk | |
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Experience: Exploring the central axis of Beijing from Qianmen Street to Bell and Drum Towers. Tour Type: A private walking tour Departure time: Around 9:00am or upon your request Pick up place: your hotel in our designated area Way of transfer (hotel - starting point): subway, public bus or taxi (pay on your own) Starting Point: Qianmen Street Finishing Point: Drum Tower Walking Time: 3-4 hours Travel Distance: 5.5km Tour Code: BWPT-01 Price: Click Here |
| Old Beijing Walking Tour | |
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Liulichang Antique Street Experience: Exploring the secrets and history of the southern city of Beijing Tour Type: A private walking tour Departure time: Around 9:00am or upon your request Pick up place: your hotel in our designated area Way of transfer (hotel - starting point): subway, public bus or taxi (pay on your own) Starting Point: Hepingmen subway station ( down Nan Xinhua Jie ) Finishing Point: Qianmen subway station (Qianmen Gate, south end of Tiananmen Square) Walking Time: 2-3 hours Travel Distance: 2.5km Tour Code: BWPT-02 Price: Click Here |
| Modern Beijing Walking Tour | |
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Experience: Wangfujing Street, Silk Street Market and Central Business District Tour Type: A private walking tour Departure time: Around 9:00am or upon your request Pick up place: your hotel in our designated area Way of transfer (hotel - starting point): subway, public bus or taxi (pay on your own) Starting Point: Wangfujing Street Subway Station Exit A Finishing Point: Central Business District Walking Time: 4 hours Travel Distance: 6.5km Tour Code: BWPT-03 Price: Click Here |
| Traditional Beijing Walking Tour | |
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Experience: Chengxian Street, Bell Tower, Yandaixiejie and Shichahai area （Back Lake) Tour Type: A private walking tour Departure time: Around 9:00am or upon your request Pick up place: your hotel in our designated area Way of transfer (hotel - starting point): subway, public bus or taxi (pay on your own) Starting Point: Lama Temple Subway Station Exit C Finishing Point: Shichahai Walking Time: 2-3 hours Travel Distance: 3.5km Tour Code: BWPT-04 Price: Click Here |
| Traditional and Trendy Beijing Walk | |
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Experience: Drum Tower, hutong area and Beijing Olympic Sites Tour Type: A private walking tour Departure time: Around 9:00am or upon your request Pick up place: your hotel in our designated area Way of transfer (hotel - starting point): subway, public bus or taxi (pay on your own) Starting Point: Bell Tower Finishing Point: Beijing Olympic Sites Walking Time: 6 hours Travel Distance: 7.5km Tour Code: BWPT-05 Price: Click Here |
Important Reminder
1. As for pick-up point, at present we include the pickup points ( your hotel or residential place ) within the East 3rd Ring Road, North of the Temple of Heaven, West Second Ring Road and North 3rd Ring Road. You'll pay for the transfer from your hotel to the starting point (subway, bus or taxi) escorted by our tour guide.
2. We provide one English speaking tour guide for each traveling party.
3. The listed walking tours do not include visits that can be easily done by yourself like the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace and The Temple of Heaven. Those big attractions take 2 to 4 hours each.
4.If it is necessary to visit some of those places during one of our tour, entrance tickets have to be paid by you and the time to visit those places will be part of the time of the walking tour.
5. For payment and cancellation policy, please refer to our Terms & Conditions.
What you should bring 1.Wear comfortable shoes!
2. Don't wear expensive jewellery overtly.
3. Sun glasses, your camera and your best smile
4. During summer (Between May and October): sun block
5. For spring and autumn, the weather changes daily: a windproof jacket and an additional sweater
6. For winter (between November and April): you will need thick winter clothes (gloves,beanie woolen hat, scarf, winter sweater and long underpants).
Walk 1: Beijing Axis Walks (1)
Walking Trail: Yongdingmen Gate – Temple of Agriculture – Temple of Heaven – Qianmen Pedestrian Street (Dazhalan) – Tiananmen Square
Walking Distance: 3 km
Walking Time: 2 Hours
Beijing Central Axis, which is interpreted as a royal line. The emperors in ancient China believed that they were the center of the world, so all of their palaces should be built on the axis or alongside the center from south to north of Beijing. As the core of old Beijing city, the Central Axis of Beijing also show us the ingenious urban planning in the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, as well as China today.
Walk 2: Beijing Axis Walks (2)
Walking Trail: Tiananmen Square -Imperial Ancestral Temple and Altar of the Land and Grain – Forbidden City, Jingshan Park – Dianmen Gate ( non-extent ), Drum Tower and Bell Tower.
Walking Distance: 4.5 km
Walking Time: 3-4 hours
The Central Axis of Beijing was first laid out in 1403 in Ming Dynasty that can be traced even further back to the Mongol that Beijing was served as the capital Dadu. Today the Central Axis is still intact though some original buildings and gates are non-existent. Now the Central Axis of Beijing is on the tentative list for UNESCO cultural heritage, which was submitted in Sept 01, 2013 by National Commission of the People's Republic of China for UNESCO.
Walk 3: Old North City Walks
Walking Trail: Lama Temple – Chengxian Street, Bell Tower, Yandaixiejie (Yandai Byway) and Shichahai (Houhai)
Walking Distance: 3.5 km
Walking Time: 2-3 hour
The old north city walking tour allows you to explore the old and traditional area on the northern Beijing and starts with Chengxian Street ( some part of the street is also called Guozijian Street), west of Lama Temple; passing by the Confucius Temple and Guozijian (Imperial College); an outside look at the Drum and Bell Towers; stroll through the 800 year old Yandai Byway amd Yinding Bridge; experience some typical hutongs in the Shichahai area like Da Jinsi Hutong Tao, the most famous hutongs keeping the original layout of Hutong.
Walk 4: Old South City Walks
Walking Trail: Hepingmen Subway Station - Walk along South Xinhua Street ( avenue ) - Liulichang East and West Street (antique street) – Tieshu Byway (old hutongs ) –Dazhalan West Street ( old hutongs ) – Dazhalan Commercial Street ( renovated old commercial street ) – Qianmen Street ( renovated old commercial street ) –The southern end of Tiananmen Square.
Walking Distance: 2.5 km
Walking Time: 2-3 hour
Exploring the historic district of the southern Beijing, the cradle of Beijing city development, home to old hutong and genuine local Beijingers. You see Liulichang antique street the oldest street in Beijing. Liulichang is 800m long with a long history from Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties.
Walk 5: Old West City Walks
Walking Trail: Fuchengmen Bridge – Former Residence of Lu Xun – The old building of the Assembly of God – White Dagoba – The Temple of Ancient Emperors – Guangji Temple
Walking Distance：2-3km
Walking Time: 2-3 hour
The old west city walk offers a rare chance to explore the former residence of celebrities, temples in additional to the old hutongs. Start with Fuchengmen (non-existent ancient gate), stroll along the old and traditional hutong area, visit the former residence of Lu Xun, the most famous Chinese writer and the biggest Tibetan-style Buddhist dagoba in China.
Walk 6: Olympic Green Walks
Walking Trail：Bird's Nest – Water Cube – Olympic Forest Park
Walking Distance: 4 km
Walking Time: 2-3
The successful Beijing 2008 Olympic Games has left a deep impression on people's mind in the world though many years have passed. For many foreign visitors, the temptation is great to visit the Bird'Nest (Beijing National Stadium ) and Water Cube (Beijing National Aquatics Center).
Walk 7: Wangfujing Area Walks
Walking Trail (a loop walking route) : Beijing Hotel – Wangfujing Pedestrian Street – Wangfujing Traditional Food Street – Catholic Cathedral, St. Joseph's – Jinyu Hutong (Palace Hotel) –Dongdan Street – Oriental Plaza – Beijing Hotel.
Walking Distance: 2 km
Walking time: – 2 hours
Wangfujing Street is 1600 meters in length, running from south to north street. Now the part of it has been transformed into a pedestrian street since 1999. Its south starting point between Oriental Plaza and Beijing Hotel, and ends at National Art Museum of China in the north.
Walk 8: Dongjiaomingxiang Walks
Walking Route: Dong Jiao Min Xiang Alley
Walking Distance: 1.5 km
Walking Time: 2 hours
Dong Jiao Min Xiang is a historic site worth your short stroll and glimpse of the European-style buildings left over by the late 19th century and early 20th century foreign powers. Dong Jiao Minj Xiang ( or Dong Jiao Min Alley ) literally means "East Foreign Residents Alley", which is the longest alley ( hutong ) in Beijing with a total length of 1550 meters.
Walk 9: Chang'an Avenue Walks
Walking Route: From East Chang'an Avenue to West Chang'an Avenue
Walking Distance: 4 km
Walking Time: 2 hours
Chang'an Jie (长安街)in Beijing is often regarded as the longest and widest street in the world. Chang'an Jie, known as Chang'an Avenue, literally means ""Eternal Peace Street" named after the ancient capital of Tang Dynasty which was the present city of Xian.
Walk 10: Imperial Sites Walks
Walking Route: Tiananmen Square – (south entry ) Forbidden City ( north exit) – (south entry) Jingshan Park (west exit) – (east entry) Beihai Park (north exit) – Houhai (Shichahai)
Walking Distance: 3 km
Walking Time: 3-4 hours
Tiananmen Square is flanked by the Gate of Heavenly Peace (the entrance to The Forbidden City) on the north, Chinese National Museum on the east, the Great Hall of the People (China's parliament) on the west and Qianmen (Arrow Tower) on the south. There are two entrances to the Forbidden City – the southern gate ( Meridian Gate – Wumen) and northern gate(Gate of Divine –Shenwu Men). The southern gate is linked to Tiananmen Square to the south. You have to enter Forbidden City from its southern gate and exit from its northern gate, which is officially set as a one way south to north travel route.
Beijing Self-Guided Walking Tours Visiting the Highlights in Beijing
1. How to Visit Great Wall of China around Beijing
The Great Wall is not an "it" as you think. It is a "them", walls in the plural, and they do not form a continuous line. They are in bits built in different dynasties. Those "bits" of the Wall are scattered around the northern China stretching from Shanhaiguan in the east to Jiayuguan in the west, snaking along the southern edge of Inner Mongolia.
Beijing is a good place to visit the "bits" of the Wall built in Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). Most of the "bits" of the Wall here are tamed and reconstructed for the safety of travelers. So the tamed sections give way to wild ones – crumbling, overgrown and barred to walkers.
2. How to Visit Forbidden City
Visiting the Forbidden City ( The Palace Museum ) is no doubt one of your travel highlights in Beijing. Before starting your visit, it is quite helpful for you to grab some basic travel tips for touring the Forbidden City.
Try to avoid visiting the Forbidden City on weekends or public holidays. On these tourist peak days, the hoards of people are so thick that you could hardly see anything at all.
3. How to Visit Temple of Heaven
The name of the Temple of Heaven is a little misleading. It is more than just a temple, it is a huge park as well. Inside the huge park, there is a lovely temple complex, which is composed of three main parts – Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the Imperial Vault of Heaven and Circular Mound Altar sitting along an axis from south to north.
Temple of Heaven is called "Tiantan ParK" in Chinese, literally meaning "Temple of Heaven Park".
4. How to Visit Summer Palace
Summer Palace was a royal palace in later Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911), only secondary to the Forbidden City ( now the Palace Museum ). Summer Palace is actually not just a royal palace where once Princess Dowager Cixi and the emperor lived and handled court affairs, accepted laudations and received foreign diplomats during their stay in the Summer Palace. It also epitomizes classical Chinese architecture, in terms of both garden design and construction.
It is the largest royal garden in Beijing, now a good retreat for holiday makers.
5. How to Visit Tiananmen Square
Beside the square itself, Tiananmen Square is mainly composed of the national flagpole (spectacular flag ceremony) in the north; the Monument to the People's Heroes and the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong in the middle and the beautiful Zhengyang Gate in the south.
Tiananmen Square is flanked by the Gate of Heavenly Peace (the entrance to The Forbidden City) on the north, Chinese National Museum on the east, the Great Hall of the People (China's parliament) on the west and Qianmen (Arrow Tower) on the south
6. How to Visit Lama Temple
If you are interested in Chinese Lamaism or Chinese Buddhism, Beijing Lama Temple is not to be missed. Beijing Lamasery Temple is called "Yonghegong" (雍和宫) in Chinese which literally mesans "Harmony and Peace". "Yonghegong" is a romanization form (pinyin) of Chinese charactors – 雍和宫 (Lama Temple).
For many foreign travelers coming to Beijing, Yonghegong (Lama Temple) is a very important attraction just after Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven in the city center.
7. How to Visit the Central Axis of Beijing
Now the Central Axis of Beijing is on the tentative list for UNESCO cultural heritage, which was submitted in Sept 01, 2013 by National Commission of the People's Republic of China for UNESCO . The Central Axis of Beijing is 7.8km long from Yongdingmen Gate in the south and Bell Towert in the north, passing through Qianmen Gates, Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Jingshan Hill Park, Dianmen Gate ( non-extent ), Drum Tower and Bell Tower.
This central axis is also flanked by numerous most important pieces of architecture in the city such as Temple of Heaven, The Temple of Agricultural God, Imperial Ancestral Temple and Altar of the Land and Grain.
8. How to Visit the Olympic Sites in Beijing
The successful Beijing 2008 Olympic Games has left a deep impression on peoples mind in the world. For many foreign visitors, the temptation is great to visit the Bird'Nest (Beijing National Stadium ) and Water Cube (Beijign National Aquatics Center). Well, how, when to visit the two fancy Olympic sites? What do you expect from them? Any tips for visiting the two Olympic buildings?
Personally I've been to the Olympic Park several times. Here are some tips for visiting the Birds Nest and Water Cube.
9. How to Visit Jingshan Park ( Coal Hill )
Jingshan Park is not to be missed during your tour in Beijing. Jingshan just sits across the north gate of Forbidden City. After finishing your visit of Forbidden City from south to north, you exit from Forbidden City's north gate. Raising your head, you will find a pavilion with three layered eaves perched on a hill. The hill is called Jingshan Hill ( Coal Hill or prospect Hill).
The top of the Jingshan Park is a perfect place to have a panoramic view of the Forbidden City, also fascinating spot to see the sunset and sunise in Beijing.
10. How to Visit Beihai Park
Overshadowed by its neighbour – Forbidden City ( Palace Museum ), Beihai Park is very often neglected by many visitors. Often dubbed as Winter Palace by westerners, Beihai Park is the oldest imperial garden in the world as well as one of the largest in China.
This huge imperial garden has a history of over 1,000 years. Originally built in 938 during Liao Dynasty(916 – 1125). The park was repaired and rebuilt in the successive dynasties including Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties (1125 – 1644). It was first opened to the public in 1925.
11. Top 10 Markets in Beijing
If you are not interested in shopping at high-end Beijing shaopping malls, where everything seems to be overpriced at fixed prices, then why not dig into the plentiful free or flea markets where you can enjoy bargaining with the local vendors.
If you are not familiar with the markets in Beijing, you may follow me to explore the top 10 Beijing markets below. I'm sure you will get what you want to memorize your Beijing trip.
12. Top 10 Shopping Malls in Beijing
For many, Beijing is a shopping paradise. For your convenience, Wed like to select for you the top 10 shopping malls in Beijing and guarantee that you will not leave empty-handed.
13. Top 10 Tourist Scam in Beijing
Plan your Beijing tour? Most foreign travelers feel very safe when traveling in Beijing. But that doesn't mean you should lower your vigilance on possible travel scams in Beijing.
Questions & Answers:
Here is only for Questions and Answers. ( For anyone who wants to have an enquiry or customized tour, please email us to 
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