Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Hutong and Chinese cultural activity Day Tour

Met at your hotel in Beijing by your private tour guide around 8:00am. First drive to Tiananmen Square (40 minutes), the largest city square of such kind in the world. Tiananmen Square is the heart and symbol of Beijing and is the biggest square in the world as well. The square can hold about one million people for public celebration or gatherings. On the west of Tiananmen Square it is the Great Hall of the People, the meeting place of national people's congress of the People's Republic of China. There are Monument to the People's Heroes and Chairman Mao's Mausoleum on the south. On the east of Tiananmen Square is The National Museum of China, and visiting the exhibition is like reading concise China General History.


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 midnight, 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.

The 40-minute visit allows you to 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.

After visiting Tiananmen Square, move on to the Forbidden City (2 hours), also known officially as the Imperial Palace Museum. The Forbidden City was the seat of Imperial power for 500 years, and is now a major tourist attraction in China.


1. Forbidden City is closed for the entire day every Monday, except the Chinese national public holidays.
2. Forbidden City Ticketing Purchase is based on real name policy;
3. You need to show your passport to buy your entrance tickets;
4. Free of charge for children under 1.2 meters, each required to be escorted by an adult;
5. There are some exhibits within Forbidden City that require additional tickets to access such as the Treasure Gallery and the Clock and Watch Gallery.
Treasure Gallery : RMB 10;
Clock and Watch Gallery: RMB 10

Forbidden City Opening Hours
April 1st – October 31 ( 8:30 – 17:00 )
Last Entry at 16:10
Tickets sold until 16:00

November 1st – March 31 (8:30 – 16:30)
Last Entry at 15:40
Tickets sold until 15:30

After Chinese lunch, head to to Shichahai area behind Beihai Park for Hutong tour (2 hours). First take rickshaw going around the deep Hutong in Shichahai area, visiting an ordinary family in a courtyard. Then ascend the drum tower and have a bird's eye view of the old Beijing - Shichahai area.


We offer one of the following four activities, so you can participate and gain a deeper understanding of Chinese culture.

(1) Peking Opera Mask Painting

Peking Opera has a history of more than 200 years, and it is the national opera of China. Traditional face painting plays an important role in Peking Opera. It is used as a means to denote characters. For instance, a red face usually depicts the individual valor, integrity and loyalty; a white face illustrates the figure's wickedness, deceitfulness and cunning; a green face reveals surly obstinacy, rashness and lack of self-control. In addition, the pattern of the facial painting tells a lot about the character.
Coloring Beijing Opera masks is a process of personally experiencing the connotation of Chinese culture.



(2) Paper Cutting

Paper cutting is a long-standing folk art in China. It uses scissors or knives to cut papers for decoration or other folk activities.
Generally speaking, the colors are mainly red, and the patterns are twelve zodiac animals, various gods and immortals, as well as some auspicious Chinese calligraphy. Chinese people often stick paper cuts on the windows, doors and ceilings of their homes during the Chinese New Year. And they believe that paper-cutting represents the Chinese people's longing for a good life and blessings.



(3) Chinese Calligraphy

Chinese Calligraphy is one of the quintessence of Chinese culture. The history of calligraphy can be traced back to the Western Han Dynasty (over 2000 years' history). It integrates the characteristics of art, literature and philosophy.
After thousands of years of development, it can be divided into three main types: cursive script, regular script and running script. Calligraphy is a skillful technique, and every stroke of the brush has its own hopping soul and poetic expression, which is a vivid expression.



(4) Making dumplings

Dumplings are one of the most symbolized Chinese food for Chinese New Year, especially in North China.
When Chinese people welcome guests and celebrate festivals like Chinese New Year, they have the tradition of making and eating dumplings, symbolizing good luck. Here we can learn how to make dumplings and taste the authentic Chinese home-cooked dishes. Healthy and pollution-free food, with a combination of meat and vegetables. The cooking process of home-cooked dishes and the carefully selected fresh ingredients also make us deeply feel the beauty, uniqueness and health of each Chinese home-cooked dish.


Finally walk from Drum Tower to Nanluoguxiang, a lane or hutong with a history of over 700 years dating back to Yuan Dyansty in 13th and 14th century. Running from north to south, this lane is about 800 meters long with 16 hutongs - 8 hutongs on each side of the lane. The lane is now famous for the cafes and bars and clothing and handcraft shops that line its hutong laneways as well as its traditional hutong and courtyards (siheyuan).


After the day tour, you will be returned to your hotel.

Lunch: Chinese lunch

Price List for this tour (Price per person in US dollars)

Price inclusion: 1.Private air conditioned vehicle 2.Chinese lunch as listed 3.Entrance fees for Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Beihai Park and Hutong tour. 4.Englsih Speaking tour guide 5.The above private transfer is customized for you, your family or your friends exclusively. No other travelers will join in your group. 6.All the prices for the tour above are subject to reconfirmation from our trip advisors when an actual booking is being made. We keep the right to change the itinerary because of traffic, weather, or any other conditions not under our control.

Price exclusion: Gratuities to drivers and guides.

Reservation Notes

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Any problems during your trip? Want to cancel or change your trip? Your travel consultant is a phone call away from getting your problem solved.

International Call: (+86)18611964400
Email :

Company Location
Add: West 2-2, No. 143 Bazhuangzi, Fengtai South Road, Fengtai District, Beijing.

Office Hours:

Monday	9AM–6:00PM
Tuesday	9AM–6:00PM
Wednesday	9AM–6:00PM
Thursday	9AM–6:00PM
Friday	9AM–6:00PM
Saturday	9AM–6:00PM
Sunday	Closed

Questions & Answers:

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