More about: 9 Best Tours of the Forbidden City in Beijing
Booking a tour of Beijing's Forbidden City gives you the opportunity to explore one of China's most iconic historical and cultural sites. That's why this is undoubtedly one of the best things to see and do in Beijing. During the visit, you will be able to explore the different sections and courtyards of the imperial palace, while also learning about daily life in the Forbidden City and the rituals, traditions and customs of the ancient Chinese court. It is a journey that will take you straight back to past eras in Chinese history.
1. One-day tour of the Great Wall of China, the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square
This classic tour takes you on a full-day tour of Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Great Wall of China. During the tour , you will also enjoy a scenic bus ride, a traditional Chinese lunch and your own shopping experience at a silk shop and traditional Chinese medicine centre, making this one of the best tours in Beijing.
When you book this tour of Beijing's Forbidden City, you will start by visiting Tiananmen Square, which covers more than 40 hectares and dates back to 1415, before continuing on to the Forbidden City, which was built in 1406 and became a Chinese imperial palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Inside, you will see a collection of large halls, antiques and treasures from Chinese history.
Next, you will visit the Badaling section of the Great Wall of China, one of the best preserved sections, dating back some 2,000 years. You will be able to walk along the wall and enjoy the most impressive panoramic views from above. Finally, you can learn all about jade at the Longdi Jade Factory.
Details of interest
- Price: £89.
- Duration: 9 hours.
- Transport: in a luxury air-conditioned vehicle and on foot.
2. Half-day guided tour of the Forbidden City
When you book the Great Wall of China, Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square tour, you will have an expert guide with you at all times who will take you first to Tiananmen Square, where you can see the National Museum of China**, the Great Wall of the People, the Memorial Hall of Chairman Mao and the Flagpole.
After touring the square, you will pass through the south gate to reach the Forbidden City, which will impress you with its 250 acres of courtyards, palaces, pavilions and gardens.
Once inside, you can also explore the most important buildings within the palace, such as the Hall of Union, the Hall of Heavenly Purity and the Hall of Earthly Tranquillity. Your tour will end in the Imperial Garden, before leaving the Forbidden City through the North Gate.
Details of interest
- Price: £69.
- Duration: 4 hours.
- Means of transport: On foot.
3. Private tour of Beijing visiting Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven and the Summer Palace
On this tour, your guide will pick you up from your hotel or accommodation early in the morning and take you directly to the Temple of Heaven. There you can watch the locals doing their morning exercises and practising Tai Chi, singing and dancing. After exploring the Temple of Heaven, you will continue to Tiananmen Square to see the main gate, Chairman Mao's mausoleum, the Great Hall of the People and Tiananmen Gate.
Right after that, you will visit the Forbidden City, which has been open to the public as a public museum since 1925. After completing this tour, you can enjoy a delicious lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, after lunch, you will visit the Summer Palace. To end the day, you can visit the West Bridge of the Water Cube, one of the best places to take photos of the main buildings of the Olympic Park, which I also recommend visiting.
Details of interest
- Price: £177.
- Duration: 8 hours.
- Transportation: by private car.
4. Two-day private tour of the Forbidden City and the Great Wall
During two days touring Beijing, you will see several of the city's main attractions, including the Forbidden City, Jingshan Hill, Tiananmen Square, the Great Wall, the Temple of Heaven, and the Summer Palace. On the first day of the trip, your guide will pick you up at your hotel and take you directly to Tiananmen Square to see the Great Hall of the People, the National Museum, and Chairman Mao's Mausoleum.
That same day, you will visit the Forbidden City and spend a couple of hours exploring the site and seeing the most important elements of the enormous imperial palace. At the end of the first day, you will also visit the Temple of Heaven and go to a local restaurant to enjoy the famous Peking duck, before finishing off with a flourish by going to one of the best Kung Fu shows in Beijing.
On the second day, you will visit the Great Wall at Mutianyu in the morning and in the afternoon you will visit the Imperial Garden or Summer Palace, where, among other things, you will see the famous Kunming Lake. You will also pass through the Olympic Park just before the end of the tour and return to your hotel.
Details of interest
- Price: £380.
- Duration: 2 days.
- Transport: private car.
5. Three days in Beijing to discover World Heritage sites and see acrobatic shows
During this three-day tour of Beijing's Forbidden City, you will have the opportunity to discover a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Among the places you will visit are: the Great Wall of China, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, the Beijing Panda House, a cruise on a dragon boat in the Summer Palace, and one of the best tours of the Hutongs.
You will also have the opportunity to enjoy an incredible night show such as an acrobatic show, Beijing opera or a Kung Fu show. This is definitely a great plan if you are visiting Beijing for 3 days or more, as it allows you to make the most of your experience in the city.
Details of interest
- Price: £395.
- Duration: 3 days.
- Transport: private vehicle with all amenities.
6. Tour of the Forbidden City and visit to the Great Wall at Mutianyu
On this full-day tour of Beijing, you will visit the Great Wall of China and the Forbidden City. You will begin the tour by going to Tiananmen Square to admire the imposing buildings that surround it, including the Gate of Heavenly Peace, museums, government buildings and the Mausoleum of Chairman Mao.
After touring the square, you'll enter the Forbidden City, where you can enjoy a collection of grand halls, antiques and treasures representing the entire history of China. Later, you'll go directly to the Great Wall at Mutianyu, which is the quietest section of the wall.
Details of interest
- Price: £160.
- Duration: 8 hours.
- Transportation: private car.
7. Five-hour tour of the Forbidden City
On this half-day tour, you will have the opportunity to walk along the Great Wall of China and the Forbidden City. In addition, your tour guide will take you to experience the rich culture and history of Beijing without worrying about the crowds. First, you will visit the Forbidden City in the morning, and your guide will tell you about the lives of the 24 emperors who lived in these spaces.
But you'll also have the opportunity to stroll through the entire imperial complex, learning about its history and immersing yourself in the best-preserved culture in the world. The entire experience lasts around four to five hours. Throughout your visit to the palace, you'll have the opportunity to see the 18 palaces that make up the complex.
Details of interest
- Price: 65 euros.
- Duration: 4 hours.
- Transport: by private car and on foot.
8. Private tour from PEK Airport to the Great Wall of Mutianyu, Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City
On this full-day tour, you will be taken from Beijing Capital International Airport to the Great Wall of China. The entire tour will be in an air-conditioned bus with all amenities. The section of this monument you will visit is Mutianyu, which is famous for its beautiful surroundings and forest-covered hills and fresh mountain air.
For a couple of hours, you will explore the completely restored section of the wall. You will also take the cable car and slide back down. After touring the wall, you will enjoy a Chinese lunch at a nearby restaurant. Right after, you will go to Tiananmen Square to explore it before heading to the Forbidden City to learn about China's nearly 600 years of history. At the end of the tour, you will be taken back to the airport.
Details of interest
- Price: £190.
- Duration: 8 hours.
- Transport: private car.
9. One-day tour of the Forbidden City, the treasure gallery and the ruins of the Great Wall at Badaling
During this full-day tour, you will visit the Forbidden City and the ruins of the Great Wall at Badaling. In the Forbidden City, your tour guide will show you its less public places, such as the Treasure Gallery and the Palace Clock Museum, where you can discover the imperial riches of the Ming and Qing dynasties. You'll see the Nine Dragon Wall of the Palace, the Heavenly Gate and the Heavenly Palace.
Afterwards, you'll walk through the ruins of the Great Wall and end the day with a delicious lunch that includes traditional Peking duck. In fact, while tasting the duck , you'll also learn the culinary secrets of carving and eating it in true Beijing style.
Details of interest
- Price: £163.
- Duration: 9 hours.
- Transportation: by private car.
- Advantages of this option: Professional guide. Round-trip transfer from and to the hotel. Lunch is included. Entrance fees to each site you will visit during the tour are also included.
- Disadvantages of this option: Tips are not included.
Tickets to visit the Forbidden City on your own
If, after reading about all these tours, you prefer to explore the imperial palace on your own, keep in mind that tickets are only sold online through the Palace Museum's official website and are released exactly seven days before the date of your visit (8:00 p.m. Beijing time). Daily capacity is limited to 40,000 people, so booking as soon as tickets go on sale is almost essential, especially in high season.
Access is always through the Meridian Gate and the exit is through the Gate of Divine Might or the Gate of Eastern Prosperity. Bring your passport, as admission is by name, and remember that the site is closed on Mondays except national holidays. If you want to avoid paperwork and queues, a tour with preferential access is the most convenient option.
Ticket prices
- High season (April – October): 60 CNY, about £5
- Low season (November–March): CNY 40, approx. £4.50
- Special galleries (Treasury and Clocks): supplement of 10 CNY, approx. £0.70 each
Visiting hours
- High season: 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (last admission at 4:10 p.m.)
- Low season: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (last admission at 3:40 p.m.)
- Closed on Mondays (except national holidays)
Why is it advisable to take a tour of the Forbidden City in Beijing?
I recommend taking a guided tour so you can better understand the history and culture behind this site. Throughout the tour, your professional guide will take you through the different buildings and areas of the Forbidden City. They will also explain the importance and meaning behind each place, which is something you may not be able to discover on your own.
You can ask your guide any questions you like to better understand the details and stories surrounding the Forbidden City. What's more, on a guided tour you can avoid the queues because tour guides usually have preferential access.