Castles · Tour
Lunch Is Optional, the Palace Is at Half Past Eight, Home by Six
Beijing's three largest imperial sites in one day: the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven and the Summer Palace, with an English-speaking guide and hotel pickup and drop-off. The Chinese lunch is optional rather than built into the price, which is the one place this itinerary leaves the choice to you. The schedule is worth reading, because the order is deliberate: the Forbidden City is done first thing, at 8:30, which is the hour that decides whether the day is spent looking at buildings or at other people's backs.
What's included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off services are available within the 4th Ring Zone of Beijing City.
- All admission tickets as mentioned in the itinerary.
- English-speaking tour guide
Itinerary
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Tiananmen Square
Hotel pickup at around 8 AM, and the day starts at Tian'anmen Square, the largest city square in the world, with the Monument to the People's Heroes, the Great Hall of the People, the National Museum of China and the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong on it. Note: in peak season the wait to get in can run over an hour.
The Palace Museum
A short walk from the square to the Forbidden City, entered between 8:30 and 10:30. The palace has more than 500 years behind it and is the largest and best-preserved structure of its kind anywhere. About two hours here.
Temple of Heaven
At 11:00, on to the Temple of Heaven, the largest complex of imperial worship buildings in the world and the site Beijing treats as its holiest. About an hour and a half.
Summer Palace
After lunch, a 30-minute drive to the Summer Palace, the largest and best preserved imperial garden in the world, and the one usually called the museum of gardens. Two hours there, and at 18:00 the transfer back to your hotel.
Not included
- Gratuities
- Any meals
Good to know
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Children must be accompanied by an adult.
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- You will receive details about tour guide and exact pickup time in your voucher the day before. And the tour guide will also call you via hotel or leave a message for you about pickup time the night before tour.
- The Forbidden City opens for booking 7 days in advance, and could be sold out very soon during peak season. For the last-minute booking, we will contact you for a backup plan if ticket is sold out.
- Up to 15 travelers per booking.
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Guiding available in: en.
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