The 9 Historical Tours in Beijing That Justify the Trip Out

1.Beijing Historical Tour II including Summer Palace, Lama Temple & Panda Garden

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 187 reviews · from $93Our pick

Review of Beijing’s Lama Temple, Summer Palace and Panda Garden tour, with lunch, transport, shopping stops, guide tips and value advice.

“I normally don’t write reviews, but what happened to my family during this tour was so serious that I feel compelled to warn others. Our tour was originally supposed to include the Summer Palace, Panda Garden, and Lama Temple. We told Read more”

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2.Beijing Historical Tour I – Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square & Temple of Heaven

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 120 reviews · from $93

Review of Beijing’s 7-hour tour of Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and Temple of Heaven, with lunch, transport, guides, and key warnings.

“Picked up late from the hotel I had to buy my own tickets with commissions (alipay) Refunded without the fees I paid Transfer back to my hotel wasn't arranged”

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3.Beijing Historic City Guided Walking Tour + Calligraphy Creation

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 59 reviews · from $5Top rated

Explore Beijing’s hutongs, guild halls, old shopping streets, and calligraphy traditions on an affordable 3.5-hour walking tour.

“I had such a good time during this tour in Beijing and it exceeded all my expectations! Hao was incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about the city's history, providing various insights at every stop. Highly recommended for anyone looking to explore Beijing in such unique way!”

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4.Beijing Culture: Tea Ceremony, Heritage Instrument & Calligraphy

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 57 reviews · from $78

Review of Beijing’s intimate tea, Guqin, and calligraphy workshop, with practical details on value, timing, venue, and who should book.

“I didn’t expect to feel so moved. Playing the Guqin while the master guided my fingers felt like stepping into another time. It was quiet, personal, and completely different from anything else in my itinerary.”

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5.2-Hour Beijing Private Forbidden City Tour: History & Highlights

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 28 reviews · from $80

Review of a private two-hour Forbidden City tour in Beijing, with hotel pickup options, expert guides, Tiananmen advice, pricing, and practical tips.

“Mina gave us a fantastic, informative tour of the forbidden city. We hit all of the significant highlights, she was very friendly, and we recommend this tour.”

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6.Bell and Drum Towers Entry Ticket—Historic Landmark

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 23 reviews · 4 hours · from $13

Explore Beijing’s Bell and Drum Towers with entry, an English PDF guide, ancient timekeeping, and a memorable drum performance.

“Una torre de tambores frente a un campanario. No está mal si ya has hecho todo lo que podías hacer en Pekín y te apetece saber cómo daban la hora en la ciudad antigua. Sin más”

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7.Tiananmen Square Entry Reservation – Iconic Landmark

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 17 reviews · 2 hours · from $4Best value

Review Tiananmen Square entry reservation in Beijing, including costs, passport rules, queues, guides, timing, value, and practical visit tips.

“I had no idea of the time it takes to visit this place. Standing in line for 2 hours is minimum, so it takes at least half the day, if you rush it. In the end I missed it because I had to leave for another tour, so I stayed in line 1h for nothing. I believe the preparation of time should be listed loud and clear. Because if I knew it, I would have planned accordingly.”

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8.Forbidden City&Hutong Private Tour w/Historic Site Add-ons

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 14 reviews · 5 - 6 hours · from $88

Compare six private Beijing tours covering the Forbidden City, Hutongs, Great Wall, Temple of Heaven, and Summer Palace.

“Our tour guide Lucy Yue is very professional guide with a lot of knowledge and knows how to use the short time well and efficiently. She is also very cheerful. Our driver mr Zhang Bo is a very skilled driver and very friendly. Lucy came with the suggestion to take our luggage and dropped us after the tour to our next hotel. We really appreciate here help. It saved us a lot of time.”

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9.Beijing Hutong Walking Tour History, Architecture and Local Life

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · from $49

Explore Beijing’s hutongs, temples, church, pagoda, and local life on a small-group walking tour with useful city tips.

“Lori was a great guide through the Hutongs explaining how they were laid out and significance of the doors. It was a fun sight seeing day and got me more familiar with the city.”

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