Private Tour
Forbidden City Private Walking Tour with Optional Sights
Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
This private tours includes the Forbidden city with the optional sights.
If you select only the Forbidden city tour then the tour contains 4 hours
If you select it with others you it has optional sights that will continue to go.
your professional English speaking tour guide will meet you at the designated hotel in downtown area or set meeting point and walk to visit the biggest city center square in the world - Tiananmen Square then walk to the largest Imperial Palace to understand the emperors in the Ming & Qing Dynasty. You also can learn more Chinese history from your guide.
Highlights:
- Visit the biggest square in the world: Tiananmen square;
- Efficient way to visit the Forbidden City beating the crowd;
- See the valuable exhibits and visit less-know halls of the palace;
-Optional other important highlights in Beijing such as Temple of Heaven or Summer Palace
If you only choose the Forbidden City Ticket service there is just Ticket Service. No Tour NO Pick-Up
Additional Info
Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Public transportation options are available nearby
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Dress code is smart casual
Please note: Forbidden City is closed every Monday, except the Chinese public holidays
Chinese citizens need to book the tour one week in advance
Tian'anmen square might be closed due to the political activities without announcement and if this is the case we will replace with Jinshan Park but there is no refund due to it is free anyway
Not recommended clients have walking problems for entering the Square
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Tiananmen Square
Depart at your own hotel or meet at the specific area called the Lash Tea house at Qianmen Branch near the Tian'anmen Square and walk to the Tian’anmen Square (after all the security check) with our certificated Tour Guide. You are going to see the ancient Qianmen Gate, the Monument to the People’s heroes and the Great Hall of the people from outside and your tour guide will share with you the history and stories behind all the mentioned architectures.
The Palace Museum
We’ll spend 2 hours wandering around this amazing example of Imperial architecture and learning about the history of the palace. There is another option: Booking entrance ticket with us. Please bring your valid passport to visit and go to the spot on your own. Forbidden City was the imperial palace from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. For around 500 years , it served as the home of emperors and their households, as well as the ceremonial and political center of Chinese government The tour route : Forbidden City is divided into two parts. The southern section, or the Outer Court was where the emperor exercised his supreme power over the nation. The northern section, or the Inner Court was where he lived with his royal family. You can take the central route or East Route or West Route depending your own interests or even visiting the Treasure house on the East route. After the tour, taking the public transportation back to your hotel on your own.
What‘s Included
Reserve entry to the Tian'anmen Square
Private guide service fee (4 hours)
Entrance ticket to the Forbidden City
If you book only Forbidden City Ticket there is NO Tour Service
Urber between Forbidden city to other sights (If Forbidden city W other sights option selection)
Transportation to the Forbidden City (If the Option for T Square W Forbidden city 4 hour Tour)
Meals (lunch & dinner)
Gratuity (for good service)
Transportation (hotel drop off)
Hotel Pick-up within 4th ring road (transportation to the Tian'anmen Square probably costs $50)
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Options
Forbidden city W Hutong Food
Hutongs Food Tour : After Forbidden city you can visit the hutong and try the local hutong food cuisine and understand the food culture here
Private : This is private tour with lots of walking
Duration: 6 hours: 4 hours Tian'anmen Square Forbidden with 2 hours hutong food tour
Hutongs food lunch/dinner : You can take either morning Forbidden city tour with hutong food for lunch or afternoon Forbidden city tour with Hutong dinne
Public transportation: Downtown hotel picking up with subway or didi to get around
Pickup included
4-HourT Square+Forbidden City
Duration: 4 hours: Contains 4 hours tour to the Tian'anmen Square & Forbidden city in all languages EN, ES, FR, DE, IT Guide
Walking route
urber or subway : You will go from the downtown hotel to the square with the public transportation by didi at your own cost
All Languages tour : We offer all the language : English, French, German, Spanish, Italian . with hotel pick up (Transportation Fee Not Included)
Pickup included
Forbidden City W Summer Palace
Duration: 6 hours: Day tour to the Forbidden city with Summer Palace with the entry tickets are included. Excluded meals.
Urber or subway : Take the urber or subway to go from the downtown hotel to the sights and pick up from the downtown area are included
Pickup included
Forbidden City W Temple Heaven
Temple of Heaven : If you choose this option you will continue to visit the Temple of Heaven after the Forbidden city with our tour guide.
Private Tour : Private Tour
Duration: 6 hours: 6 hours tour including the visit to the Tian'anmen square Forbidden city and Temple of Heaven
Walking with Urber or Subway : Downtown hotel to the Tian'anmen Square (Urber or Subway)
Tian'anmen Square to Forbidden city (Walking)
Forbidden city W Heaven Temple: The Tour includes the visit the T-Square Forbidden city and Temple of Heaven with public Transportation (Urber & Subway)
Pickup included
Forbidden city W Great Wall
Optional sight to the Wall: Mutianyu wall with Forbidden city options with private transportations
Duration: 8 hours: 8 hours tour to the Forbidden city with Great Wall in all languages
Private transportation : car or mini van depending the number of the participants
Pickup included
Reviews
414 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Glad we had Susie!
liamgY6726GW,Apr 4, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We loved our morning exploring the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. We were extremely grateful we had booked the private tour guide and were very happy with our guide - Susie. The process for buying tickets sounded very difficult as a foreigner (handled by our guide for us) and it was extremely confusing entering, we would have been completely lost without Susie. Having a private tour guide made life so much easier, and Susie was able to tailor the tour for us, as well as shortening it up slightly to suit our timeline, as we had a flight out in the afternoon.
Amazing experience. The...
LauraDaniela T,Apr 3, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Amazing experience. The Forbidden City tour was very well organized, informative, and easy to follow. The guide was excellent and made the history come alive. Highly recommended.
Amazing guide 😍
widaddaoudi,Mar 31, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Our visit to the Forbidden City was absolutely unforgettable, and a huge part of that experience was thanks to our amazing tour guide, Vivienne! She was incredibly knowledgeable, sharing fascinating historical details and stories that really brought the palace to life. Her explanations were clear, engaging, and perfectly paced—never overwhelming, but always insightful. Vivienne also made the tour feel very personal. She was patient, friendly, and happy to answer all our questions, making sure everyone felt included and comfortable. Her passion for the history and culture truly shines through. If you’re planning a visit to the Forbidden City, I highly recommend booking a tour with Vivienne. She turned what could have been just a sightseeing trip into a memorable and enriching experience!
Great experience, excellent guide (Jenna)
Wjif,Mar 30, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00My guide was Jenna, who was very knowledgeable and easy to work with. She did not only know everything about the history, but also her pre-tour advice on what not to bring to avoid security line delays proved to be very helpful.
Fantastic Tour
Winston M,Mar 24, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Cactus was very friendly and extremely knowledgeable. I highly recommend having her as a tour guide!
Fantastic tour of Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City
Elliot H,Mar 20, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Me and my sister had a fantastic day organised by Jenny at Catherine Lu Tours. She made the whole experience fascinating, giving us time to really take everything in while also explaining the history in a clear and engaging way. It was absolutely worth every penny and made visiting Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City so much more meaningful than doing it on our own. I’d highly recommend booking with her. Also, her English was excellent, which made everything easy and enjoyable
Private Tour of Tiananmen Square/Forbidden City from Tianjin Cruise Terminal
Travel688467,Mar 13, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We just completed a most excellent travel adventure with Catherine Lu Tours to Tiananmen Square & Forbidden City in Beijing, from the Tianjin Cruise Terminal, where our cruise ship was ported. Tianjin Cruise Terminal is approximately 90 miles (2.5 hours by car) from Beijing. Everything about our tour was *perfect*, which can be unusual in this day and age. If I could I would give Catherine Lu Tours more than five stars for our Beijing tour and the way we were treated from inception to finish. Catherine Lu - She is the owner/manager. Her 5.0 stars from +300 ratings drew me to her tour. Turns out, Catherine is an excellent communicator. She responded quickly and positively to my many requests, and worked out all the details to my satisfaction. I insisted that our tour begin and terminate from the Tianjin Cruise Terminal. check. When it was difficult for me to make payment as my husband and I are seniors and non-techie, Catherine worked it out. check. I requested the details and price of our tour in writing to meet the requirements of our 10-day China Transit Visa. check. Thank YOU, Catherine. Our stars were aligned when I found you on the internet. Tony Zhang - English speaking guide. We met Tony at the China Immigration Services exit of the Tianjin Cruise Terminal. Tony is an experienced, educated, and competent guide who speaks excellent English. One of his specialties is Beijing, of which he is understandably proud. He "knew" how to do his job; got us into the shortest lines (of which there were many), showed us the highlights (we had only one day to see everything), explained the massive history behind what we were seeing, and got the job done efficiently in a day. It was a long exhausting day for our senior bodies. The mind was willing but the body could not cover all that ground without breaks. Thank goodness for Tony, who kindly found us places to rest when needed. With all that magnificent history around us, its almost embarrassing to admit the North Chinese dumpling restaurant Tony chose for late lunch was an equally wonderful experience. The flavors of the dishes Tony ordered and the interaction with locals around us, was a pleasant authentic adventure. Thank YOU, Tony. You created for us a pleasant lasting memory we will cherish. Lu Xiao Long - driver. Lu, our excellent driver with his beautiful black comfortable six-seater van. He spoke no English but was enthusiastic, verbose and witty with his English translator app. Thank YOU, Lu. You were the "icing" on our wonderful Beijing journey.
Amazing Beijing Tour
patpaz21,Feb 24, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Iris was an amazing guide. She was very informative and friendly. I recommend for anyone who is interested in visiting Beijing!
Tiananmen, forbidden city, temple of heaven.
Nikolay K,Feb 23, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00The tour was wonderful. Michael is a great guide with very good English and extensive knowledge of history. He gave us many useful tips for our stay in Beijing and found us tickets for shows and museums.
Great afternoon
Rob williams64,Feb 15, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a great afternoon with Jenny. She was very knowledgeable. I will definitely be recommending them to my clients and telling them to request Jenny.
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