China · CITY HIGHLIGHTS TOURS IN BEIJING

15 City Highlights Tours in Beijing to Build a Day Around

39 tours  ·  from $12 a head

The 15 best city highlights tours in Beijing you can book today, with what each costs, how long it runs and who it suits. Number one is top for a reason; start there.

Beijing: Forbidden City Tour(Group/Private)-Tickets Included - Meeting Tian’anmen Square without wasting the morning
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Beijing: Forbidden City Tour(Group/Private)-Tickets Included

1.Forbidden City Tour(Group/Private)-Tickets Included

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 7,974 reviews · 3 - 8 hours · from $4Our pick

Choose a small-group or private visit to Tian’anmen Square and the Forbidden City, led by experienced English-speaking guides such as Mina, Miko, Maria, or Jay. Palace Museum entry is arranged for you. Longer options add the Clock and Treasure museums or Coal Hill Park, while a private booking can include hotel pickup.

“Our guide Susan spoke perfect English and had a fantastic knowledge of Chinese history. It was exactly why we booked private tour. There is no way we could navigate through tiananmen square so quick by ourselves. Lots of different queues in different places. Susan was absolutely incredible.”

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Mini Group Discovery Forbidden City Tour with Hotel Pickup option - Meridian Gate and the ceremonial approach
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Mini Group Discovery Forbidden City Tour with Hotel Pickup option

2.Mini Group Discovery Forbidden City Tour with Hotel Pickup option

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 512 reviews · from $36Top rated

You’ll spend about four hours touring the Forbidden City with a small group of up to 15 people and a professional guide such as Sofia, Lucy, Marco, or Jeffrey. Hotel pickup, admission, and the Antiquarium are included. Expect substantial walking, no hotel drop-off, and a passport check at entry.

“Our tour guide, Sofia, was excellent. She had an amazing amount of knowledge about the Forbidden City and all of the dynasties. I would recommend this tour for anyone looking to visit the Forbidden City and to learn about Chinese history.”

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Mini Group: Beijing Forbidden City Tour with Great Wall Hiking at Mutianyu - The drive to Mutianyu changes the mood
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Mini Group: Beijing Forbidden City Tour with Great Wall Hiking at Mutianyu

3.Mini Group: Beijing Forbidden City Tour with Great Wall Hiking at Mutianyu

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 344 reviews · from $159

This roughly eight-hour Beijing tour pairs Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City with two hours at Mutianyu Great Wall. Expect central hotel pickup, an English-speaking guide, air-conditioned transport, bottled water, and a group capped at 15. Cable car or toboggan tickets and lunch cost extra.

“A wonderful way to spend the day. Our guide was informative and we were able to see a lot in a short period of time. Our guide was nice but a very fast walker which made it hard to stop and take pictures other then the basic tourist images.”

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2-Day Private Classic Beijing City Sightseeing Tour Package - Day one begins at the Temple of Heaven
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2-Day Private Classic Beijing City Sightseeing Tour Package

4.2-Day Private Classic Beijing City Sightseeing Tour Package

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 102 reviews · from $368

You’ll explore Beijing with a private guide and driver over two full days, visiting the Temple of Heaven, Lama Temple, Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Mutianyu Great Wall, and Summer Palace. Guides such as Coco and Susan are praised for clear English, humor, and thoughtful help. Lunches, admission, and hotel transfers are included, but cable car and toboggan tickets cost extra.

“We truly enjoyed our days with Coco - she was knowledgeable, fun to be around, perceptive and sympathetic to any needs we had and ultimately a wonderful guide. We felt like we saw and did all that we had hoped to in Beijing - at a pacRead more”

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Beijing Highlights Tour: Tian'anmen Square, Forbidden City, Mutianyu Great Wall - Tiananmen Square, a grand opening act
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Beijing Highlights Tour: Tian’anmen Square, Forbidden City, Mutianyu Great Wall

5.Beijing Highlights Tour: Tian’anmen Square, Forbidden City, Mutianyu Great Wall

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 59 reviews · from $200

Start with hotel pickup around 8 am, then cross Tiananmen Square and explore the Forbidden City before lunch and a two-hour visit to Mutianyu. Your English-speaking guide, private vehicle, Chinese meal, and round-trip cable car tickets are included. Some schedules also add jade, tea, or medicine stops, so confirm the day’s plan.

“very nice day trip! even though the tour guide might slow down a little, but it was probably due to holidays and traffic jam.”

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Beijing:Great Wall&Forbidden City Tour(Mini Group/Private Option) - Entering the Forbidden City through the south gate
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Beijing:Great Wall&Forbidden City Tour(Mini Group/Private Option)

6.Great Wall&Forbidden City Tour(Mini Group/Private Option)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 57 reviews · from $142

See Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and Mutianyu Great Wall in one long Beijing day. You get a private vehicle, guide, lunch, admission, and cable car or chairlift access. Guides such as Lucy, Susan, Jack, and Bella have led past departures, with airport pickup available at PEK or PKX.

“Great history lesson of China. Our tour guide Jack (Tao) was extremely knowledgeable about Chinese history and architecture. Excellent lunch from a traditional Chinese restaurant. The entire day was well planned. Highly recommend.”

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All Inclusive Private City Tour to Temple of Heaven, Tian'anmen Square Forbidden City and Summer Palace - Two hours inside the Forbidden City
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All Inclusive Private City Tour to Temple of Heaven, Tian’anmen Square Forbidden City and Summer Palace

7.All Inclusive Private City Tour to Temple of Heaven, Tian’anmen Square Forbidden City and Summer Palace

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 50 reviews · from $198

Meet your private guide at 8:30 a.m. for a full day through Beijing’s essential sights. Guides such as Felix, Lily, Coco, Angela, and Sherry lead the route in English or Chinese, with private transport, entry fees, lunch, and hotel pickup included. The Forbidden City ticket must be secured in advance and is not guaranteed.

“Kelly was excellent. We had a wonderful time with her. She knew her information and it was lovely to spend the day with her.”

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Forbidden City Tour - Hall of Great Harmony: The Main Ceremonial Stop
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Forbidden City Tour

8.Forbidden City Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 42 reviews · from $116

Meet your private guide at Hotel Kapok Beijing for a 2 to 4 hour visit to the Forbidden City. Your guide leads you through the main imperial halls and Imperial Garden, with admission arranged in advance. Guides such as Jenny, Helena, and April are praised for clear English, friendly conversation, and strong historical insight. Transport is not included.

“Jenny of Leo Travels was so wonderful. She was friendly and knowledgeable in the history of the Forbidden City.”

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2-Day Beijing Highlights Tour with Peking Duck - Day 1: Tian’anmen Square and the Forbidden City
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2-Day Beijing Highlights Tour with Peking Duck

9.2-Day Beijing Highlights Tour with Peking Duck

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 41 reviews · 2 days · from $278

This private two-day Beijing tour pairs the Forbidden City, Tian’anmen Square, Temple of Heaven, hutongs, Great Wall, and Summer Palace with Peking Duck and Chinese lunches. An English-speaking guide such as Lucy, Susan, or Sherry can adjust the pace, while a private driver handles city traffic, airport transfers, and the long ride to the Wall.

“I strongly recommend that everyone book this tour. Very friendly guide and drivers. The car is very good and clean. About the restaurants, the guide took us to excellent local and traditional restaurants. This is a 5 star tour!”

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Top 3 Beijing City Highlights All Inclusive Private Tour - Lunch at a local Chinese restaurant
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Top 3 Beijing City Highlights All Inclusive Private Tour

10.Top 3 Beijing City Highlights All Inclusive Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 41 reviews · from $136

Spend about eight hours visiting Beijing’s Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, and Summer Palace with a private guide, hotel transfers, entrance tickets, and lunch included. You set the pace, avoid public transport, and get local context along the way. Confirm the Temple of Heaven and hutong rickshaw details before booking, as the itinerary describes both.

“We had a great time! We were only in the Beijing city center one day and this tour hit all of the main attractions in a fun and efficient way. The highlight for me was seeing the large community of men and women over 60 playing games, exerRead more”

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Beijing Forbidden City Tour With Entry Tickets - Understanding the palace through its buildings
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Beijing Forbidden City Tour With Entry Tickets

11.Beijing Forbidden City Tour With Entry Tickets

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 36 reviews · from $36

Spend about four hours inside Beijing’s Forbidden City with an English-speaking guide such as Alex, Jessica, or Dan. You’ll hear the stories of 24 Ming and Qing emperors, Puyi, and Reginald Johnston while examining grand halls and quieter corners. Entry is included, though peak-season bookings made within seven days may require a passport ticket queue.

“Quick responses and very friendly. The guide was very nice and helpful, the tour itself very informative. I absolutely recommend this tour.”

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Small-Group Beijing City Highlights Tour With Lunch - Entering the Forbidden City from south to north
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Small-Group Beijing City Highlights Tour With Lunch

12.Small-Group Beijing City Highlights Tour With Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 33 reviews · 9 hours · from $179

Spend nine hours touring Beijing’s main imperial sights with an English-speaking guide, Chinese lunch, hotel transport, and entrance fees included. The route covers the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, and Summer Palace, with added stops at a traditional medicine center, pearl or silk gallery, and tea house. Book at least seven days ahead for the best chance of entering the Forbidden City.

“We got 18 people in our group and we visited the forbidden city, summer palace, temple of heaven, a pearl gallery and medicine center for a while, Chinese lunch was included, The tour guide Lily was very nice. Everything was perfect and well organized.”

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2-Hour Beijing Private Forbidden City Tour: History & Highlights - Starting at the Forbidden City and Palace Museum
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2-Hour Beijing Private Forbidden City Tour: History & Highlights

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

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 28 reviews · from $80

Spend about two hours with a private English-speaking guide at Beijing’s Forbidden City, with Tiananmen Square possible only when security lines are short. Guides such as Mina, Lily, Christine, Jay, Becky, Lucy, Albert, and Susan Shan have led past tours. Economy bookings use local transit, while Comfort includes private transfer.

“Exceptional English speaking guide! Very informative and fun! Going early was good to avoid some of the crowds. He spent time helping us navigate unexpected traffic at end. If you are short on time this is great option.”

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Beijing Private City Tour with Options - Entering the Forbidden City in about two hours
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Beijing Private City Tour with Options

14.Beijing Private City Tour with Options

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 28 reviews · from $120

Spend 8 to 9 hours visiting Beijing’s Forbidden City, Summer Palace, and Temple of Heaven in a private car. Choose an English-speaking driver or tour guide, with admission tickets, bottled water, and hotel pickup included. Guides such as Linda, Adele, Angie, and Jessica have been praised for clear explanations, flexibility, and thoughtful help.

“Angie was a great tour guide. She was very knowledgeable and friendly. She treated us with cookies and bananas and made sure we got to see all the sights. She went above and beyond to find us an atm. Our driver was also great and the car was very nice. Overall we had a wonderful day.”

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Private Full-Day Tour Beijing City Highlights - Starting at the Summer Palace
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Private Full-Day Tour Beijing City Highlights

15.Private Full-Day Tour Beijing City Highlights

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 26 reviews · from $178

Spend about eight hours with a private English-speaking guide visiting the Summer Palace, old hutongs, Tiananmen Square, and the Temple of Heaven. Your $178 price includes entrance fees, lunch, and taxi fare within Beijing’s Fourth Ring Road. Guides such as Maggie provide personal attention, useful for first-time visitors.

“Muy bien tour. Lo recomiendo, Maggie fue realmente atenta y buena guía. Visitamos 3 de los grandes lugares en Pekín y el restaurante en el que probamos el pato Pekín estaba muy bien elegido por su parte.”

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New in City Highlights Tours in Beijing

★ 4.5Small-Group Coach Tour: City Highlights of Beijing Including LunchFrom $1734 reviews
★ 5.0Private Car And Driver Service For Beijing City ToursFrom $6010 reviews
★ 5.0Customized Private Beijing Layover City TourFrom $1625 reviews
★ 5.0Private Beijing City Tour to Forbidden City, Temple of Heave, Summer palaceFrom $1384 reviews
★ 5.0Beiing private tour Mutianyu Great Wall tour City tour VIP tourFrom $3009 reviews
★ 5.0Dim Sum Breakfast&Tailored Beijing Highlights Tour-Pick Your SpotFrom $1148 reviews
★ 5.0Private Customized Beijing Layover Tour of City HighlightsFrom $967 reviews
★ 4.5Full-Day Beijing City Tour: Hutongs, Lama Temple and Panda HouseFrom $1727 reviews
★ 5.0All-Inclusive 3-Day Private Beijing Highlights TourFrom $8204 reviews
★ 5.02-Day Private VIP Sightseeing Tour of Beijing City Highlights and Great WallFrom $6487 reviews
★ 5.03-Hour Private Tour: Amazing Beijing City HighlightsFrom $1885 reviews
★ 5.04-Hour Private Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City TourFrom $1886 reviews
★ 5.0Full Day Private Tour Incredible Beijing City HighlightsFrom $1797 reviews
★ 5.0Great Wall & City Highlights Private Layover TourFrom $948 reviews
★ 5.0Temple of Heaven+Forbidden City Private City TourFrom $1394 reviews

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