Temple of Heaven and Houhai Hutong Private Tour: Experience Beijing's Historic Culture and Cuisine
Beijing
Immerse yourself in Beijing's historic culture and cuisine on this private tour. Visit the Temple of Heaven, explore Hutong, and indulge in local delicacies.
Duration: 9 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Temple of Heaven - Your tour guide will be welcoming you at exit of the airport with the welcoming board on which your name will be written at 08:30 a.m.. Then, we will transfer to Beijing old city center and start the wonderful layover tour.\nFirstly, we will visit Temple of Heaven. It is the Largest Existing Architecture Group For Heaven Worship in the World. Originally, the Temple of Heaven was the place where emperors of the Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty held the Heaven Worship Ceremony.\nResidents living near the this place enjoy many activities here, such as running, cycling, singing, dancing, playing chess, flying kites, etc. You can become involved personally in these activities and experience the leisure pursuits of local people. \nThen, we will walk through Qianmen Street, head to Tian’anmen Square and admire a variety of significant edifices.\n- Tiananmen Square (Tiananmen Guangchang) - The solemn and respectful Tian’anmen Square is the largest central city square in the world, which serves not only the city’s symbol but also the whole of China. This immense courtyard is surrounded by a variety of significant edifices such as the Tian’anmen Tower, Great Hall of the People, Memorial Hall of Chairman Mao, Monument to the People’s Heroes and National Museum. It is the must place to visit in Beijing City.\n- Wangfujing Street - Wangfujing is one of the most famous shopping streets, not only in Beijing but in all of China. It is the most well-known and prosperous shopping street with modern and fashion trends.\nWangfujing Shopping Street houses a wide variety of shops and boutiques, some of which are of world-famous brands as well as restaurants. Apart from that, there are also many time honored stores with traditional commodities standing in the street for hundreds of years. Nowadays, Beijing Wangfujing Street is a modern commercial street which can be paralleled with Champs Elysees in Paris.\nAnother Wangfujing landmark: the Foreign Languages Bookstore. \nThe store sells books, art supplies, videos and CDs on several floors, but the street level is the place to buy coffee table books about China in a variety of languages as well as cookbooks and books to help you learn the Chinese language.\n\nAt noon, we will enjoy local traditional food for lunch(Vegetarian diet, Beijing Duck and Sichuan Cuisine are available). \nIn the afternoon, we will visit Prince Gong’s Mansion and stroll along Houhai Hutong.\n- Prince Kung’s (Gong) Mansion - Prince Gong’s Mansion is the best preserved mansion in China, including the mansion and the park.\nThe main layout of Prince Gong’s Mansion includes three parts: middle buildings, east and west buildings. All those three parts are built along the central axis and composed of traditional courtyards. Those mansions are built widely with the highest level of construction regulations at that time. Besides, there are three courtyards in each of three main buildings and each of them is a popular tourism spot.\n- Back Lakes (Hou Hai) - Houhai, which literally means “Back Sea”, is a large artificial lake in northern downtown Beijing. There were many wine shops, workshops, and opera stages in ancient times. Nowadays, it is open to all. The area is dotted with bars, cafes, tea houses and restaurants, and is quite popular among foreign visitors and local young people. In addition, the neighboring Hutongs and courtyards of former court officials and celebrities are worth a visit.\nWe will stroll along Lotus Lane in the Back Lakes (Houhai) area, see its night-time bars and lake waters, taste some local traditional snacks and take in the historical Yandaixiejie Hutong and Nanluoguxiang Hutong.\n- Yandai Xie Street - Know as Yandai Xiejie in Chinese, the Yandaixie Street is one of the oldest hutongs in Beijing. Located in the Xicheng District, it is close to the Shichahai which are famous attractions in Beijing.\nSince the olden days, Yandaixiejie Street has been one of the most flourishing commercial areas in Beijing. The stores are closely packed along the street and a wide variety of souvenirs with Beijing characteristics can be found there.\n- Nanluoguxiang - Nanluoguxiang Hutong is known for its authentic Beijing atmosphere. The age-old siheyuans, archways, wall carvings, and former residences of socialites can be found there. Today there has been an unprecedented fusion of East and West in Nanluoguxiang Hutong, where new pubs and restaurants have given it an urban appearance.\n\nAfterwards, enjoy comfortable transfer back to Beijing Capital International Airport to catch your flight or your hotel. Wrap your memories and say good-bye.
What's Included
  • Private transportation
  • Bottled water
  • Lunch included
  • Expert tour guide
  • All entrance fees covered
Additional Information

Newcomers to Beijing can familiarize themselves with China’s capital in a leisurely manner through a personalized stopover tour. Tour the historic Temple of Heaven, an ancient sacrificial site with the guidance of a knowledgeable guide; visit Tian’anmen Square and marvel at a range of prominent buildings; take a leisurely wander on the bustling and prosperous Wangfujing Street; be in awe of the well-preserved architecture of Prince Gong’s Mansion. Further, meander through the traditional Hutong neighborhoods and soak up the quintessential Beijing ambiance.

  1. Connect with the locals and embrace the everyday life in Houhai Hutong
  2. Explore the exceptionally preserved Prince Gong’s Mansion
  3. Enjoy a fulfilling lunch, with options including Vegetarian meals, Beijing Duck, and Sichuan Cuisine
  4. Your tour guide stands ready to cater to all your queries about the metropolis in this small group tour
  5. Explore Beijing like a true local with public transportation
Location
Beijing
We pick up from Beijing Capital International Airport or nearby hotels.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Select Date and Tickets
up to 15 guests
1 Adult
July 2024
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