Beijing History: Explore Imperial Capital's Past

Explore Beijing’s evolution on a guided tour, uncover hidden cultural secrets, and witness the blend of ancient history with modernity.

Duration: 3 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Huguang Guild Hall - Enter the enchanting realm of the Huguang Guild Hall, established in 1807. This historic treasure once welcomed prominent merchants and officials from the Hubei and Hunan provinces. Today, its magnificent opera stage, detailed carvings, and enduring allure have transformed it into a cultural museum, offering a glimpse into the…
What's Included
  • Local English-speaking tour guide
  • Fun, friendly, and fabulous guide
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Embark on a journey through the illustrious history of China’s imperial capital! In just 3.5 hours, delve into Beijing’s dynastic past, discover its cherished traditional brands, and explore the city’s urban development achievements and obstacles.
Join our knowledgeable local guide and skilled storytellers to experience the city’s harmonious fusion of…

Location
Huguang Guild Hall
Hu Fang Lu
Meeting Point: Hufangqiao Metro Station (Line 7), Exit D (South-West Exit); After exiting, head straight to the main road, turn right, and walk 60 meters east to the green space at intersection. Address: Corner of Hufang Rd & Luomashi Ave / Huguang Guild Opera Theatre Look for our YELLOW Umbrella!
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.9
(74 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
358laurentium
Apr 23, 2026
Amazing tour! - Yan was an excellent tour guide! She was very knowledgeable and had a great handle on group management. The platform we booked the experience with had no mention of calligraphy, so that was a nice surprise for us! We managed to see so many places and learn a lot in such a short amount of time. Highly enjoyed this walking tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Susipicos
Apr 14, 2026
Full Hutong Tour! - We did the tour with Sinva and besides explaining everything very well, it has been very nice !!!! He has explained many interesting things, with good English easy to understand. Recommended 100%!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Michaelor8254bs
Apr 9, 2026
Beijing free walking tours is fantastic - If you are looking for an introduction to Beijing and its history, we highly recommend this experience from Free Tours China. Sivan was an excellent host and generous guide.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Esthernl7583jq
Apr 6, 2026
Interesting and entertaining - A very pleasant tour of an area of the Hutongs with the addition of being able to experience Chinese calligraphy.Sivan, the guide, friendly and with perfect English. A highly recommended experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Claremv7415ie
Mar 24, 2026
Great tour - fully justifies five stars - Excellent tour with a wide variety of interesting stops. Our guide, Sivan, was very informative. Thoroughly recommended ahead of the "big organisations" equivalents.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sightsee678066
Mar 24, 2026
Don't miss it!! - Our tour guide was very lovely. We had an amazing day with other tourists, and we appreciated the calligraphy section a lot. We also created a connection with another couple, and the next day we went to dinner together :) 5/5 experience
Review provided by Tripadvisor
79martinezl
Mar 20, 2026
Best guide in Beijing - The Beijing free walking tour is one of the most enjoyable free tours I've done! It was a great mix of history, culture, and fun activities. The guide shared lots of local insights and tips for exploring Beijing, and was very patient while teaching us Chinese calligraphy. I only wish I had done this on my first day in Beijing!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
47paulohenriquea
Mar 15, 2026
Amazing tour with Sherry - Amazing tour of the centric area of Beijin and the hutongs. Special mention to my guide Sherry. She is a local and gave a lot of good infomations and reply every question
Review provided by Tripadvisor
D2721vyangelav
Apr 26, 2026
Hutongs in spring sunshine - On this tour we had Yan as our guide. She was well prepared with interesting information about the city, the hutongs and their history. We enjoyed her enthusiasm in sharing her knowledge with us and did her best to answer all our questions. We especially enjoyed the calligraphy workshop, that was a little short. It would be nice to have a selection of different characters to try out. But all in all it was a very pleasant tour and a perfect way to spend a sunny spring morning.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mahitha_r
Mar 28, 2026
Ok tour - It is just a walk through an alley ( Hutong)The guide was talking & quizzing us more than needed. Felt very rushed. Thecailgraphy painting experience was nice. From the beginning, she was stressing on the amount we needed to pay her , even before the tour commenced.Obviously we knew we had to pay her.
Review provided by Viator
From $5
up to 6 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).