Forbidden City Tour: Explore Beijing's History

Explore Beijing’s Forbidden City with expert guides. Enjoy small group tours, flexible booking, and insider tips for an unforgettable experience.

Duration: 4 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Forbidden City-The Palace Museum - The rich history and culture of China will be clearly explained, including the construction and historical significance of the Forbidden City, along with the tales of the 24 emperors who resided there during the Ming and Qing dynasties.
    Discover the life of Puyi, the last emperor of China, and learn about Reginald…
What's Included
  • Tour guide
  • Entrance ticket
Additional Information

Embarking on a tour of the Forbidden City with our English-speaking guide promises to be the highlight of your visit to Beijing. Our knowledgeable guide will lead a 3 to 4-hour exploration, sharing insights into China’s rich history and culture, including the architectural history and historical significance of the Forbidden City, along with tales of…

Location
Donghuamen Subdistrict
Donghuamen Gate(Reach by subway: Line 8 to Jinyu Hutong Station, Exit C, then walking out of the Exit ,walk to the right side 10 mins to Donghuamen gate.) -we will send you message about the Travel Notice via WeChat\WhatsApp\email after the reservation is made.
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
5.0
(44 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Chris_s
Mar 10, 2026
Great tour of the Forbidden city - Great tour, easy to find guide and learned a lot about China and the forbidden city. Guide was great at answering questions and provided a great tour, learning much more than you would without an experienced guide.
Review provided by Viator
Shevonda_s
Jan 16, 2026
Forbidden City January 2026! - Alex was a very informative guide! He eas very kind and gave wonderful insights on the history of the Forbidden City! It was absolutely amazing!
Review provided by Viator
Mohamed_a
Jan 10, 2026
It was lovely and very... - It was lovely and very interesting Very informative and full of history. Weather was very cold but we survived.
Review provided by Viator
Matheus_p
Jan 10, 2026
The guide was very... - The guide was very helpfull and explained in details many aspects of the buildings and of some of the main figures that lived in the palace. I also liked the indications about the simbolic meaning of architectural elements of the palace. Overall a very positive experience.
Review provided by Viator
Chi_h
Dec 24, 2025
Amazing experience - Thanks Alex for an amazing tour! We learnt so much about the Forbidden City, he was very knowledgeable!
Review provided by Viator
233liner
Dec 7, 2025
Amazing Guided-Tour at the Forbidden City - We visited the Forbidden City with a guide called Alex! He was amazing and very knowledgeable. Alex also had a perfect English. The tour lasted around 4 hours and the guide handled the ticket admission. Alex had been recommended to us by friends and I would now also recommend him for sure!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Meemsl2025
Dec 3, 2025
Excellent Forbidden City Tour with Alex Zhang - We had an excellent tour of the Forbidden City with Alex Zhang as our guide. He was extremely knowledgeable and shared fascinating stories about the emperors, architecture, and the history behind the palace, which really brought the place to life. Alex was also very organized and knew the best routes to avoid the biggest crowds. What I appreciated most was how thoughtful he was - he provided headsets so we could hear him clearly at all times, even in noisy or busy areas. He was friendly, patient, and happy to answer all of our questions. I highly recommend Alex Zhang to anyone visiting the Forbidden City who wants a deeper, more enjoyable understanding of this incredible site. Thank you for making our first visit to China a memorable experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Road10784113324
Nov 30, 2025
Forbidden City with Alex - Alex Zhang was amazing. He educated us about the Emperors and gave great visuals! He knew shortcuts …was so patient and kind! He made our First visit to China an Awesome Experience. He provided us with head set so we could hear all the wonderful educational cultural stories! He always looked out for us …and felt so taken care of! He help recommend great Peking Duck restaurants and eateries! Thank you Alex for ALL that you do to make our Experience so Wonderful!!! Lots of Love from Vancouver Canada! We Love China!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Romain3m
Nov 13, 2025
Available, skilled, clear explanations, easy going, concise - As an experienced tour guide, Alex shared his knowledge about the Forbidden City (now Palace Museum), as well as a lot of handy tips : finding less crowdy spots, good photos locations. I will keep great memories, Thank you for the tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Torje
Nov 3, 2025
The forbidden city tour - Had a great time and my guide Alex was really good! Would a 100% recomend! He was a great storyteller and I found the history very fascinating
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $33
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).