The 5 Best Historical Tours in Beijing, Side by Side

1.Beijing Historical Tour II including Summer Palace, Lama Temple & Panda Garden

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 187 reviews · from $93Our pick

Spend about seven hours visiting Beijing’s Lama Temple, Summer Palace and Panda Garden with an English-speaking guide. You’ll see the 18-meter sandalwood Maitreya Buddha, stroll palace grounds, eat a Chinese lunch and watch a silk-making demonstration. Guides such as William, Mary, Alice and Cathy have received especially warm praise, but shopping stops and paid extras can stretch the day.

“I highly recommend this tour. The Summer Palace and Lama Temple were amazing and our tour guide, William, was fantastic. He is extremely friendly and knowledgeable. The lunch was also very good.”

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2.Beijing Historical Tour I – Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square & Temple of Heaven

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 120 reviews · from $93

Spend about seven hours visiting Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and Temple of Heaven with an English-speaking guide. Central Beijing hotel pickup, entrance fees, lunch, and return transport are included. Guides such as Mary, Jenny, Mark, and Cherry have earned praise, but ticket problems and unplanned shopping stops have affected some departures.

“Overpriced for what it is... Got rushed through the sites with barely any explanation on their history or architecture. The guide barely spoke English so it was difficult to communicate at all. Half of the time was basically spent at the silk factory or pearl shop where they try really hard to make you spend more money nice try, but I'm broke after paying for this tour lol. Tour was supposed to be 7 hours but I was brought back after barely 4? What? The food was ok at least. But nothing special. I don't recommend... There's cheaper tours out there with better guides...”

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3.Beijing Historic City Guided Walking Tour + Calligraphy Creation

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 59 reviews · from $5Best value

Spend 3.5 hours walking from Huguang Guild Hall through old hutongs, Liulichang, Yangmeizhu Byway, Dashilan, and Qianmen. Your English-speaking guide, including guides such as Kris and Hao, explains Beijing’s past and present, with time for street food, local shops, and calligraphy culture. The $5 fee reserves your place; a 160 to 200 RMB tip is suggested.

“It was a huge group and it wasn't what I expected, but I'm glad I went. I thought we'd do all the big stuff like Tiananmen Square, etc. and instead we went to a Hutong neighborhood but it was good, because I learned about that instead!”

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4.Beijing Culture: Tea Ceremony, Heritage Instrument & Calligraphy

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 57 reviews · from $78

At a private heritage venue in Beijing’s 813 Creative Park, a bilingual guide with a master’s degree in history and sociology leads you through tea tasting, Chinese calligraphy, and a hands-on Guqin lesson. National-level artists explain the meaning behind each practice, and traditional clothing is available for photos.

“Unlike museums where you just look at artifacts, here you touch the culture. You write with a brush, drink the tea you brew, and feel the strings of a thousand-year-old instrument. Totally unforgettable.”

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5.Bell and Drum Towers Entry Ticket—Historic Landmark

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 23 reviews · 4 hours · from $13

Explore Beijing’s Bell and Drum Towers at your own pace with entry to both historic buildings and an English PDF guide. See the 63-ton Ming Dynasty bell, 25 ancient drums, and a possible five-minute drum performance from the Drum Tower top. The self-guided visit lasts up to four hours and includes skip-the-ticket-line access.

“Una torre de tambores frente a un campanario. No está mal si ya has hecho todo lo que podías hacer en Pekín y te apetece saber cómo daban la hora en la ciudad antigua. Sin más”

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