Private Beijing City Extended

As you arrive to your port of call, Tianjin (Beijing, China), you will be met by your local, friendly and knowledgeable representative at the pier area for your private and very personal tour to Beijing City.

Ride in comfort, with your English-speaking guide, for approximately 3 hours to arrive in Beijing. Your schedule of sites to be visited can be customized and change, based on the given day and traffic, but a typical day would be first to Tiananmen Square followed by the Forbidden City and finally the Temple of Heaven.

Tiananmen Square or Tian'anmen Square is a city square in the center of Beijing, named after the Tiananmen, located to its north, separating it from the Forbidden City. ""Square of the Gate of Heavenly Peace"" is one of the largest public squares in the world. It lies at the center of Beijing's historical north-south axis that runs through the Temple of Heaven and the Forbidden City. The square is in front of the Forbidden City encompasses several sights on its own, including the Monument to the People's Heroes, the Great Hall of the People, the National Museum of China and the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong. The historical, cultural and political significance of the square makes it a must-visit sight.

The Forbidden City is a palace complex in central Beijing, China. The former Chinese imperial palace from the Ming dynasty to the end of the Qing dynasty, it now houses the Palace Museum. The worlds largest Imperial Palace, The Forbidden City occupies 7,750,000 sq. feet, over three times larger than the Louvre Palace in France. An estimated 1 million laborers worked to complete the structure. It has more than 90 palace quarters and courtyards, 980 buildings and over 8,728 rooms. The Forbidden City is the world's largest collection of well-preserved medieval wooden structures. The Forbidden City is a masterpiece of Chinese architecture. Apart from the magnitude of the complex, the detail of the architecture is also astounding. Every detail reflects features of traditional Chinese architecture and rich Chinese culture.

The Temple of Heaven is an imperial complex of religious buildings situated in the southeastern part of central Beijing. The complex was visited by the Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties for annual ceremonies of prayer to Heaven for good harvest. First built in 1420, the 18th year of the reign of Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644), Temple of Heaven was enlarged and rebuilt during the reigns of the Ming emperor Jiajing and the Qing emperor Qianlong. In 1988, it was opened to the public as a park, showing ancient philosophy, history and religion. Its grand architectural style and profound cultural connotation give an insight into the practices of the ancient Eastern civilization.

Your day will include a stop for lunch (at your own expense) at a destination of your choice. Your knowledgeable guide can assist with many recommendations.

Finally, after a day you will never forget in Beijing, it will be time to travel back to the port and your ship.