Attention for those visiting Beijing and the Forbidden City recently, the opening hours have been adjusted! From November 1st to March 31st, the hours are 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM (last entry at 3:30 PM).
If you want to visit the Forbidden City, you must go early. The Forbidden City is vast; even just walking along the central axis takes two hours. If you arrive too late, you might be asked to leave before you've barely started exploring 😖😖.
So, to avoid a rushed visit, it's recommended to purchase tickets for the morning session! I've compiled two routes for visiting the Forbidden City, which you can choose based on your needs:
⚠️ 2-hour quick tour (following the central axis): Meridian Gate (entry) ➡ Taihe Gate ➡ Taihe Hall ➡ Zhonghe Hall ➡ Baohe Hall ➡ Qianqing Palace ➡ Jiaotai Hall ➡ Kunning Palace ➡ Imperial Garden ➡ Shenwu Gate (exit).
⚠️ 4-5 hour tour: Meridian Gate (entry) ➡ Wuying Hall ➡ Taihe Gate ➡ Taihe Hall ➡ Zhonghe Hall ➡ Baohe Hall ➡ Cining Palace ➡ Shoukang Palace ➡ Cining Palace Garden ➡ Qianqing Palace ➡ Kunning Palace ➡ Taiji Hall ➡ Yikun Palace ➡ Chuxiu Palace ➡ Imperial Garden ➡ Shenwu Gate (exit).
✅ The fastest route to the Meridian Gate of the Forbidden City:
📍定位 Donghua Gate, follow the crowd, walk along the city wall from Donghua Gate to the ticket checkpoint at Meridian Gate, which is the only entrance. This route only requires one ID check and security check. It takes about 10 minutes to walk from Donghua Gate to Meridian Gate.
Beijing has many attractions, and there are quite a few mixed strategies that can easily lead to pitfalls.
I spent 5 days in Beijing and have compiled a strategy to share with those preparing to visit Beijing!
📍 Selfie sticks over one meter and thirty centimeters are not allowed in the Forbidden City, remember to check them in.
📍 A tip for visiting the Forbidden City: You can enter through the Workers' Cultural Palace to avoid the crowds at Tiananmen Square, saving over an hour! This was told to me by our tour guide, haha, remember to book your tickets in advance 🎫.
📍 If you want to watch the flag-raising ceremony, don't enter from the front gate of Tiananmen Station, but from the Tiananmen West Red Wall Security Checkpoint 01, where there are fewer people in line and faster security checks, and you'll soon be at the west side of the square 🎉.
📍 Yonghegong is the largest Tibetan Buddhist temple in Beijing. Do not wear sunglasses inside, and no photos of the Buddha statues are allowed 📸. Free incense is available at the first gate on both sides, that is, on both sides of the Zhaotai Gate.
📍 The Old Summer Palace requires a combined ticket to enter the burned Western Mansion ruins at the East Gate 🏛️.
📍 The Summer Palace does not require a combined ticket, as it is too large to cover everything, just visit some of the highlights 🌸.
📍 The Jinshui Bridge outside the Tiananmen Tower is a one-way street, enter but do not exit, if you have already crossed and want to return to the square, you can only take a detour for half an hour 🚶♀️, so do not cross casually.
📍 The National Museum does not allow power banks over 20,000mAh to be brought in, and storage requires payment, so it's best not to bring them.
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