Tour Overview
The ultimate city duo — Tianjin's European charm and Beijing's imperial majesty, connected by a 30-minute high-speed train. Five days covering China's two most important northern cities: walk the Five Great Avenues' European boulevards, ride the Tianjin Eye Ferris wheel over the Hai River, then step into Beijing's Forbidden City, walk the Great Wall, explore the Temple of Heaven, and wander the hutong alleyways. This tour starts in Tianjin (often the cheaper, easier entry point for cruise passengers) and moves to Beijing — or can be run in reverse. The Tianjin-to-Beijing transition shows China in microcosm: treaty-port cosmopolitanism giving way to imperial grandeur.
Tour Highlights
- ✨ Tianjin: Five Great Avenues, Porcelain House
- ✨ Tianjin: Tianjin Eye on Hai River
- ✨ Beijing: Mutianyu Great Wall (less crowded)
- ✨ Beijing: Forbidden City — world's largest palace
- ✨ Beijing: Temple of Heaven & Summer Palace
- ✨ Tiananmen Square & hutong rickshaw ride
- ✨ 30-min high-speed train Tianjin ↔ Beijing
- ✨ 4 nights hotel with breakfast
What's Included
- ✅ Professional English-speaking guide
- ✅ 4-star hotel accommodation with breakfast
- ✅ All entrance tickets as per itinerary
- ✅ Private vehicle transfers
- ✅ Airport/train station transfers
- ✅ Travel insurance
What's Excluded
- ❌ International flights
- ❌ Lunches and dinners (except breakfast)
- ❌ China visa
- ❌ Tips and personal expenses
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Arrive in Tianjin (many cruise ships dock at Tianjin International Cruise Port, and Tianjin Binhai Airport has domestic flights). Afternoon: Five Great Avenues — bike or carriage through the European villas. Visit the Porcelain House and Jingyuan Garden. Evening: Italian Style Town for dinner, then Tianjin Eye over the illuminated Hai River. Overnight in Tianjin.
Morning: Ancient Culture Street — Tianhou Palace (1326), craft shops. St. Joseph Cathedral. Tianjin street food tour — jianbing, goubuli baozi, mahua. Afternoon: high-speed train to Beijing (30 min). Check into Beijing hotel. Evening orientation: walk through Wangfujing pedestrian street or explore the Nanluoguxiang hutong area. Try Beijing's signature dish: Peking duck at a classic restaurant (Quanjude, Dadong, or Sijiminfu). Overnight in Beijing.
Full day at the Mutianyu Great Wall (~1.5h from Beijing). Take the cable car up — walk the wall between watchtowers for 2-3 hours. This section is beautifully restored, surrounded by forest (stunning in autumn), and far less crowded than Badaling. The watchtower views stretch to the horizon — wave after wave of mountains. Optional: ride the toboggan slide down (pure fun). Afternoon: visit the Ming Tombs (Sacred Way) on the return. Evening: Beijing acrobatics show or Kung Fu performance at the Red Theatre. Overnight in Beijing.
Morning: Tiananmen Square — the world's largest public square. Walk through the Gate of Heavenly Peace (with Mao's portrait) into the Forbidden City — the world's largest palace complex (980 buildings, supposedly 9,999 rooms). Explore the three main halls (Supreme Harmony — the throne room), the inner courts, and the Imperial Garden. Budget 3-4 hours minimum. Afternoon: Temple of Heaven — the masterpiece of Ming Dynasty architecture where emperors prayed for good harvest. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests (the circular blue-tiled building) is China's most perfect structure. Watch locals practice tai chi, play chess, and sing opera in the surrounding park. Evening: optional Beijing opera performance or Houhai Lake bar area. Overnight in Beijing.
Morning: Summer Palace — the empress dowager Cixi's lakeside retreat. Walk the Long Corridor (728m, the longest painted corridor in the world), see the Marble Boat, and take a boat across Kunming Lake. Then a hutong rickshaw ride through Beijing's traditional alleyways — visit a courtyard home (siheyuan) to see how Beijingers lived for centuries. Afternoon: Jingshan Park for the classic Forbidden City panorama (climb the hill — just 5 minutes — for the view from the pavilion), or visit the 798 Art District (contemporary galleries in a Bauhaus factory complex). Transfer to Beijing Capital Airport or Beijing South Station. Alternatively, return to Tianjin (30 min) for cruise embarkation.