Beijing Walking Tour: Temple of Heaven and Hongqiao Market

Meet your guide and small group at the east gate of the Temple of Heaven, and begin your tour starting at the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Temple of Heaven.

Stroll around the temple’s leafy park, and see Beijing’s elderly engaging in music, dancing, exercises, cards, and other games. Next, make your way to the temple showpiece: the magnificent Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, where the emperors came to pray for bountiful harvests, constructed without a single nail.

Visit the Danbi Bridge, the temple’s main pathway, and pass the Emperors’ Changing Room. See the 9-Dragon Juniper, a 500-year-old tree resembling climbing dragons; and visit the Imperial Vault of Heaven, where Ming and Qing emperors worshiped heaven during the winter solstice. Admire the richly decorated vault pavilion with its surrounding Echo Wall, and see the Circular Mound Altar, where sacrifices were offered to the gods.

Your tour guide will then lead you through the vibrant Hongqiao Pearl Market. Popular among tourists and locals alike, the market offers just about everything you can think of – electronics, clothes, shoes, jewelry, art, crafts, and pearls. You can also find a huge array of souvenirs you can buy (own expense) here. Your guide shows you how to use bartering skills to snag items at a cheaper price.

Your tour will end at the HongQiao Pearl Market, you are responsible for your own transportation back to your hotel. If you don't like shopping, the tour can end at the East Gate of the Temple of Heaven after a 2-hour visit to the Temple of Heaven.