Beijing tour (Hutongs, Dumplings, Silk Market)

Tour Overview

This unique one-day Beijing tour includes a range of popular sites, a famous "silk" market, and an authentic dumpling-making experience.   

What You Can Expect

​Your tour guide will meet you at your city centered hotel, typically at 9:00AM. Then you will start this 8-hour unique history, shopping and arts tour of Beijing.

​First, you will visit historic Beijing Hutongs, which are really the historic narrow alleys of Beijing with a range of shops, restaurants, architecture and residences to give you a sense of life today and how it has evolve over the decades.

From here you'll visit a local restaurant and visit our master dumpling chef where you'll make a variety of meat and vegetable-filled dumplings based on your learning and tastes. You'll cherish this new skill to take home and amaze your friends. Of course you'll take time to cook and enjoy your creation for lunch.

Next, you'll visit an historic Gulou and Zhonglou (Bell and Drum) Tower, which were musical instruments in ancient China. Later they were used by government and communities to announce the time. The Bell and Drum towers were central to official timekeeping in China in the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties until 1924 when Western time was adopted.Here you'll enjoy a short show to learn about and experience this ancient music art.

Lastly, you'll head to the Silk Street Market (which is far more than silk) where you'll find a vast array of local and international "brands" along with various levels of quality and prices. Clothes, shoes, silk, bags, scarves and even toys and electronics can all be found in scores of shops. Don't forget to browse the unique restaurant area on top for hot-pot or other local and international delicacies.

​You will be sent back to your hotel or somewhere in the city center you prefer when the tour is finished.