Tianjin-Beijing Twin City Tour | Tianjin + Wudadao + Porcelain House + Beijing + Forbidden City + Summer Palace + Great Wall Essence 4-Day Tour

Welcome to Tianjin, one of the largest and most internationally influential port cities in northern China! Our driver will greet you at the port/airport/railway station exit and escort you to your hotel for check-in and rest. You are free to arrange the remaining time as you wish. Suggested ways to arrive 1. Tianjin International Cruise Home Port: Tianjin International Cruise Home Port is about 70 kilometers from downtown Tianjin and is an important international cruise port in northern China. If you need Tianjin cruise port pickup and drop-off service, please contact our customer service. 2. By plane: Tianjin Binhai International Airport (TSN) is about 13 kilometers from downtown Tianjin and has many direct domestic flights, such as Shanghai (about 2 hours), Xi'an (about 2 hours), Chongqing (about 2 hours 50 minutes), Chengdu (about 3 hours 10 minutes), Guangzhou (about 3 hours 10 minutes), etc. Before traveling, it is recommended to check the flight schedule in advance. 3. By high-speed rail: Tianjin Station and Tianjin South Station have many high-speed rail services connecting Tianjin with major domestic cities, such as Beijing (about 30 minutes), Shanghai (about 5.5 hours), Xi'an (about 6.5 hours), etc. If you need to book tickets, please contact our customer service. Free time recommendations 1. Tianjin Museum (closed on Mondays): The largest and most richly collectioned comprehensive museum in Tianjin, known as a "three-dimensional textbook of Tianjin's general history," and an excellent place to learn about Tianjin's glorious history and splendid culture. 2. Italian Style Town: The only fully preserved Italian-style architectural complex in Asia, with 137 historic buildings in diverse styles including Gothic, Romanesque, and Baroque. It is the best representative of the "World Architecture Exposition" and a great place to experience Italian charm. 3. Nanshi Food Street: Built in 1984, this is a landmark antique-style architectural complex in Tianjin, integrating dining, shopping, and cultural experiences. Here you can enjoy authentic Tianjin delicacies such as Goubuli Baozi, Erduoyan Fried Cake, Shibajie Fried Dough Twists, and Jianbing Guozi. Tips 1. Tianjin actually has similarities with Shanghai: its architecture is diverse and blends elements from many countries. The Five Great Avenues, known as the "World Architecture Exposition," is comparable to Shanghai's Bund. As a neighbor of Beijing, Tianjin is an affordable vacation destination near Beijing and a gateway city to northern China. 2. Tianjin is a holy land for foodies and culture lovers: Goubuli Baozi, Shibajie Fried Dough Twists, and Erduoyan Fried Cake are the three must-try delicacies. It is also famous for the three intangible cultural heritage treasures: Yangliuqing New Year Pictures, Clay Figure Zhang, and Tianjin Crosstalk. 3. Tianjin shore excursions departing from Tianjin Port: Tianjin was founded in 1404 (Ming Dynasty) and was an important water transport hub. Since opening as a treaty port in 1860, Tianjin became a commercial hub in northern China. Please note: international cruise passengers can enjoy the 240-hour China transit visa-free policy and easily explore Tianjin (valid until December 17, 2025; please contact us to confirm). 4. The Ming Dynasty emperor Zhu Di granted Tianjin its name in 1404: "Tianjin" means "the ford where the Son of Heaven passed," commemorating the key action of crossing southward from the Sancha River mouth during the "Jingnan Campaign."

The best way to explore Tianjin: stroll leisurely and admire its quaint, exquisite architecture, streets, and bridges; savor authentic local street food and snacks. After breakfast, first explore the Five Great Avenues, one of Tianjin's most representative historic and cultural districts. Composed of 22 streets including Machang Road, Munan Road, Dali Road, Changde Road, and Chongqing Road, it preserves more than 2,000 garden villas blending British, French, Italian, German, Spanish, and other styles, making it truly unique and earning it the reputation of an "exhibition of world architecture." Recommended classic walking route through the Five Great Avenues: Chongqing Road (where Minyuan Square is located, a photo spot for the Five Great Avenues landmark, and the nearby Little White House — Tianjin Concert Hall — is also worth a visit) → Prince Qing's Mansion (at your own expense, late Qing architecture) → Geda Building (a building inlaid with porcelain pieces) → Munan Road Celebrity Residences (Spanish-style former residence of Xu Shizhang, English-style pointed-roof former residence of Li Shufu, etc.) → Munan Park (most famous for its spring magnolia blossoms) → Xiannong Courtyard (red-brick British-style terraced villas). In addition, you can take a horse-drawn carriage (at your own expense) at Minyuan Square to tour the Five Great Avenues, immersing yourself in the diverse architecture blending East and West and learning the fascinating stories behind the buildings. Afterward, visit the Quiet Garden, one of the former residences in Tianjin of Puyi, China's last emperor, known as the "last emperor's temporary palace in Tianjin." Its architecture blends Spanish arcades with Japanese garden elements, which is quite distinctive. You can visit in turn Wenxiu's bedroom, the meeting room (where Puyi carried out restoration activities), Puyi's study, and Wanrong's piano room (her piano still survives), to learn about Puyi's life and trajectory as well as the complex history of that time. In addition, China's first case of an imperial consort's divorce also took place here. Then head to Tianjin's landmark, the Porcelain House. This is one of China's most controversial architectural art wonders, a French-style mansion decorated with over 700 million ancient porcelain shards (spanning the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties), 13,000 ancient porcelain vases, more than 4,000 ancient porcelain bowls, and over 20 tons of crystal and agate decorations. Known as the "China Ancient Porcelain Museum," it is an excellent place to admire porcelain from various historical periods in China. Optional Items: (explore if time permits) 1. Zhang Xueliang's Former Residence / Young Marshal's Mansion (at your own expense): This was Zhang Xueliang's residence from 1925 to 1931 and the home of Zhang Xueliang and Zhao Yidi. Here you can learn about Zhang Xueliang's military and political career and his anecdotes with Miss Zhao Si. Then continue to the Ancient Culture Street, known as the "Hometown of Tianjin." This is one of Tianjin's famous cultural landmarks and one of the city's calling cards. Here you can experience authentic Tianjin life, admire Ming and Qing style historic buildings such as the Temple of the Empress of Heaven and Tongqingli, taste the "Three Wonders of Tianjin" — Goubuli steamed buns, Shibajie fried dough twists, and Erduoyan fried cakes — and watch intangible cultural heritage crafts such as Yangliuqing New Year paintings and Clay Figure Zhang painted sculptures. Free Time Recommendations: (explore if time permits) 1. Tianjin Crosstalk (at your own expense): Experience the humorous art of traditional Tianjin crosstalk. Crosstalk teahouses line both sides of the Ancient Culture Street and are a unique leisure activity for Tianjin locals. 2. Tianjin Temple of the Empress of Heaven (at your own expense): Feel the rich Mazu culture. The temple was built in 1326 (Yuan Dynasty) and has a history of 700 years. There is a saying that "the Temple of the Empress of Heaven came first, and Tianjin Garrison came after." On the 23rd day of the third lunar month, the temple holds the "Imperial Fair," with folk art performances such as Dharma drums and lion dances. 3. Tianjin Eye Ferris Wheel (at your own expense): Enjoy magnificent views of Tianjin, especially the even more enchanting night views. In peak season, rides require booking 3 days in advance; in off-season, 1 day in advance. 4. Haihe River Night Cruise (at your own expense): Enjoy a relaxed and pleasant boat trip. You can sail on the Haihe River and take in the intoxicating city skyline, with the best views at the Jiefang Bridge and Tianjin Tower light shows. Booking 7 days in advance is recommended; the operating period is from mid-March to early December.

This morning, you will take a high-speed train from Tianjin to Beijing, the capital of China, and spend one day fully exploring the amazing ancient capital. After arriving in Beijing, you will visit the world-famous Tiananmen Square. Located on Beijing's central axis, Tiananmen Square is the largest city center square in the world and holds an important place in Chinese history, having witnessed countless major historical events. Here you can see the majestic Tiananmen Gate Tower and learn about China's long history and culture. Then cross the square to visit the Beijing Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City. Located at the center of Beijing's central axis, it was the imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties and is the world's largest and best-preserved wooden palace complex of the Forbidden City. Here you can visit the important palaces along the central axis in sequence, admiring the splendid and exquisite ancient palace architecture while following the guide's explanations to further understand the historical stories of the Forbidden City. Afterward, you can also go to the nearby Jingshan Park (about a 15-minute walk) to overlook the panoramic view of the Forbidden City and the magnificent scenery of Beijing. In the afternoon, you will drive to visit the famous royal garden, the Summer Palace. The Summer Palace is the largest and best-preserved royal garden existing in China, one of the four great gardens of China, and known as the Royal Garden Museum. The garden has beautiful scenery, with pavilions, towers, lakes, bridges, and other views too beautiful to take in all at once. Optional activity recommendation (at your own expense): In the evening, you can go to Quanjude to taste the famous Beijing Roast Duck.

After breakfast, you will drive 73 kilometers (about 1.5-2 hours) to visit the Mutianyu Great Wall, part of the Great Wall, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Mutianyu Great Wall is the longest and best-restored section of the Chinese Great Wall, and has the reputation of "Mutianyu of the Ten-Thousand-Li Great Wall stands out." You can first take the cable car to Watchtower No. 14, then hike westward, enjoying the magnificent mountain scenery and the winding, majestic Great Wall along the way, and then reach the highest point, Watchtower No. 20, completing the Great Wall tour. After touring the Great Wall, return to downtown Beijing, and on the way, view the exterior of the Bird's Nest (Beijing National Stadium) and the Water Cube (Beijing National Aquatics Center), and take photos with them. Then return to the hotel and have a good rest. At this point, this wonderful and unforgettable 4-day Tianjin Beijing tour has ended. If you want to extend the itinerary to other popular tourist cities in China such as Shanghai, Xi'an, Chengdu, Guilin, and Zhangjiajie, we can also customize the itinerary for you.