BEIJING, THE CAPITAL OF CHINA, IS A CITY WHERE THE ANCIENT CULTURE AND MODERN CIVILIZATION ARE WELL INTEGRATED. IT ATTRACTS TENS OF MILLIONS OF VISITORS AND TOURISTS BOTH AT HOME AND ABROAD EACH YEAR TO ENJOY ITS RICH CULTURE.

WITH CHINA BEING ONE OF THE EARLIEST ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS, IT IS ENDOWNED WITH RARE CULTURAL HERITAGE. BEIJING ACTS AS THE CULTURAL HUB AND INTELECTUAL HUB FOR CHINA AND A CENTER OF IMPORTANCE IN GLOBAL TRADE AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS.

IT IS FAMOUS FOR THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA, THE FORBIDDEN CITY, AND MANY OTHER SITES UNLIKE ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD. ON A CULTURAL LEVEL, THERE’S ALSO MUCH TO EXPLORE FROM THE OPERA TO ACROBAT, ART MUSEUMS TO ANTIQUE MARKETS. THIS IS A CITY WHERE DAILY LIFE DAZZLES.

ANYWHERE YOU GO IN BEIJING, YOU’LL BE IMMERSED IN THOUSANDS OF YEARS OF HISTORY WHILE ALSO GLIMPSING CHINA’S PLACE AS ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL WORLD POWER. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF TOP-QUALITY HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS, AND MODERN AND EYE-CATCHING CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURE. MOST VISITORS HOWEVER, COME FOR THE CITY’S TRADITIONAL ATTRACTIONS.

**China is home to the oldest of the major world civilizations. China was ruled by various dynasties for much of its history.**

PORT NAME AND LOCATION

Tianjin International Cruise Home Port

No. 1001 Guanhai Road, Binhai New District, Tianjin China, 300456

Ship will DOCK at this port. The Tianjin International Cruise Home Port is the first port of call of its kind in Northern China and only opened back in 2010. Today, it only takes an hour on a high-speed train to get from the city of Tianjin to Beijing. A taxi ride to the heart of the city takes about 45 minutes. There will typically be free wifi at the Tianjin cruise port, but note that some websites cannot be accessed as part of China’s privacy policies.

For travelers arriving in China from Tianjin Port, they can either choose to visit the attractions in Tianjin City or the Great Wall in the outskirts, besides they can get to the high speed railway stations around the port and Tianjin City or go to the airport, from all of which they can explore the capital Beijing, and more scenic cities in China. 95 % of the cruise ship passengers visit Beijing instead of Tianjin.

**Tianjin Port is the largest man-made port in mainland China, the second largest general port in China, inferior to Shanghai port.**

PORT LOCATION MAP

TRANSPORTATION IN BEIJING (TIANJIN)

Beijing is one of the biggest cities in the world, and it’s incredible interconnected, so you won’t have a hard time getting from place to place. If you’re in the center of the city, walking is an option to get to some attractions that are located closely together. Taxis are everywhere here, and using the meter is common practice. Be sure to make a written note of your destination or show your taxi driver on a map. Of course, Beijing’s bus and train systems are one of the best in the world, and it’s surprisingly simple for foreigners to get around thanks to some instructions and maps in English and other languages.

TOP SIGHTS AND ATTRACTIONS FOR CRUISES TO BEIJING

THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA

Scaling the steps of the Great Wall of China is a bucket list item for almost everyone, and you can check that off your list on a Beijing cruise. It’s true: no Beijing cruise is complete without seeing the Great Wall of China, located about three hours bus ride from Tianjin Cruise Port. Your excursion begins at the pier where you'll board your air-conditioned motorcoach for the approximately three-hour drive to the Great Wall of China at Huangyaguan. The drive between Tianjin and the Great Wall is approximately three hours each way. Expect traffic and delays; tour itinerary may be modified to accommodate traffic delays.

There, you’ll step into China’s history as you scale the wall and enjoy the landscape dramatically unfolding before you. There’s a cable car ride available to the top of the wall, but walking up the steps is a rite of passage for many. The Great Wall is a UNESCO World Heritage site and it’s one of the longest and oldest walls in the world.

Sections of the Great Wall owe their longevity to a rather unusual mortar – glutinous rice flour. Just as strong and waterproof as cement, this 'sticky rice' sealed the bricks so tightly that weeds are unable to grow between them.

Most famous Beijing Great Wall sections are located in its suburban areas, including the well-preserved Badaling and Mutianyu, the renovated Juyonguan, Jinshanling and Simatai, and wild Jiankou and Gubeikou.

**The Great Wall of China is a series of fortifications in China.**

Despite the belief that the Great Wall is one continuous structure, it's really a succession of fortifications. Originally built of stone and earthen materials, the Great Wall was erected to protect the northern borders against intruders. The series of walls built since the 5th century B.C. are collectively referred to as the Great Wall. One of the most famous is the wall built between 220-206 B.C. by the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang. However, very little of that original wall remains, and the majority of the wall in existence today was built during the Ming Dynasty when construction reached its height.

**The total length of all sections of the Great Wall of China ever built adds up to about 21,196 kilometers (13,171 miles).**

**The wall constructed during the Ming dynasty, the most well-preserved section, is about 8,850 kilometers (5,499 miles) long.**

THE FORBIDDEN CITY

Memorialized in film and popular culture, the Forbidden City and the Imperial Palace has been home to Chinese royalty throughout history, a lasting relic to the Qing and Ming dynasties and beyond. A full day to tour the grounds is a popular shore excursion. After all, the palaces are huge, and you’ll want as much time as possible to take it all in.

Forbidden City in Beijing, whose nearly 10,000 rooms contain furniture and works of art, constitutes a priceless testimony to Chinese civilization during the Ming and Qing dynasties.

**The complex consists of 980 buildings, encompassing 9,999 rooms and covering 720,000 m2 (72 ha)/178 acres.**

TIANANMEN SQUARE

While you’re in Beijing, don’t miss a chance to see the iconic Tiananmen Square and the Gate of Heavenly Peace. No matter what time of day, Tiananmen Square bustles with activity. There’s a flag raising ceremony each morning at Tiananmen Square, so you can watch the sunrise with a cup of tea and observe as soldiers march. The area is best known to Westerners for 1989 citizen protests of communism that turned violent, resulting in the loss of hundreds of lives.

**The square derives its name from the massive stone Tiananmen (“Gate of Heavenly Peace”; first constructed in 1417)—once the main gate to the Forbidden City.**

THE LAMA TEMPLE

Tour the stunning Lama Temple, one of the most significant Buddhist temples in the area. At the Lama Temple, crane your neck upward to take in the impressive 60-foot Buddha statue. Take in the splendor of ornate decorations, ancient Tibetan sculptures, and the nearly 60-foot tall Buddha statue located on the grounds. Though it’s a popular spot for tourists, the Lama Temple remains a tranquil and meaningful excursion for travelers coming to Beijing.

EXPLORE THE TEMPLE OF HEAVEN

It is the most complete existing imperial sacrificial building complex in China and the world's largest existing building complex for offering sacrifice to heaven. The temple complex was constructed from 1406 to 1420 during the reign of the Yongle Emperor, who was also responsible for the construction of the Forbidden City in Beijing. It was built as a place of worship for Chinese emperors. Its layout symbolizes the belief that heaven is round and earth square. While visiting the Temple of Heaven, tourists get to experience the grand praying ceremony of ancient emperors, as well as observe the ingenious designs such as the Echo Wall and the Triple Sound Stones.

**Used as a place for worshiping the heaven by 22 emperors in ancient times.**

**World's largest existing building complex for offering sacrifice to heaven**.

TOUR THE SUMMER PALACE

The Summer Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a quick 30-minute car ride from the heart of Beijing. Take a half day to explore the beautiful gardens, paddle a boat along Kunming Lake, and watch a traditional theatre performance held on the grounds. It’s a romantic spot in Beijing complete with shopping and cafes along the riverside.

**The Summer Palace was an imperial garden in the Qing dynasty.**

EXPLORE BEHAI PARK

Once you step onto the well-kept grounds of Beihai Park, you’ll be surrounded by one of the largest, oldest public gardens in all of China. The palaces and temples within the garden date back to the 11th century. History buffs, walk back in time and relax at the park’s tranquil lake.

**The park has over 460 boats for rental, including electric and pedalos, at seven terminals scattered in the park.**

VISIT THE MING TOMBS

The Ming Tombs are also known as the ‘Thirteen Tombs’. It is where 13 out of the 16 emperors of the Ming Dynasty were buried, together with their wives and concubines.

The Ming Tombs were listed by UNESCO as World Cultural Heritage in 2003. The tombs' location and structure are classic representations of Chinese Fengshui theory.

Visiting the Ming Tombs offers you insights into Ming Dynasty imperial life (1368–1644), including stone thrones, huge human and animal sculptures, and other evidence of Chinese culture and traditions.

Normally, it would take a full day to see the all parts of the Ming Tombs that are open. However, most tourists visit the tombs as part of a Great Wall day trip. A typical tour first visits the nearby Great Wall at Badaling.

**The Ming tombs are a collection of mausoleums built by the emperors of the Ming dynasty of China.**

VISIT THE HUTONG

Hutong is the name given to a narrow lane, alley, or small street between rows of single-storey Siheyuan dwelled by Beijingers in the past. When viewed from the air the interlaced lanes resemble a maze or a chessboard with delicate gardens, fine rockeries and ancient ruins which makes them a wonder in the world.

**The alleys that make up the old part of Chinese cities are known as Hutongs. There are still many traditional streets in Beijing for you to discover.**

Because of the interlacement of the lanes, every house is connected to the other, making it easy for local people to keep in touch with their neighbors. Therefore, once one enters any of the lanes, one can feel the deep and warm relationships among people, which is rarely found in this modern world.

In the twisted lanes one can experience the life of the locals. The public bathrooms and toilets can be found. Shops sell all kinds of goods that satisfy the local people's daily needs. It is just like a community.

**Then you can hire a rickshaw to guide you to tour around nearby Hutongs.**

**Want to see untouched China beneath modernisation? Then visiting hutongs in Beijing is a must.**

**Hutong Give View of Ordinary Chinese lifestyle.**

WHAT TO EAT

The food in Beijing is bold and exciting. You might think you know Chinese food, but there’s much more to it than meets the eye. Different regions of China have their own unique cooking styles, and Beijing has every type of Chinese cuisine imaginable. Try Hunan food, which typically includes traditional hot pot dishes, stews, and spicy fish. Cantonese cuisine is famous for shrimp dumplings, delicious dim sum, and subtle flavors with fresh textures. Sichuan cuisine has exploded in global popularity as well, where hot and spicy is the name of the game. This is where you’ll find dishes like flavorful dandan noodles and mapo tofu.

Popular dishes include Eight Great Bowls, Four Great Stews, Tianjing goubuli, and Four Winter Delicacies, among others. Eight Great Bowls is a combination of eight different meat dishes. The Four Great Stews refers to a very large number of stews, including chicken, duck, seafood, beef, and mutton.

For foodies, eating is an important part of daily life here, both ritualistic and social. From delicious Sichuan beef noodle soup to Cantonese dim sum, there are many more varieties of Chinese cuisine that you might not be familiar with. Stop in for traditional green tea or oolong, savoring every sip before moving on to your next adventure.

**Peking duck is a dish from Beijing that has been prepared since the Imperial era.**

**Jiaozi – Chinese Dumplings are vapor cooked turnovers usually included in any restaurant in Beijing.**

SHOPPING NEAR THE BEIJING (TIANJIN) CRUISE PORT

When you cruise to Beijing’s Tianjin port, you won’t find much shopping nearby. You’re better off waiting to shop until you get into Beijing proper, where luxurious shops and boutiques rival some of the best in New York or London. Beijing’s marketplaces are a negotiator’s paradise. Don’t be afraid to politely talk down your price with local vendors. You never know what you might be able to save.

**Fake luxury watches on sale by a vendor in Beijing.**

Shop the Famous Silk Market

The Silk Market in Beijing is famous not only for its authentic silk, but also for counterfeit name-brand clothing, jewelry, and bags. As a tourist destination on a Beijing cruise, the Silk Market is perfect for people-watching and plenty of shopping. The market is massive, where over 1,500 vendors set up shop on a daily basis. If you’re feeling brave, haggle down your prices with vendors and see what you can negotiate.

**Great Wall souvenirs can be bought at the Great Wall, of course. But they can also be bought from stores, sidewalk vendors, and even at airports and train stations.**

CURRENCY
Renminbi Yuan (CNY)

Be sure to carry some Chinese Yuan (CNY) whenever you’re out and about in Beijing. Though credit cards are sometimes accepted in hotels and restaurants, you’re better off bringing cash for all day-to-day transactions. Tipping isn’t necessary when you’re taking a taxi or hiring a car, but it is recommended to tip your bellhop or waiter in upscale hotels and restaurants. If you’re at a market or shopping in Beijing, haggling and negotiating is a big part of the culture.