Meet your guide in your Beijing hotel lobby at 8 a.m., then depart to the Temple of Heaven. The best time to visit is in the morning to catch a glimpse of local senior citizens exercising, practicing Tai Chi, playing Shuttlecock, singing, dancing, or doing ground calligraphy. After an hour walking in the Temple of Heaven, continue on to Tiananmen Square.
Tiananmen Square, the largest city center square in the world. This famous location witnessed some of the most dramatic chapters of Chinese history. Stroll through Tiananmen Square to see the Front Gate, Chairman Mao's Mausoleum, Monument to the People's heroes, Great Hall of the People, and Tiananmen Gate.
Continue your tour to the Forbidden City, the place where the Ming and Qing Emperors resided for more than 500 years. Having been off-limits to commoners for centuries, it was officially opened to the public in 1925 as a public museum. After your morning tour, your lunch will be served in a cozy, non-tourist Peking Roast Duck restaurant.
Visit Summer Palace, the best-preserved and largest Imperial Garden existing in China.
On the way back your hotel, stop at a bridge to the west of the Water Cube, which is the best place to photograph the main buildings in the Olympic Park.
