Our Experiental Packages

Beijing, a crossroads of cultures, has always found itself caught between resistance and encounter. In the Legation Quarter, foreign embassies formed a separate island — a place that existed between the "inside and outside" of the imperial capital. Westerners, confined within the quarter's walls, lived in a parallel world, detached from traditional Beijing. Tensions exploded in 1900 with the Boxer Rebellion, a conflict in which the Chinese resisted foreign influence.

Yet curiosity about the daily life of Beijingers ran deep, and many Westerners ventured beyond the Legation Quarter, crossing traditional parks and hutong that led all the way to Qianmen — the city's great southern gate. This monumental entrance, a symbol of Beijing's main axis, not only marked the gateway into the capital, but also the access point for the markets and caravans arriving from distant lands. In 1900, it was also through this gate that the troops of the Eight-Nation Alliance entered the city to suppress the uprising, consolidating foreign powers' control over Beijing. Today, a vibrant and monumental district, Qianmen is not only an integral part of Beijing's central axis, but one of its most recognizable and historically significant emblems.

As we pass through the historic monumental gates, we venture into the alleyways of Yangmeizhu Hutong and arrive at Liulichang — the street of painters, calligraphers, and antique dealers. Once the heart of cultural and commercial exchange between foreign visitors and local merchants and artists, this area today is a gem that blends tradition — through its shops selling painting brushes and seals — with urban renewal, an urban oasis within the metropolis.

Duratation: 4  hours

Language: English/Italian

Price: Please inquire for pricing information

The Baoguo Temple is well known as an antique market, with a particular focus on vintage items and historical objects. From here, our route takes us into the Beijing of everyday life, uncovering its multicultural side and a surprising variety of culinary traditions. Nearby lies Niu Jie, a historic street that serves as the heart of Beijing's Hui community. The Hui are a Muslim ethnic group who have lived in China for centuries, with a documented presence in Beijing since the 14th century. Today, their cuisine is among the most popular in the city, celebrated for dishes such as chuan'r (grilled meat skewers), spiced noodles, shaobing (flatbreads stuffed with meat or red bean paste), and dapanji (spiced chicken dishes).

t is no coincidence that the Niujie Mosque stands here — one of Beijing's oldest, blending Chinese and Islamic architectural styles — and nearby, the monumental China Islamic Institute, which represents the intellectual and cultural heart of the Hui community.

The Niu Jie area also reveals some of the city's most authentic and captivating hutong, winding around the Fayuan Buddhist Temple, a place of peace and tranquility. Today, a stroll through these quiet lanes offers a glimpse into a way of life from another era — one that, sadly, was not without its hardships. The Fayuan Temple provided shelter to many during periods of religious persecution (note: specific details on who sought refuge here should be verified). Nearby, at Caishikou, a century ago stood the execution grounds of the Qing dynasty, a reminder of Beijing's tragic past. Today, this area has been transformed into a modern entertainment and dining hub, with contemporary venues such as Da Ji Xiang bringing a fresh energy to a neighborhood steeped in history.

Duratation: 4  hours

Language: English/Italian

Price: Please inquire for pricing information

Today's Beijing is centered on the Forbidden City, which was once surrounded by walls that traced the path of the current Second Ring Road. Yet this Beijing was born in 1267, when Kublai Khan — grandson of Genghis Khan — decided to establish the capital of his empire (the Yuan dynasty) in Beijing. Before that, the city was located elsewhere, to the southeast, developing around a different center of gravity, near what is now Lotus Park and Beijing West Railway Station.

This "lost Beijing" — which was not actually called Beijing, but Nanjing — has nonetheless preserved a monument of great significance: the pagoda of Tianning Temple. Standing 57.8 meters tall, this pagoda was the tallest structure in the city until the 20th century and is today the oldest surviving building in Beijing. While other Beijing sites were founded earlier, the structures visible today date from the Ming and Qing periods. For this reason, the pagoda predates the Beijing we know today. Built between 1100 and 1120, during the final years of the Liao dynasty — which ruled over the Khitan empire — the pagoda is an example of pre-imperial architecture that stands as a testament to Liao history.

Alongside a visit to the pagoda and Tianning Temple, a stop at the Temple of the White Clouds is a must — one of the most important Taoist centers in China. Though built in a later period, the temple sits on the same axis as the Tianning pagoda, and the story of its founding monk is intertwined with that of Genghis Khan.

Duratation: 3  hours

Language: English/Italian

Price: Please inquire for pricing information

Our journey begins at Miaoying Temple, famous for its White Pagoda. Built on the orders of Emperor Kublai Khan, founder of the Yuan dynasty, in 1271. The architect who designed the celebrated pagoda within the temple was Arniko, a Nepalese artist and engineer in the service of the Mongol court.

Continuing on, we explore the surrounding hutong, where modernity and tradition blend together in a fascinating cultural laboratory. These historic streets are now home to trendy cafés, creating a dynamic environment that weaves the past together with contemporary energy.

Our walk continues along the Street of Temples, where small Taoist and Buddhist temples tell stories of faith and devotion. We finally arrive at Xishiku Church, also known as the North Church — the largest historic Catholic church in Beijing, founded by the Jesuits in 1703 and rebuilt in its current form, with its two distinctive steeples, in 1890. With its imposing Gothic architecture, it stands as a meeting point between Christianity and Chinese culture.

This tour offers us an opportunity to reflect on Beijing's religious plurality — a city where different faiths coexist harmoniously, enriching its history and culture.

Duratation: 3  hours

Language: English/Italian

Price: Please inquire for pricing information