Last Updated on May 19, 2026 by Laura
I’ll be honest with you: I wasn’t prepared for the Forbidden City. I thought I was. I’d read about it, studied the dynasty charts, packed my comfortable shoes. I knew it was large. I knew it was significant. But nothing quite prepares you for the moment you pass through the Meridian Gate and the full scale of it hits you. An ocean of stone courtyards, crimson walls, and golden rooftops stretching further than you can see. Somewhere in the back of my mind, the historian in me completely fell apart, and I was just a person standing with their mouth open like everyone else. In this blog, I will give you all the tips you need for visiting the Forbidden City. The one I really wanted to knew before I went, and the unexpected things I discovered once there.
New to China travel? Read my ultimate guide on how to plan your trip to China here!
A short history of the Forbidden City
The Forbidden City, now mostly known as The Palace Museum, is a place at the centre of Chinese history for over 500 years. It’s the largest imperial palace on Earth and it has been the residence of 24 Ming and Qing dynasty Emperors.
Its construction began in 1406, when Zhu Di, the fourth son of the Hongwu Emperor, seized power, declared himself the Yongle Emperor, and made a decision that would reshape China forever: moving the capital from Nanjing to Beijing. What followed was one of the most ambitious building projects in human history. 14 years in the making with more than one million people employed in its construction. The result? A majestic palace stretching for over 72 hectares, 13 times bigger than Versailles. The whole area is surrounded by 10-metre-high defensive wall with a circumference of 3,430 metres and a 52-metre-wide moat as the outer line of defence.
The Forbidden City’s life as a working imperial palace came to an end with Puyi; China’s last emperor, forced to abdicate in 1912 at just six years old. In a rather extraordinary arrangement, the new Republic of China government allowed him to live in the Inner Court while opening the Outer Court to the public. Nevertheless, this didn’t last. In 1924 he was evicted following a coup, and a year later the Palace Museum was formally established, opening the gates of one of the world’s greatest imperial complexes to ordinary people for the very first time.
The Forbidden City’s architecture and treasures
Stretching for about 720,000 square meters, the Forbidden City has a rectangular shape. Oral traditions claimed the palace has 9,999 rooms which were purposely left of 1 short by the builder to show respect and not outdo celestial perfection. Nevertheless, this oral tradition is not supported by evidences and a recent survey of the imperial palace confirmed that only 8,886 rooms are currently existing.
The Forbidden City contains roughly 1.8 million artefacts in its collection. But a significant portion of the imperial treasury was taken to Taiwan in 1949, when Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalist government evacuated before the Communist victory. The National Palace Museum in Taipei holds approximately 700,000 of those pieces.
The split collection is one of the most poignant stories in the history of cultural heritage. Two museums, two governments, both claiming to represent the legitimate heir to the same imperial tradition. Knowing the full story makes the collections in both places richer and incredibly interesting to visit.
Why it’s called “forbidden”?
The imperial palace nickname’s of “forbidden” comes from the strictly regulations imposed on external visitors to the palace. Indeed, for over 500 years entry to the palace was granted only to the Emperor, his family concubines, thousands of servants, and approved government officials. Any trespasser or unauthorised visitor was receiving heavy punishments, including death. Only in since 1925 common people were allowed to the grounds that for hundreds of years have kept the secrets of China’s imperial family.
Before You Go: The Essentials
• 📍Address: No. 4 Jingshan Front Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing
• ⏰ Opening days and hours: Tuesday–Sunday (closed Mondays, except public holidays). April 1–October 31: 8:30am–5:00pm (last entry 4:10pm). November 1–March 31: 8:30am–4:30pm (last entry 3:40pm)
• Recommended time: Minimum half a day; a full day if you want to go explore fully.
• Main entrance: Meridian Gate (Wumen), south side – Note: you must have a Tian’amen Square Ticket to cross this gate.
• Exit: Gate of Divine Might (Shenwumen), north side
How to Book Your Tickets (Don’t Skip This Section)
There is something that many people who visit for the first time the Forbidden City don’t know. This is probably the single most important piece of practical information in this entire guide: as a general rule, you cannot buy tickets on the day at the gate (there is a little exception on this that I will tell you later). In fact, entrance tickets for the Forbidden City (now The Palace Museum) are released 7 days in advance and, most importantly, the site has a daily cap of 30,000 visitors. This means that tickets get sold out pretty fast.
The Forbidden City uses an online-only booking system with two different timed arrivals (morning or afternoon). Many first-timers arrive at the site only to be turned away at the entrance. Don’t be one of them! Preparation is key in China!
Booking your tickets for the Palace Museum aka The Forbidden City
There are two ways of pre-booking your tickets for the Forbidden City: via Trip.com (easy way) or via the Palace Museum official website (a bit more challenging). Each of them carry its own set of advantages and down points that I’ll explain in dept below.
Booking the Forbidden city tickets via Trip.com
If you want a straightforward way of booking your tickets, Trip.com is certainly the best option. However, there are some pros and cons that you need to consider.
PROS of booking with Trip.com:
- The site is in English and user friendly.
- You can select tickets up to one month in advance and the system will book them for you once they are released.
- You can apply your discounts if you are member of the loyalty program.
CONS of booking with Trip.com
- There is a minimal risk that tickets get sold out via the official site when released and you won’t be assigned one for your selected date/time (the system will refund your money in this case).
- You can’t book the free children tickets from this platform. This means you’ll need to request them on location as entrance is via passport details (even for kids).
- There are multiple ticket options including guided tours that might get you confused.
- The ticket is more expensive than buying from the website as Trip.com charges a commission on it.
Considering all the above, if you are travelling with kids is better to opt for booking via the official website. However, if you are child-free Trip.com might be easier to use.
How to select your tickets on Trip.com
If you have decided to go for this option, make sure to go to this page: Palace Museum Trip.com Tickets. Once here, you will see many options, but if you are not interested in guided tours, look out for the two options below, as these are the general tickets:
Step 1: Select the ticket you need (with or without Treasure Gallery etc). Click “Book”
Step 2: All date available will appear at the next screen. Select the date you need, if you want to visit morning (8.30 to 11 am) or afternoon (11 am to 4 pm).
Step 3: add your passport details (and the one of your group if applicable)
Step 4: choose your payment method. Pay and it’s done!
Now. If you have selected a day that is within a week, your “tickets” will be released immediately in the app. If you have selected a date further in time, tickets will show as pending until these are released by the system. To note the tickets are connected to your passport so no QR code or physical tickets will be available, but the app will just advise you that your tickets are confirmed or not.
Booking the Forbidden city tickets via the Palace Museum official website
If you have decided to book the tickets directly with the Palace Museum official website, here are the pro and cons you need to consider:
PROS of booking with the official website:
- You can book only the available dates and get your tickets immediately.
- You can book free children tickets by just adding their passports.
- You can select add-ons for your tickets such as temporary exhibitions or extra parts of the Forbidden City that require a separate ticket.
CONS of booking with the official website:
- The platform might not be as friendly as Trip.com but once you manage to switch the language to English is quite straightforward
- You have to register your passport and login details prior to the purchase
- Don’t accept Apple Pay, only cards.
If you are travelling with children, I warmly recommend booking your tickets in the Palace Museum website. Indeed, once you arrive in location, everything is a little confusing with only Chinese directions and even if the children have technically free entrance, without the free ticket associated to their passport you risk being turned away if the person at the checks is very zealous. I used this platform too and everything was very smooth.
How to select your tickets on The Palace Museum website
If you have decided to go for this option, make sure to go to this page: Palace Museum Official Tickets.
| 💡 Insider Tip: Tickets release at 8pm Beijing time. Set an alarm, have your passport details ready, and don’t dawdle. Peak season tickets for weekends evaporate fast, sometimes within 10–15 minutes. |
Step 1: Make sure that BEFORE buying the tickets you register yourself on the website. Top right button “register”. Once you have registered, go to the page “personal centre” and add all the details and passports of all the people who need a tickets. This mandatory for the booking.
Step 2: Go back to the Home page and select “book tickets” (make sure you are already logged in before booking)
Step 3: Select your date (7 days before) and time. Select the type of ticket (e.g. adult, student etc.). Children free tickets are at the bottom of the page.
Step 4: add the details of the people who need the ticket. If you are logged in and registered previously, these will show up as a drop-down menu from the visitor form.
Step 5: select any extra exhibition you want to add.
Step 6: confirm your choices and pay for your tickets.
IMPORTANT: you can check the status of your order on the “my order section” but you won’t have a physical ticket. Indeed, all the tickets will be connected to your passport and this will be scanned at the entrance to access the site.
Emergency Backup Plan
Sold out online? Don’t panic. Foreign visitors can sometimes purchase same-day tickets at the Donghuamen Gate (East Gate) ticket office. These are available only if they are unsold/cancelled after release. It means that their number can be very limited and it’s essential to be in front of the ticket office as soon as possible at opening time.
Arrive by 7:30am, bring your passport, and tick the box indicating you’re an independent traveller. It’s not granted you will find availability but it’s worth trying.
Ticket Prices (2026)
- High season (April 1–October 31): CNY 60 — approx. £6.50 / $8 USD
- Low season (November 1–March 31): CNY 40 — approx. £4.50 / $5.50 USD
- Treasure Gallery add-on: CNY 10
- Gallery of Clocks and Watches add-on: CNY 10
- Children under 18: Free (reservation still required)
When to Visit the Forbidden City
Best Time of Year
Spring (April–May) and Autumn (September–October) are the best seasons: mild weather, beautiful light, manageable crowds on weekdays. Cherry blossoms appear in Beijing in late March and early April, which is genuinely magical, but also peak domestic tourist season.
Summer (June–August) is brutally hot on those open stone courtyards, and the crowds are at their heaviest. If you’re visiting in summer, make it a morning visit and finish before noon.
Winter (November–March) is a hidden gem. Ticket availability is much more relaxed, crowds are a fraction of peak season, and on a clear day with frost on the rooftops, the palace looks like something from a film. Bring warm layers as there is very little shelter from the wind in those open courtyards.
| 📅 Remember The Forbidden City is closed every Monday (unless it falls on a public holiday). Plan your Beijing days around this. |
Best Time of Day
- 7:30–9:00am: The golden window. Soft warm light for photos, almost no crowds. Best of all.
- After 2:30pm: Quieter secondary option as tour groups depart. Good if you’re not a morning person.
- Tuesday and Wednesday mornings: consistently the quietest days of the week.
- Avoid 11am–2pm: The post-lunch rush, at its most crowded and noisy.
- Many people rush toward the exit around 4 pm and this makes the final part quite chaotic.
- Weekends are particularly busy
How to Enter the Forbidden City
Despite the Forbidden City has 4 main accesses, the route is unidirectional. This means that all visitors must access via the Wu Gate (also known as Meridian Gate). Some exceptions can be done for visitors who purchase the limited on the spot tickets entering through the Donghua Gate. Nevertheless, because the place is huge and military off limits to cars/public transport, people feel a bit disoriented once there. I summarised below the two main entrances you can do, either if you do the grandiose way from Tian’amen Square or going directly to the Meridian Gate, or take the less known shortcut.
How to enter to the Forbidden City from Tian’amen Square
I admit this information got me confused at the beginning as, from my research, it wasn’t clear where I had to enter exactly, what route I had to do or where to go. The truth is that the Palace Museum website should give more indications to visitors because the entire area of the square is militarised and accessible only with permits, so people are turned away and don’t understand why. But after doing my homework and experience this myself, I can tell you exactly what to do to combine both experiences smoothly.
First. You have to keep in mind that Tian’amen Square and the Forbidden City (despite being one in front the other) are two completely different attractions. One can be done without the other or together. With the difference that tickets are easy to get for the Forbidden City, for Tian’amen Square you need a permit and reservation through a mini program completely in Chinese. I will explain this on a separate article SOON.
Crossing the Gate of Heavenly Peace
To access the Forbidden City directly from Tian’amen Square, you must have the permit to cross the square. Without that permit you won’t be allowed to enter that section.
The square itself has many different points of entrance and you need to select your exact entrance point alongside when and what time. are you planning to visit during the reservation time. This is one of most militarised places I’ve seen in China with no less than 3 different check-points to pass before even getting to the square.
Once you are allowed in the actual square (a process that can take from 20 mins to 1 hour, depending on the crowd), it will be quite straightforward. Indeed, the Tian’amen Square is huge but there is only one way to get out: crossing into the Forbidden City area. This is done through the famous Gate of Heavenly Peace (aka the North Gate – i.e. the one with Chairman Mao portrait). Only people who are in the square with their permits can cross this gate. All other tourists will head directly to the Meridian Gate from another path.
Entering the Forbidden City without going to Tian’amen Square
The closest way to enter the Meridian Gate without stopping at the Tian’amen Square is by taking the metro Line 1 and alight at Tiananmen East Station (Exit A) or Tiananmen West Station (Exit B). From there, you need to walk 15 to 30 mins (depending if the straight route is open or you have to take the side detour). Unfortunately, there is no other way of doing this as the area is completely close off. So just accept that you’ll have to walk a lot and grab a good pair of shoes.
The Shortcut Most Tourists Don’t Know
If you are short on time and want to skip Tian’amen Square, use the Working People’s Cultural Palace entrance on the east side of the square (CNY 2 and no square permit needed). From there, it’s a short walk directly to the Meridian Gate security checkpoint that will skip the Tiananmen queue entirely. During peak hours, this is genuinely the best shortcut.
Alternatively, take a Didi directly to the East Prosperity Gate (东华门) on the east side of the complex, where queues are typically shorter.
Navigating the Forbidden City: A Historian’s Route
Let’s not sugarcoat the facts. The Forbidden City is HUGE. The biggest imperial palace existing on Earth. So the idea of exploring all of its 720,000 square meters and 980 surviving buildings in a couple of hours is just nuts. The best advise I can give you on this is study the map, pick up carefully your route, add a few leisure stops (i.e. the various cafes or souvenirs shops) and then proceed step by step towards the exit.
The fastest way to visit is proceeding in a straightforward line as much as possible. This will be more or less a two hours continuous walk. However, by doing like this you will miss a few key sites. If you don’t know where to start or what route to follow, I warmly recommend you to follow my below, historian approved guide.
Section 1: The Outer Court. The Place of Power
After passing through the Meridian Gate, you cross the Golden Water Bridge over a ceremonial canal and enter the vast Gate of Supreme Harmony Square (don’t forget to snap a photo of the photogenic canal!). You will probably feel a little disoriented as this 30,000 square metres square is one of the largest palace squares in the world. On the days when the emperor held grand audiences, up to 100,000 officials would prostrate themselves here. The scale starts to make sense when you picture it.
Hall of Supreme Harmony (Tài Hé Diàn)
The centrepiece of the entire complex (that is also the largest wooden structure in China) is the Hall of Supreme Harmony. This is where the emperor performed his most important ceremonies: coronations, New Year celebrations, and the departure of armies. The throne inside dates to the Qing Dynasty, and the hall is flanked by bronze tortoises and cranes symbolising longevity. It’s quite hard to get a photograph or even peak inside when there is crowd but don’t rush past it.
Hall of Middle Harmony
Smaller and often overlooked, this was the emperor’s preparation room before major ceremonies. Worth stepping inside for the relative quiet and the intimate scale after the grandeur outside.
Hall of Preserved Harmony
This is where the imperial examination finals were held. The exam that determined which scholars would enter the civil service and shape the empire. As a historian, this was the room that quietly undid me. Every ambitious young man in China spent years in pursuit of performing brilliantly in this specific room. Remarkable.
Behind this hall, look down at the Imperial Carriageway. This is a single enormous carved marble ramp that only the emperor’s sedan chair was carried over. The dragon and phoenix carvings are extraordinarily detailed.
Section 2: The Inner Court. The Place of Life
Once you cross the Gate of Heavenly Purity, the atmosphere shifts entirely. You’ve moved from the world of power to the world of daily imperial life.
Palace of Heavenly Purity
This was the emperor’s residence and private audience hall. During the Qing Dynasty, the emperor would secretly write the name of his chosen successor and seal it behind the plaque reading ‘Zhengda Guangming’. No one, not even the heir himself, would know who had been chosen until the emperor died. This was one of history’s most extraordinary succession systems.
Palace of Earthly Tranquillity
This was the empress’s residence, and during the Qing period, also the site of shamanic rituals that the Manchu rulers maintained alongside Chinese court traditions. A quite fascinating cultural collision that most visitors walk straight past.
Section 3: The Six Eastern and Six Western Palaces
This is where most tour groups don’t go, and where the Forbidden City becomes genuinely human. If you have time, I warmly recommend a stop.
The Western Palaces were home to the imperial concubines. Here, hundreds of women who often arrived as teenagers and rarely left. The spaces are beautiful, intimate, and melancholy in equal measure. The furnishings on display, embroidery frames, lacquered vanity tables, king beds, give a real sense of how these women actually lived.
The Eastern Palaces have been now converted into exhibition spaces covering ceramics, fashion, and traditional painting. Variable in quality but worth exploring if you have time.
Section 4: The Imperial Garden
At the northern end, just before the Gate of Divine Might, lies the Imperial Garden (Yuhuayuan). This is a jewel of Chinese landscape. Its design barely changed since the Ming Dynasty. Indeed, ancient cypresses, rockeries, and pavilions create a moment of genuine quiet after the grandeur of the main halls. This is a perfect place to rest before the exit. However, be mindful of the visit timing. Indeed, if you happen to be at closing time, the garden will be extremely crowded with people trying to exit the Forbidden City.
What to Add to Your Visit
The Treasure Gallery (CNY 10 extra)
Located in the Palace of Tranquil Longevity on the eastern side of the Forbidden City, here you can find gold jewellery, jade carvings, imperial seals, and ritual objects of astonishing craftsmanship. Worth every extra kuai, if you want to have a worth add-on, book this add-on when you purchase your main ticket.
The Gallery of Clocks and Watches (CNY 10 extra)
One of the Forbidden City’s best-kept secrets. The Qing emperors were obsessed with Western mechanical clocks, receiving them as tribute gifts from European powers. The collection includes extraordinary automata from 18th-century’s Europe: clocks with moving figures that write Chinese characters, play music, and perform miniature theatrical scenes. Children are completely transfixed. Historians are too.
Jingshan Park (CNY 2)
Jingshan Park is the perfect conclusion of your Forbidden City visit. Formerly a garden that belonged to the Imperial Palace, it’s now completely separated from the main grounds and accessible from the palace by an underpass.
After exiting through the Gate of Divine Might, cross the road north to Jingshan Park and climb the hill to the central pavilion. The highest viewpoint requires a short hike uphill but it’s very worthy! Indeed, the view back over the Forbidden City will show you the full length of the central axis stretching south towards Tiananmen. This is one of Beijing’s finest view and allows you to really understand the immense scale of the Forbidden City. The best moment to go is definitely at sunset time but it will be quite crowded.
TIP: if you have some time, make sure to stop to the cafe’ at just a few meters on the right immediately after the entrance. Not sure about the name but the coffee was good and they people working there are the nicest. They even gifted the kids two ice cream plushies!
Practical Tips for Visiting the Forbidden City
- Wear comfortable shoes. The distance you walk across cobblestone courtyards is significant. Save the nice shoes for dinner.
- Bring water and snacks. Food stalls within the complex are limited and overpriced.
- Security queues: Factor 20–30 minutes for bag screening on busy days. Tip: if you have children and don’t want them to wait hours in line, designate one person to carry bags while others use the bagless lane, it’s much faster.
- Guides: The Forbidden City is genuinely better with a guide or the official English audio guide. A private guide for a half-day (CNY 300–500 / £30–55) transforms the experience.
- Photography: No restrictions in open courtyards and gardens. Flash photography is prohibited in exhibition halls. Morning and late afternoon light is dramatically better for photos.
- Families with young children: The main axis is pram-accessible. Nevertheless, there are some less accessible corridors with stairs when going sideway. Make sure you have help.
- Weekends and Bank Holidays are the busiest periods with literally thousands of people around. Make sure to visit on weekdays if possible!
- One important thing I noted is that despite the last admission is at 4 pm, the gate actually shuts at 3.30 pm. You need to be within the check-in area at that time otherwise you won’t be admitted.
Visiting the Forbidden City with Kids
I just want to spend a few words on this matter as a person who travel with children. I’ve read so many times that the Forbidden City is way to big for young children and it become too tiring for them with bloggers suggesting to skip it altogether. However, I have to dissent. It’s true, the Forbidden City is huge but this doesn’t mean it’s boring. My children (both aged 5) loved it! Of course, they are too little yet to understand all the historical intricacies of the palace but still ok with a re-adapted children-friendly version of what they were seeing.
Also, one of our twins is into photography so we gifted him one of those children cameras and invited him to take pictures around China. He really enjoyed to take pictures at the Forbidden City! This helped him also to look at details and ask about them and it was very entertaining. Regarding the long distance, I wouldn’t worry too much. There are spaces where to seat and, to be honest, children were probably less tired than us at the end!
Some random things my children adored in the Forbidden City:
- The ice creams with the carvings. These are perfect to keep them entertained and there are various shapes of them.
- Climbing all the ramps/staircases
- All the dragon carvings they could find
- Running in the courtyards ( I tried to block them from doing this as much as possible as I wasn’t sure it was allowed, but they are still kids! The guards didn’t say anything though)
- Taking pictures around
Kid-friendly facilities in the forbidden city
If you’re visiting with a baby or toddler, there’s one facility in the Forbidden City that most travel guides completely overlook: a dedicated baby-friendly centre on the west side of the complex, near the Gate of Heavenly Purity. Inside you’ll find three private breastfeeding rooms, a mother-and-baby toilet, bottle warmers, booster seats, and baby changing stations.
All the rooms are decorated with cartoon versions of China’s traditional mythical animals. Female staff are on hand throughout, and there’s even a small baby-themed souvenir shop if you need supplies mid-visit. Once you step outside, the adjoining courtyard has a slide, which, after hours of imperial grandeur, will feel like the greatest gift you’ve ever received!
The good news for anyone navigating the Forbidden City with a stroller is that it’s surprisingly manageable. Ramps and paved pathways run throughout the complex, so you won’t find yourself wrestling a stroller up flights of ancient steps. Beyond the ice cream stands (strategically placed, it must be said) child-specific amenities are fairly limited to the one mentioned above. However, given the sheer scale of what you’re exploring, that’s unlikely to be your biggest concern on the day.
After the Forbidden City: What to Do Next
If you are just at the start of your Beijing adventure and would like some more inspiration of what to do after your visit, here below there are some suggestions.
- Tiananmen Square (if you haven’t visit this to access the Palace Museum): Directly to your south. The political and historical weight of that space is impossible to overstate.
- Wangfujing Street: 20-minute walk east of the Forbidden City. Street food stalls alongside modern shopping. Perfect for early evening exploration
- Hutong neighbourhoods: Nanluoguxiang or Gulou for intimate alleyways, courtyard houses, and independent cafés. A striking contrast after the palace.
- The Temple of Heaven: The natural companion visit for a two-day Beijing programme. Another UNESCO site and arguably just as extraordinary in its own way. Make sure to check the opening times though!
Useful guided tours for the Forbidden City
Here below you can find a list of useful English guided tours for the Forbidden City if you prefer to have an expert guide with you!
Where to stay in Beijing
For our stay in Beijing we stayed at the Kerry Hotel by Shangri-la. This is a very good choice for families and an excellent base for visiting the city and the Great Wall. However, Beijing is full of wonderful places! Here below some of the places I considered too but saved for next time (maybe without kids!)
Plan your trip to China
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