Beijing Hutongs

28 Photos

15 Reviews | Add review

Address: Beijing
Admission: Free

ATTRACTION Keywords:
Cultural Experience, Neighborhood

8:29 PM Saturday, May 25
Passing clouds. Pleasantly warm.
7 day forecast

Beijing's hutongs are a glimpse - fast disappearing - of what the city used to look like before the skyscrapers started munching the skyline. A hutong is a narrow alleyway formed by joining together courtyard residences. When you hear people speak of 'the hutongs', they will often be referring to the neighborhoods formed by these alleys.

Development has destroyed many of these traditional neighborhoods, but some have been preserved, most notably those around the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower. These hutongs, close to the Forbidden City, are the spacious and orderly kind that would have belonged to aristocrats and top-ranking officials.

Beijing's poorer hutongs are far more haphazard and cramped, but are still an important part of the city's history. Each hutong has its own name - sometimes many layers of names - and its own set of stories.

Latest Reviews

Add review

All Beijing Hutongs Reviews

Review by Anonymous, May 2013
Doing what: Small-Group Beijing Night Walking Tour

I recently had some tours from some of your lovely guides around Beijing of the forbidden city, temple of heaven, Beijing opera and the night walking tour. The tour guides were wonderful; very knowledgeable of the areas, and fun people to spend time with. I was very impressed with their prompt and timely starts to the tours, which was especially important being in a new city as it was reassuring that I was meeting them in the correct place and there was no confusion. I have experienced poor timeliness in the past so I was really appreciative of the tour guides for this attribute. The tours were well structured, and very good value for money, and I was happy that I was neither rushed nor delayed with the time I spent at each location and with the guides. The mixture of private cars, local transportation, and planned meals was excellent and I feel that I had a well rounded and informative experience in Beijing learning about the history and culture of the intriguing city. I particularly appreciated the professional experience and coordination between the main office, the guides, the locations visited and the drivers. I have been very happy with the experience and I fully recommend that others use Viator for planning their own tours. In light of this I have copied into this email my friend Ester who would like to organise some tours for Beijing, and I hope you are able to organise some fun activities for her! She is particularly interested in going to the Great Wall of China. Thank you very much for the wonderful experiences which I will carry with me for a life time!

Report problem

Review by Constance W, May 2013
Doing what: Private Cultural Tour: Hutong Rickshaw Ride, Tea Ceremony and Dumpling Making in Beijing

Took my little boy and we had a great time:) Amy our guide was just wonderful!

Report problem

Review by Constance W, May 2013
Doing what: Private Cultural Tour: Hutong Rickshaw Ride, Tea Ceremony and Dumpling Making in Beijing

Took my little boy and we had a great time:) Amy our guide was just wonderful!

Report problem

Practical Info

Most of the oldest and most beautiful hutongs, those visited on the majority of tours, are clustered around the Forbidden City. This is because the hierarchy of the Imperial Court was concentrically arranged, with the most important officials living close to its gates and the residences of the less important officials radiating outwards from it.

Explore map