Combined tour of Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square

Question

We want to book a combined tour for Forbidden city and Tiananmen Square online.

One of the guided tours we looked at is including all these places

The meridian gate guided tour 20 minutes

Hall of Supreme Harmony

Guided tour (20 minutes)

Hall of Preserving harmony guided tour 20 min

Hall of Central Harmony

Guided tour (20 minutes)

Palace of Heavenly Purity

Guided tour (20 minutes):

Palace of Earthly Tranquility

Guided tour (20 minutes)

Six Eastern Palaces

Guided tour (20 minutes)

Imperial garden guided tour 20 min

Zhenbaoguan guided tour 40 min

This tour does not mention Tiananmen Square in the above items .

Can anyone please clarify if the entrance to the Forbidden city is through Tiananmen Square only and therefore we can not miss it to or is there a separate entrance to Forbidden city also without going through the Tiananmen Square.

We wish to see both the Forbidden city and Tiananmen Square in the same tour.

Please advice so that we can book the tour

Thanks in advance

Answer

The Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square are adjacent but have separate entrances. You do not have to enter the Forbidden City through Tiananmen Square. In fact, the main entrance to the Forbidden City for visitors is the Meridian Gate (Wumen), which is on the southern side of the complex and directly faces Tiananmen Square, but entering from the square itself is not mandatory.

Details to consider for your combined visit:

The Meridian Gate is the standard entrance for the Forbidden City tours and tickets. Most guided tours start here, bypassing any formal visit to Tiananmen Square.
Tiananmen Square is a public area and has its own entrances and ticketed attractions (e.g., the Monument to the People’s Heroes, Mao Zedong Mausoleum, National Museum of China). Visiting the square can be done separately without going through the Forbidden City gates.
If your goal is to see both, you can plan to walk through Tiananmen Square first and then enter the Forbidden City via the Meridian Gate. Many tours arrange this, but some may focus solely on the Forbidden City.

Regarding the tour you mentioned:

The guided stops listed (Meridian Gate, Hall of Supreme Harmony, Hall of Preserving Harmony, Hall of Central Harmony, Palace of Heavenly Purity, Palace of Earthly Tranquility, Six Eastern Palaces, Imperial Garden, Zhenbaoguan) are all inside the Forbidden City.
Since Tiananmen Square is not mentioned, this particular tour likely starts at the Meridian Gate and does not include a guided visit of the square. You would need to arrange visiting Tiananmen Square separately, either before or after the Forbidden City tour.
Some tour operators offer combined tours explicitly including both Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, which ensures you see the main highlights of the square and then enter the Forbidden City for the full guided experience.

Recommendation:

Confirm with the tour operator whether the Meridian Gate entrance includes any optional stop or walk through Tiananmen Square.
If the tour does not include Tiananmen Square, plan to visit the square independently. It is only a short walk from the Forbidden City entrance and can be seen in 30–60 minutes depending on how many sites you wish to view.
For convenience, consider booking a combined guided tour explicitly advertised as "Tiananmen Square + Forbidden City" to ensure both areas are included without confusion.

In summary, the Forbidden City can be visited without entering Tiananmen Square, but if your aim is to see both, you either walk through the square on your own or select a combined tour that includes both locations.

Combined tour of Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square

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