Forbidden City (Beijing, China)

I think the Forbidden City is overrated. It's nothing like Zhang Yimou's The Curse of the Golden Flower. It could have been, once, but now, all of the buildings are being renovated and/or protected. There are construction screens everywhere. The number of tourists is insane. I felt like I was visiting a construction ground rather than an ancient palace. I wish china would make the forbidden city more presentable. A tour guide can be helpful- there are many symbols and nuances in the architecture of the buildings that are interesting when someone points them out to you, such as the animal gargoyles sitting on top and what the numbers represent.

Yes, it is nice. bring your camera. . .it only loses one star because it is always crowded and very touristy. . .but if you are in Beijing, you simply have to go. Don't waste your money on a guided tour - just go from exhibit to exhibit and pick up information from other tours in any one of several languages! This also gives you the flexibility of spending the amount of time you want at a given exhibit. Everyone's pictures from the Forbidden City look the same, but they're still worth taking. Look at my review for the city of Beijing.

The Forbidden City is one of those must see destinations when visiting China, but I was actually a bit disappointed, primarily because I was anticipating something much older. If memory serves, most of the structures were built during the 17th and 18th centuries, and the colors were much less vivid than I was expecting. Nevertheless, the complex is still worth the effort, it's rather extensive (so be prepared to be on your feet for much of the day), and take a guide as others have suggested.

When you enter the Forbidden City from Tienamen Square, you pass under a huge photo of Mao. From there on its back to old China. There's more than anyone can see in a day, and lots of walking. Going with a guide is a good idea.