Home       |        About        |         Food         |      Shopping         |      Accomodation       |        Service        |        Exploring Beijing       |        Photo
 
HOME / Exploring Beijing
  Exploring Beijing in 4 days  
2014-04-21 16:29:19
China Daily
 

Exploring Beijing in 4 days

The Temple of Heaven where emperors used to hold ceremonies to pray to heaven.WANG HUI

You may want to skip the small hill where the last Ming emperor killed himself and ended a dynasty, but you should probably have dinner in the Drum Tower area where traditional food is in abundance. When dusk sets in, it's time to travel further north and discover new Beijing.

The Olympic Green is a strip lying north of the Fourth Ring Road. The Forest Park to its north is twice the size of New York's Central Park. But as you are on a tight schedule, the Bird's Nest and the Water Cube offer the best concentration of must-see sights. Or you may want to spread out activities for this day into two more leisurely days.

Day 3

If your feet ache miserably from the previous days' sightseeing, you may want to slow down. Skipped the National Museum? No problem, you can make it up with a trip to the Capital Museum where the exhibits have more surprises. Take a stroll along Wangfujing, the modern shopping street. The walking is much less intensive and the budgeted time much more flexible.

In case you are wondering how Beijingers used to live, you'll need to veer from the grand architecture and into the residential alleys, known as hutong. The South Gong and Drum Lane (Nanluoguxiang) is a good choice because it also functions as a bohemian enclave frequented by arty types. There is even a tiny theater where expats put on English-language plays.

A short walk northwest takes you to Shichahai, a lake surrounded by more bars and hutong. The traditional and the modern blend seamlessly into each other.

 
 
Video
Love Beijing
News
· Xi'an allows 72-hr visa exemptions
· China's Shenyang, Dalian offer 72-hour visa-free stays
· Beijing plans to ratchet up promotion of visa-free stays
· Beijing visa-free policy lures 10,000 visitors
 
| About us | E-mail | Contact |
Constructed by Chinadaily.com.cn
Copyright @ 2014 Ministry of Culture, P.R.China. All rights reserved