Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Best
Parks & Gardens
Beijing's parks and gardens provide much-needed sanctuary in this increasingly
steel- and glass-heavy city. With backyards a real rarity in apartment-centric
Beijing, you'll find the locals in them from dawn to well after dusk. They're
ideal for catching your breath in the middle of a hard day's shopping, or for shak-
ing off the dust from palaces and temples.
Royal Heritage
Many of Beijing's parks, like Beihai Park (
Click here
) and Jingshan Park (
Click here
),
are former imperial gardens, or were used by the emperors to perform annual rituals. As
such, they were off-limits to ordinary Beijingers. These days, however, many locals use
them for kite flying and taichi.
But Chinese parks and gardens are more than just recreational spaces. They are regarded
as landscape art and must have several elements - the main ones being plants, rocks, water
and pavilions - to be considered harmonious.
Best for Walking
Fragrant Hills Park
(
Click here
)
The best hiking in town can be found out here on
Beijing's far northwestern fringe.
Old Summer Palace
(
Click here
) Pass through the ruins of this palace and a massive park
awaits.
Best for Fun
Beihai Park
(
Click here
)
Join the communal dancing, practise taichi, or just have fun in a
boat.
