Beijing's Top Sights - Beijing - page 113

Explore the area's imperial hútòng ( CLICK HERE ) on our cycling tour of the historic al-
leyways surrounding the Forbidden City.
Rise early to get the most out of this area's wonderful imperial parks ; Jǐngshān
Park ( CLICK HERE ) is our favourite.
Peruse some of the city's best museums and galleries . For starters, try the National
Museum of China ( CLICK HERE ), the Poly Art Museum ( CLICK HERE ) and the photo-
graphy exhibition inside Front Gate ( CLICK HERE ) on Tiān'ānmén Sq.
Explore: Forbidden City & Dōngchéng Central
The most historically significant part of Běijīng, Dōng-chéng Central comprises much of
what was once the Imperial City, at the heart of which lay the Forbidden City, from where
emperors ruled China for more than 500 years.
The hútòng (alleyways) fanning out to the north and east of the Forbidden City were
where the members of the imperial court once lived.
You'll need at least a couple of days to visit all the best sights in this history-rich neigh-
bourhood; figure on half a day for the Forbidden City alone.
Food options are fabulous, with local no-nonsense restaurants and busy street-food
markets sharing quarters with some of the city's more unusual fine-dining establishments.
Nightlife, though, is thin on the ground.
Local Life
» Food Tuck into authentic Běijīng grub at Zuǒ Lín Yòu Shè or sample donkey-meat
pastry pockets at Dōngzi Lǘròu Huǒshāo. The street-food markets near Wángfǔjǐng may
be fun, but locals find them touristy and overpriced. Enjoy your barbecued skewers from a
hole-in-the-wall hútòng joint instead; spot the red neon sign, and you're good to go.
» Parks Jǐngshān Park and Zhōngshān Park are two of Běijīng's most colourful - and loc-
als, particularly the elderly, love to spend their mornings in them; dancing, singing and ex-
ercising with their friends. April and May are particularly popular as both parks burst into
bloom during their annual flower fairs.