Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
When you emerge on the north side of the Forbidden City, continue on to Jingshan Park.
Though many a weary visitor nixes this option after finally escaping the labyrinth behind
them, it is worth pushing yourself on up into the park. In the center is Jingshan Hill, a
46-meter-high (150-foot-high) mound that was made from the earth dug out to make the
moat ringing the Forbidden City and the nearby canals. On a beautiful day from the temple
at its peak, you can see the buildings of the Olympic Park directly north, the skyscrapers of
Guomao to the east, the mountains of Haidian and beyond to the west, and the Forbidden
City directly at your feet to the south.
A sharp contrast to the Forbidden City is Wangfujing, just a short walk to the east.
This is one of the primary shopping destinations of the city for tourists and residents alike.
There are several major shopping malls, numerous flagship stores, multistory bookstores, a
toy store, and perhaps the best-known Western-friendly Chinese pharmacy in town. Wang-
fujing, however, is not just a place just for tourism and shopping. The area is also a ma-
jor business zone. Oriental Plaza, in particular, which extends all the way from Wangfujing
subway station (Line 1) to Dongdan subway station (Lines 1 and 5), is home to many inter-
national offices.
Note: If this is a weekend day for you, try to reorder your itinerary so this is a weekday
(to avoid the crowds).
Day 2
Today you're going to get to know the older side of Beijing, that part of Dongcheng district
situated just inside the north Second Ring Road. Roughly delineated by the square formed
by Lines 2, 5, 6, and 8, the area is broadly referred to as Gulou, or rather the Drum Tower.
This small quadrant of the city has a completely different vibe and style than cosmopol-
itan Sanlitun, chic Guomao, family-friendly Shunyi, or student neighborhood Wudaokou.
This is “old” Beijing, albeit slightly hipster style. This is the area of the
hútòng
alleyways,
once the homes of the Ming dynasty's elite, now the locale of tiny bars and cafés, and ec-
lectic boutiques. This is where the young and creative Chinese are setting up shop, some-
times with good results, sometimes downright cheesy. It isn't without a few tourist traps,
but it's also the place that hides many of the local hangouts that expats navigate to, and is a
choice place to live for those who want a little immersion in old-school Beijing. If you have
any mind to try out a bicycle, this is the day to do it.
Starting from Lama Temple (Lines 2 and 5) you can wander the nearby Wudaoying
Hutong, Guozijian Jie, and Fangjia Hutong. These three quiet, narrow streets have been
