Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Café Zarah is a favorite spot for many expats and their laptops.
If getting outdoors is more what you're after, then this sector of the city has a variety
of parks—particularly on the north side. The beautiful Liuyin and Qingnianhu Parks are
here, as is Ditan Park (Temple of the Earth Park), one of the four historic sacrificial parks
in the city (the others being Tiantan Park (Temple of Heaven Park) in the south, Ritan Park
(Temple of the Sun Park) in the east, and Yuetan Park (Temple of the Moon Park) in the
west. Ditan Park is a pretty place to wander and stretch, but it's also the site for many large-
scale events.
If your inner tourist still thirsts for more historic sites, you'll also find yourself within
easy distance from some classic structures. The Drum and Bell Towers (Gulou and Zhon-
glou), which sit side by side along the northern axis of the city, were originally places of
ancient Chinese music and then became the timepieces of the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dyn-
asties. Today they're very much tourist attractions, yet they have become such centerpieces
of the immediate area that they define its character and feel.
East of the towers, on Guozijian Jie, is Confucius Temple. Initially built in 1302, it was
once the imperial academy of ancient Beijing and the place in which intellectuals of the
Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties offered their respects to Confucius. Today it's become a
