Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ion, Lane Crawford, nearby. A little east, between here and Tian'anmen, is Xidan, another
important shopping neighborhood.
Farther north, the commercial sector gives way to the
hútòng
and old-world feel of
Xicheng in its heyday. The streets that tuck in around Beihai Park, Jingshan Park, and
Houhai are classic Beijing, and are filled with an eclectic range of eclectically stocked local
shops. For the expats who do tend to settle in Xicheng, the northern side of Houhai, closer
to Gulou, is where most can be found. Finally, at its northwestern most point, Xicheng ends
at Xizhimen, a somewhat frantic, dusty commercial zone and major transport hub.
Xidan Beidajie is a popular shopping strip.
Xicheng really is what you want it to be, and as long as you park yourself next to one of
the subway stations, nothing will be far from reach. There are several centers of activity in
the district, and each has a very different feel. You can go for the business appeal of Finan-
cial Street, the old-world charm of Houhai and Deshengmen, or the chaotic city launching
pad of Xizhimen. One problem is that this district doesn't get the same depth of coverage
that eastern districts do from the expat websites and international relocation companies, so
