Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Beijing's Hutong Don't Miss List
LI MEI, 34, MEDIA AGENT/PLAYWRIGHT
1 NANLUOGU XIANG
Probably the best known tourist
hutong
(alleyways), especially with young
locals, this long north-south hub is a great blend of ancient and modern.
Nanluogu Xiang's (
Click here
) style stays close to the original low-rise grey
brick, but each home has been converted to shops, snack stalls, cafes and
bars. It's crazy on weekends during daytime, with window-shoppers galore.
Around 18 smaller
hutong
run off Nanluogu Xiang; each one is worth a
peek.
2 MAO'ER HUTONG
One of the streets off Nanluogu Xiang is this relatively undeveloped
hutong
that provides a beautiful tree-lined walk to nearby Houhai Lake tourist area.
Most of its houses are still residential or privately owned, so it's really se-
rene at night.
3 WUDAOYING HUTONG
A few years ago it was billed as the next place for
hutong
hipsters, but it
never really reached its potential. There are a few diamonds in the rough,
however, and it's definitely worth a slow walk down. Some of the restaur-
ants are popular with expats and it's conveniently located directly west of
the Lama Temple (
Click here
).
4 FANGJIA HUTONG
A few streets south of Wudaoying Hutong, this is my pick for the next big
thing - although who knows? There are already some reasonable bars, gal-
leries and shops, and the No 46 courtyard art complex with a theatre and
cafes draws a young crowd. Further down the street you might find a local
bar serving beer on a wooden bench or a slightly bigger place cranking out
live music next to old folk sitting around, chatting.
