Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
and Drum Alley', and pronounced 'nan-law-goo-syang'). Once neglected and ram-
shackle this funky north-south
hutong
has been undergoing a rapid evolution since
1999. Today, the alley is an insatiable strip of bars, wi-fi cafes, courtyard hotels and
shops. Following the success of Nanluogu Xiang,
Wudaoying Hutong
was given a
facelift a couple of years back, and this once residential alley is now another wan-
nabe trendy lane packed with restaurants, boutique shops and a couple of bars. It's
nowhere near as popular, or historic as Nanluogu Xiang, but there are some places
worth visiting.
NEED TO KNOW
Nanluogu Xiang (
Click here
Nanluoguxiang);
Wudaoying Hutong
(
Click
here
Yonghegong Lama Temple)
. Organised tours are easy to find:
hutong
rickshaw riders lurk in packs around the Drum & Bell Square (
Click
here
) and Qianhai Lake (
Click here
), charging between ¥60 and ¥120 per
person for a 45-minute or one-hour tour. Alternatively,
Bike Beijing
(
Offline map
Google map
) does guided cycle tours.
BELL TOWER
( Zhonglou; Gulou Dongdajie; admission ¥20, both towers through ticket ¥30;
9am-5pm, last tickets 4.40pm; Shichahai or Gulou Dajie)
The more
modest, grey-stone structure of the Bell Tower is arguably more charming than
its resplendent other half, the Drum Tower, after which this area of Beijing is
named.
Along with the Drum Tower's drums, the bells in the Bell Tower were used
as Beijing's official timekeepers throughout the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynas-
ties, and on until 1924.
The Bell Tower can also be climbed, up an incredibly steep inner staircase
(take extreme care), but the views from the top are even better here, partly be-
cause the structure is set back more deeply into the surrounding
hutong,
and
partly because you can view the Drum Tower from the balcony.
Historic Site
