One could spend a week visiting must-see sights in Beijing, but this one is a must, must-see sight. Approach it through the hutong (ancient city alley or lane) areas of Nan Chi Zi and combine it with an evening walking through Tiananmen Square. The Forbidden City’s scale, purity of line and form, and many hidden corners can be explored for hours. Climb steps whenever you can for good views and do try one of the audio walking tours, some narrated by famous actors, for both good information and a good laugh.

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N/a

Opening hours:

8.30am- 4.30pm daily

Address:

North side of Tiananmen Square, end of Dongwhamen Da Jie past Nan Chi Zi

Though a bit schlocky in its restoration, these few blocks of fixed-up old Chinese homes still have the kind of restrained bustle that harks back to the pre-Boom, pre-Olympic bid days of Beijing. There’s a whiff of the scholarly in the air as residents, students and tourists alike browse shops selling art supplies and calligraphic devices. It’s also a great place to pick up small-sized antiques, notebooks with silk covers, and to see the occasional street performance.

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Address:

Intersection of Nanxinhua Jie and LiuliChang Jie

Five years ago, a small group of artists, designers and media entrepreneurs began carving out apartments and studios inside abandoned factories. The district has now become the nexis of the Chinese – and arguably Asian – modern art scene. Whether you’re looking for modern fashion by the likes of Feng Ling (+86 (0)10 6436 3926), awe-inspiring spaces like 798 Space (+86 (0)10 6437 6248) or challenging exhibits such as those at the soon-to-open Red Gate Gallery, there is little here that disappoints.

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N/a

Opening hours:

Varies according to gallery

Address:

2 JiuXianQiao Lu, Chaoyang

Beijing’s de facto weekend market is a something-for-everyone destination. All forms of porcelain, stone, bronze, wood, brass, silver, silk, cotton and beyond are available as house wares, garments or antiques. Cultural Revolution posters and knick-knacks are all the rage, but try and bring a Chinese friend to sniff out what is and what is not real.

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N/a

Opening hours:

Usually sunrise to afternoon

Address:

PanJiaYuan Qiao, Chaoyang

The scale of this vast public space, set against classically enormous Communist-style buildings such as the Great Hall of the People, is daunting. The imposition of order, the towering portraits of Mao facing out from where the walls behind lead to the Forbidden City, the fortress-like exteriors and seriousness of everything in the area – it is here that one begins to understand how a country as vast as China can be held together.

Phone:

+86 (0)10 6544 3322

Opening hours:

Sunrise-sunset

Address:

Off Dongchang'an Jie

No trip to Beijing is complete without a visit to the Great Wall. Avoid Badaling, which swarms with Chinese tour groups; quieter areas are further out of town but well worth the effort. Simatai and Jingshanling can be reached in three hours and for the more energetic it is possible to walk between the two in about four hours. For the really wild wall try Huanghuacheng. Mutianyu is nearer and also less energetic.

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Opening hours:

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Address:

Mutianyu Town/Hauirou County (+86 (0)10 6162 6505) or Simatai/Gubeikou (+86 (0)10 6903 1051)

Despite a lack of clubs in Beijing, the bars thankfully stay open all night. Most are clustered around Sanlitun, separated into North Bar Street and South Bar Street. The Hidden Tree is a great venue and has a good selection of Belgian beers, a beer garden and also some of the best pizzas in town.

Phone:

+86 (0)10 6509 3642

Opening hours:

Lunch and dinner daily, drinks until late

Address:

12 Dongdaqiao Xie Jie, Sanlitun Nan Jie

This is it: the real Peking Duck. The birds are hand-chosen by breed, size and what they are fed. You must order how many you want in advance. Half the fun is the journey there, which involves winding through one of the oldest and smaller-walled hutongs (ancient city alley or lane) in the city. The family-run operation will leave you redolent with the scent of wood-roasted duck, spring onions, and the chillies and numbing peppers that find themselves into other dishes. Local celebrities, ambassadors and ravenous foodies all clamour to come here, so reserve a table (and a duck) in advance.

Phone:

+86 (0)10 6705 5578

Opening hours:

Lunch and dinner daily

Address:

11 Beixiangfun, Zhengyu Lu, Dongcheng District

Owner Handel Lee has helped single-handedly to raise the level of dining in China with a combination of old, heritage-worthy locations and contemporary tastes. Here, the restaurant sits upon the moat of the Forbidden City and includes a top-shelf art gallery and a wondrous, moody second-floor nook of a cigar lounge. Arrive early for drinks in the cigar room that affords a breathtaking view over the floodlit Forbidden City.

Phone:

+86 (0)10 6526 8883

Opening hours:

Lunch and dinner, daily

Address:

95 Donghuamne Da jie, Forbidden City Moat

Makye Ame is endearing, fun and cozy. The ceilings are beamed timber, hand-woven rugs hang from walls, and the servers have that timeless, exotic warmth of the Tibetan people that draws so many to their culture. Food here is fascinating – and very well prepared – in dishes like mutton with caramelized onion, green pepper, and dried chili; carrot-ginger soup; and cheese balls with curry dip.

Phone:

+86 (0)10 6506 9616

Opening hours:

Lunch and dinner daily

Address:

11 Xiushi Najjie, Jianguomenwai,

 

  

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Source: Expedia