Top 10 Ways to see the Real Beijing
Beijing, home to the 2008 summer Olympics, is the second biggest city in China behind Shanghai. It is much-loved for its old world charm compared to the new metropolis of Shanghai. Beijing has hot humid summers and cold dry winters making the best time to go in Autumn, or spring. In September and October you'll get clearer days, however a blue sky in Beijing is a rare occurrence. Here is Real Footprints, Beijing Top Ten must do list: - The Great Wall - Want to have a memorable trip to the wall and not just go see it? Many local tour companies offer an overnight great wall experience. Turn it into an experience and spend a night there. Escape the crowds and sleep in a watchtower, or if the weather is nice under the stars.
- Beihai Park – A really large park in the heart of Beijing, which is pretty close to the Forbidden City. More than half of it is taken up by Lake Beihai, if you visit in the spring you can go fishing or boating, or in the winter you can go ice-skating.
-Hutongs, Out of the way, and off of the big bustling city streets are pretty little side streets known as Hutongs. All of the shops and houses are no more than two stories high. More popularly enjoyed on a bicycle or by rickshaw these streets represent the ancient culture that the city was built around.
Zhongshan Park – In addition to beautiful gardens and ancient Cypress trees you can take a stroll through the open-air matchmaking market. You’ll see Beijing’s most available unmarried young men and women. Well you won’t see them, but you can see photos and descriptions of them on posters carried by their anxious parents in hunt for a proper suitor. What better way to advertise their children?
Donghuamen night market – Go there with an empty belly and an open mind. You’ll find rows and rows of unusual food stalls. If you’re brave treat yourself to scorpions or crickets on a stick. This however is for the tourists; if you want a great deal look for boxes of dumplings at local eateries.
- Wángfǔjǐng Shopping – A visit to Beijing isn’t complete with a shopping trip to the pedestrian only Wángfǔjǐng Street. Popular with locals and tourists alike, this is the place where you can get what you need.
798 Art Zone – Want to see Beijing’s Soho or Greenwich Village? Old factories have been re-purposed into this growing contemporary art scene. Also known as the Dashanzi Art District. This is a place to go for a stroll and see the art galleries, little shops, cafes and restaurants.
- Gaobeidian village , Want some furniture or are you interested in seeing some stilt walking? You can take a day trip from Beijing and go to a thousand-year old village, visit a local family in their home for a dumpling meal and get a glimpse of the rural Chinese life
-Take the Subway – If you want to experience the real city, travel like a local. An efficient way to get around town, it’s easy to navigate with English signs and clearly marked stops. There are even English options on the ticket machines at each entrance.
- See the acrobats! - While it's quite possible to see a travelling Chinese acrobat in your home city. Having the experience at the most popular Chaoyang theatre is simply a must do!
Do you have any tips for a visit in Beijing?
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