Beijing Hotels

Beijing is in a rush to modernise (as the 2008 Olympics showed), yet the city’s rich history remain ever-present in its temples and palaces, food, art and culture.

Beijing is the home of Chinese opera, which is completely different from its Western counterpart (relatively few old, obese prima donnas pretending to be nubile sex kittens, for starters). Atonal singing mixes with mime, dance, and acrobatics to magical effect, just as it’s done since the days of the Qing Dynasty. If you get the chance, take in a show at the Huguang Guild Hall or the Beijing National Grand Theatre.

For another blast from the past, discover the narrow alleys (hutongs) of Beijing to get a feel for ancient Chinese architecture and design. Many are now being demolished for the construction of new streets and buildings, so see them while you can. And then go either further back in time at the World Heritage-listed Forbidden City.

In Beijing you’ll find culture, innovation, chaos (and people!) at every corner. Prepare to be overwhelmed in the nicest possible way.

BEIJING’S TOP 10

BEIJING LOCAL

Xicheng

Xicheng is the political centre of Beijing, but also serves as an important place for sightseeing. Stop at Beihai Park or visit pandas at Beijing Zoo. Alternatively, there’s the National Centre for the Performing Arts (which looks like something E.T. brought back from space – in a good way though). The district also contains many temples – among them the Taoist White Cloud Temple, which has been around since 793. For those with an interest in history and art, the Capital Museum may be your thing.

Dongcheng

Head here for Tiananmen Square, the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, the Great Hall of the People and the Monument to the People’s Heroes. If you’re feeling all philosophical and scholarly, Confucius say… give Confucius Temple a go. The temple was built in 1302 and pays tribute to China’s greatest thinker. For those who aren’t impressed by Confucius’ intellect, Fayuan Temple is also in the Dongcheng vicinity. It’s Beijing’s oldest Buddhist temple, and now is the site of the Chinese Buddhist Academy.

Xuanwu

In Xuanwu you can include Grand View Garden (also known as Prospect Garden) in your itinerary. Built in the 1980s, this garden of pavilions and temples is based on a novel entitled Dream of the Red Chamber. Another couples of spots worth visiting are the Museum of Ancient Architecture and the Museum of Ancient Pottery Civilization.

Chongwen

Here you will find the Temple of Heaven and the Ming Dynasty City Wall. Only 1.5 km of the original 23.5km-long wall remains. For a taste of contemporary Chinese art, take a look at Red Gate Gallery. But for travellers who are less interested in the contemporary and more motivated by the traditional, then Chongwenmen Food Market is a better fit. This traditional market is perfect for purchasing cheap, fresh and often downright bizarre produce, or even just to see what a traditional Chinese food market looks like.

BEIJING EATS

You can get combination fried rice and lemon chicken all over the world, but Beijing is where you’ll get the real deal (and you probably won’t find lemon chicken anywhere!).

BEIJING EVENTS

The year kicks off with China’s most important holiday. In January or February the Lunar New Year celebrations will bring in the New Year with fireworks and parades. Most shops will be closed for a week and booking any transport will be a nightmare (unless you’ve booked in advance).

International Labour Day is celebrated on 1 May in Tiananmen Square. Rise early to witness the flag-raising ceremony.

In September, the Mid-Autumn Festival will tempt you to eat some moon cakes. Please do – they’re delicious!

National Day is on 1 October. Festivities commemorate the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949.

WHEN TO GO

Beijing has somewhat bizarre weather, thanks to its monsoon-influenced climate of hot, humid summers and cold, dry winters (and, frankly, the pollution isn’t doing it any favours in global-warming, ozone-layer-depleting terms).

· In spring, temperatures can range from 0-24°C (32-75°F). It’s also the season that brings dust storms, as if the smog wasn’t enough to obscure your vision.

· Summer in Beijing is wet and warm with temperatures of 20-31°C (68-88°F) feeling even hotter thanks to the steamy humidity.

· The best time to visit is autumn, when the weather is pleasantly around 6-18°C (43-64°F)

· Beijing’s winter is cold and dry, with temperatures often staying well below freezing. You may even see snow! But it won’t be pretty snow.

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GETTING THERE AND AROUND

· You won’t have any trouble finding an airline that’ll take you to Beijing. If you’re coming from another city in China, you can take a bus or train.

· Within Beijing, you can take your pick from taking the subway, renting a bicycle, riding the bus, flagging down a taxi or taking a gamble with a rickshaw.

· Unless it’s a DeLorean that can hover above the scrum of traffic (or take you back in time to an era in which Beijing’s streets were not so crowded), don’t bother renting a car. Your hair will be grey by the time you get out, both from stress and the sheer amount of time you’ll have spent in a bottleneck.

WHAT TO MISS

· Don’t get scammed by rickshaw drivers.

· Be cautious of girls who tell you they’re university students and are speaking to you to improve their English. They’ll often try to scam you by inviting you to expensive tea ceremonies or dinners and then leaving you to foot the bill.

· When you book a tour, make sure you know where you’re going and paying the right price. Dodgy tours will send you off to Jade shops or expensive teahouses. Use your common sense – this is a city of hustle as well as bustle.

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