Tania Branigan 

Must-see Beijing

If you only see 10 things in Beijing, make them these, say Tania Branigan and Alice Xin Liu
  
  


Beijing attractions
The Lama Temple enjoys both a colourful past - it began life as a residence for court eunuchs - and a vibrant present: the cluster of golden topped buildings is in beautiful contrast to the ring road running past it.

Yonghegong, Doncheng District. Open daily 9am-4.30pm. Entrance RMB25 (£1.85) Photograph: Dan Chung
Beijing attractions
Prince Gong's Mansion: Constructed in 1777 by He Shen – a highly able but infamously venal favourite of Emperor Qianlong – it was confiscated prior to his execution on corruption charges and subsequently fell into the hands of Prince Gong. Some claim the house was immortalised in A Dream of Red Mansions, one of China’s greatest literary works.

Gongwangfu; 14 Liuying Jie, Xicheng District. Open daily 9am-4pm. Entrance 20RMB (£1.50) Photograph: Dan Chung
Beijing attractions
Hutongs: Scores of the city’s hutongs, or alleys, have been wiped out over the last few years, but those that remain are a welcome retreat from the resulting concrete jungle. These are still primarily working-class areas and on warm evenings, residents gather outside to play chequers and to gossip. Stroll or cycle through any of the hutongs for a glimpse of Old Beijing and its history.

Try the area around Nanluoguxiang in Dongcheng District Photograph: Dan Chung
Beijing attractions
Forbidden City: For almost five centuries, commoners were barred from the Emperor’s palace; these days, they flood through its gates. Built in the early 15th century, by as many as 1m workers, it has survived largely unscathed through China’s turbulent history. But now is the best chance to see it in years after a lengthy pre-Olympic facelift.

Gugong. Open every day 8.30am-4pm. Entrance RMB60 (£4.40) Photograph: Dan Chung
Beijing attractions
Houhai (Back Lake) has long been one of the liveliest areas of Beijing; residents skate over its ice in winter and the brave still plunge into its waters for a refreshing summer dip – facing both the wrath of local police and questionable water quality. With touristy bars now crowding its shores, some consider it has become too pricey, boisterous and even tacky.

Houhai, Xicheng District. Open daily 6am-9.30pm. Entrance RMB10 (70p) Photograph: Dan Chung
Beijing attractions
Summer Palace: The seasonal residence of the Emperors, 15km from Beijing's centre, is now favoured by citizens year-round. Like the Old Summer Palace, not far away, these imperial gardens were ransacked by the British and French during the opium wars. But while the other site lies in ruins, Yiheyuan was rebuilt even more lavishly by the formidable Empress Dowager Cixi in the 1880s.

Yiheyuan, Haidian District. Open every day, 6.30am-6pm. Entrance, 30RMB (£2.20) Photograph: Dan Chung
Beijing attractions
Temple of Heaven: Built in 1420, and later extended, it was used throughout the Ming and Qing dynasty. As the Son of Heaven, the emperor would visit twice a year to pay respects to the source of his authority and pray for good harvests. The site has undergone a £3m facelift for the Olympics. Arrive at dawn to watch local residents practising tai chi or calligraphy.

Tiantangongyuan, Yongingmen Dajie, Chongwen District. Open daily 8am-6pm. Entrance 35RMB (£2.60) Photograph: Dan Chung
Beijing attractions
Drum and bell tower: Drums were beaten to mark the hours and are still sounded every 30 minutes in the morning and afternoon. Legend has it that the 500-year-old bell owes its pure tone to the daughter of its craftsman, who flung herself into molten bronze to ensure her father could cast it successfully after repeated failures. Zhonggulou, Dianmen Dajie, Dongcheng District. Open daily, 9am-5.30pm. Entrance, drum tower 20RMB (£1.50), bell tower 15RMB (£1.10) Photograph: Dan Chung
Beijing attractions
Beijing zoo: Now celebrating its 100th year, the zoo is home to around 600 different species, but the sudden influx of tourists is thanks to just eight inhabitants: the two-year-old panda cubs that moved here from Sichuan as part of the Olympic celebrations.

Beijing Dongwuyuan, Xizhimenwai Dajie, Haidian District. Open every day 7.30am-6pm (panda enclosure from 8am). Entrance, RMB20 (£1.50) Photograph: Dan Chung
Beijing attractions
The Gate of Heavenly Peace (Tiananmen) is easily recognisable to any traveller thanks to the enormous portrait of Mao which hangs there: it marks the spot where he proclaimed the founding of the Republic in 1949. To the south of the square, the Mao Mausoleum offers a somewhat eerie glimpse of the embalmed Chairman in his glass casket.

Mausoleum: open Tuesday-Sunday, 8am-12pm. Entrance, free Photograph: Dan Chung
 

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