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[:en]City Guide China: City tour Beijing[:]

[:en]Published on July 24, 2012

Bike tour Beijing

City_Trip_Beijing_China_Dirt_MarketOne of the best ways to travel in Beijing is with a rental bike. You can rent a bike at local shops for about 5 Yuan if you’re lucky, most hotels also rent bikes but usually are a lot more expensive. Please do keep in mind you will need to pay a deposit for the bikes so make sure you have enough cash. When you’re travelling to Beijing from April till October it can get quite hot, so riding a bike is a great way to explore the city and get tanned without being stopped by the heat.

Drum Tower and Bell Tower

Most touristic attractions in Beijing are in and around the city centre which makes riding a bike to several attractions quite easy and doable. From the Tianmen Square area you can get to the Drum Tower and Bell Tower within 10 to 15 minutes. Both towers are lovely to see and have a great view over the city. In the mornings the Drum Tower provides a traditional drum ceremony. The ceremony is rather impressive and gives a glimpse of how the Drum Tower was used many centuries ago. Getting to the Bell Tower is easy since the towers are placed across each other. The Bell Tower has a different view over the city so visiting them both is worh the trip.

After visiting the Drum Tower and Bell Tower you can explore the area and visit one of the many hutongs. The hutongs show a different side of Beijing. Where the shopping areas and touristic attractions are rather clean and clear, the hutongs show the life of the lower and middle class of Beijing. The hutong is the place to go for great food, cute little shops and to wander around in. It is a must see when visiting Beijing to explore both sides the city has to offer. For a great lunch you can also visit the little Bar Street near the Houhai Lake. It has lots of restaurants and a great and relaxing view over the water.

Jing Shan Park

City_Trip_Beijing_China_Food_MarketTo visit Jing Shan Park and the White Dagoba you can ride the bike alongside Beihai Lake and explore the area there. Jing Shan Park is next to the Forbidden City, a great attraction to visit when you have a full day to explore the city. Jing Shan Park is a great park next to the White Dagoba. There are, of course, several temples to be found in the park and when visiting the top of the hill in the park it has an amazing view on the Forbidden City. You can also visit the Jing Shan Park after you have visited the Forbidden City and go to the Lama Temple instead. The Lama Temple is about 20 minutes away by bike from the Drum Tower and Jing Shan Park area. This is one of the most amazing temples Beijing has to offer. It is a huge complex with beautiful temples that are treated with a lot of respect and honor. When you’re not in the mood to visit a lot of temples, visiting Temple of Heaven and Lama Temple is the best option since these are both impressive and rather different.

Restaurants

When you have been riding your bike to all these touristic attractions in Beijing it is most likely time to settle down in a nice restaurant for dinner. Pick a small restaurant where a lot of people are eating traditional Chinese food; this will be a nice treat after an intense day of cruising through Beijing. Chinese hot pot, sweet and sour pork, lamb chops and baked eggplant are wonderful dishes to share and enjoy. A great way to end a day full of attractions, sun shine and great food.

Written by: Danitsja Koster

Published on the site of City Guide China.[:]

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