Things to Do in Beijing

Niaochao, more commonly referred to as the Beijing National Stadium or the Bird’s Nest, was designed and constructed for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and has since become a major landmark in China’s capital. Chinese artist Ai Weiwei consulted on the Swiss-designed project, and the result cost $423 million to complete.

Since the Olympics ended, the stadium has served as a tourist attraction and a venue for both international and domestic sporting competitions, including the Supercoppa Italiana and the China Cup. The stadium is set to host the 2015 World Championships in Athletics as well. Niaochao is most impressive from the outside, where it’s bird’s nest shape is apparent. Situated on the Beijing Olympic Green, Niaochao is free to enjoy from the outside, but you’ll have to pay a fee if you want to enter the stadium. The Water Cube, the second prominent structure from the 2008 Olympics, sits adjacent to Niaochao and is also worth a visit.

In just a few years since Beijing hosted the 2008 Olympic Games, the structures built within the Olympic Green (Olympic Park) have become just as representative of the Chinese capital as the Forbidden City or the Great Wall. While the Olympic Green houses half a dozen different venues, most visitors come to see the two most iconic, the Beijing National Stadium (more popularly known as the Bird’s Nest) and the Beijing National Aquatics Center (Water Cube).

Today, the Bird’s Nest is used mostly for concerts and other high-profile sporting events, while the Water Cube has been transformed into a recreational swimming facility open to the public. You can visit the interiors of either for an extra fee, but both are arguably more impressive from the outside, and it doesn’t cost anything to walk the grounds of the Olympic Green. If you want to see the Olympic Green at its most beautiful, plan your visit for the evening hours with both the stadium and the Water Cube are lit up.

Jinshanling and Simatai are two of the most remote and least restored portions of the Great Wall near Beijing. Visitors craving a more natural Great Wall experience, without the buses and crowds of domestic tourists posing for photos at every step, should plan to make the day hike between the two wall segments.

This stretch of the Ming wall was built here to protect the 17-mile (27 kilometer) defensible pass. The segment between Jinshanling and Simatai extends roughly 6 miles (10 kilometers), passing many portions of the wall left completely unrestored since the wall’s original construction.

From Jinshanling, it takes about 4 to 5 hours to hike all the way to Simatai, passing 43 watchtowers in various states of disrepair. Jinghanling, the starting point for the hike, sits 81 miles (130 kilometers) northeast of Beijing, so be sure to get an early start if you plan to complete the entire hike.

Nanlouguxiang, an alleyway in Beijing lined with traditional hutong courtyard houses, has a history spanning more than 800 years. One of Beijing’s oldest hutongs, Nanluoguxiang was built during the Yuan Dynasty and today houses a collection of bars, restaurants, boutiques and galleries.

Located near the Drum and Bell Tower, Nanluoguxiang makes a convenient shopping stop if you’re looking for a way to spend an afternoon. Many of the shops in the area cater to foreign visitors with postcards, Communist-era propaganda posters, T-shirts and kitschy souvenirs to take back home with you. You’ll also find several boutiques selling high-quality Chinese handicrafts. While the neighborhood gets crowded, it’s quieter than the hutong near the Back Lakes.

As you walk along the north-south axis of the Forbidden City, you’ll eventually walk through the Gate of Terrestrial Tranquility and into the Imperial Garden of the Palace Museum, the final section of the palace before the north gate exit. Built in 1417 during the Ming Dynasty, the 3-acre (12,000-square-meter) traditional Chinese garden served as a private green space for the imperial family living within the palace.

Unlike gardens in the West, Chinese gardens typically contain various structures, ponds and pavilions with pathways winding between, and the Imperial Garden is no exception. You’ll find around 20 structures within the garden, including the Hall of Imperial Peace in the center. Just in front of the hall, you’ll notice a pair of trees that appear as if embracing. These 400-year-old consort pines are thought to symbolize harmony between the emperor and empress. Pavilions at the four corners of the garden represent the four seasons.

There are two reasons to visit Wangfujing Street in Beijing: shopping and eating. The main portion of this commercial street is home to nearly 300 Chinese brand name stores selling everything from clothes and shoes to tea and herbs. In recent years, international and high end brands have also started appearing at this outdoor shopping venue, and while prices tend to be slightly more expensive than in the US, it’s still a fun place to people watch and window shop. The neighboring Wangfujing Snack Food Street appeals to intrepid tourists and adventurous local eaters. The hundred some food stalls lining this outdoor food market (only open at night) cook and serve a bizarre range of street foods. You’ll find centipedes, star fish, scorpions and honey bees being served alongside sheep innards, candied fruits and other delicacies from around the country. While the offerings may not all sound appetizing, rest assured they are safe, as each stall must meet strict hygienic requirements.

The Legend of Kung Fu at Beijing’s Red Theater tells the story of a young monk who dreams of one day becoming a Kung Fu master. The boy’s story is told through Kung Fu, dance and Chinese acrobatics staged by the leading stage production company in the country.

The best Kung Fu practitioners from around China are scouted for the production, and the average age of the performers is only 17 years old, a testament to their talent. While the 80-minute production contains no dialogue, a screen above the stage tells the story with English subtitles to help foreign visitors follow along; most Chinese tourists are already familiar with the tale. The Legend of Kung Fu premiered on the Red Theater stage in 2004, and the theater has hosted daily or twice daily performances of it ever since. Since the show is popular with both international and domestic tourists and is often included in package tours, it’s best to book your tickets ahead of time.

Shichahai is a scenic area in the northwest of Beijing that’s home to three lakes – Qinghai, Houhai, and Xihai. Dating back to the Jin Dynasty, Shichahai was once an important commercial district but is now an area for recreation. The government in Beijing declared it a Historical and Cultural Scenic District in 1992.

Shichahai literally means ‘Ten Temple Lake’, and there are indeed ten famous Taoist and Buddhist temples in the area. There are also a number of places of historic interest and remnants of old-style royal mansions, including the Prince Gong Mansion and the Prince Chun Mansion. A rickshaw ride through Shichahai’s winding narrow laneways (known as hutongs) is a popular way to see the cultural attractions of the area.

Despite its historical backdrop, these days Shichahai is more known for its lively bars and restaurants, plus its vibrant lakeside atmosphere, where locals and visitors play sports and games in the wide open spaces.

Located in northwest Beijing, 798 Art Zone occupies a decommissioned military factory from the 1950s that now houses an edgy artistic community. The Communist-era factories and warehouses of the complex have all been converted into galleries, studios, boutique shops and cafes whose modern and sometimes whimsical contents sit in stark contrast to the austere Bauhaus architecture.

Give yourself at least half a day to explore the 798 Art Zone. Start with the eclectic collection of sculptures, photographs and paintings at the Long March Space, one of the best collections in the area. Other notable galleries include the Chinese Contemporary with its politically minded collection, the 798 Photo Gallery and 798 Space, one of the largest galleries in the area. Read up on art history at the well-stocked Time Zone 8 bookstore before stopping in at one of the cafes and restaurants in the district for lunch or a cup of coffee.

Before 1911, when the Qing dynasty ended, this park was attached to the Forbidden City. Built in the 10th century, it is one of the most lavish and important Chinese gardens. The landscaping references geological features from all over China. If you miss these subtleties, you'll still enjoy a day wandering among the lakes of water lilies, marvelling at the architecture and watching the calligraphers create their fleetingly beautiful poems in water on the flagstones.

The garden is actually mostly lake (Beihai means 'Northern Sea'), but there's plenty to look at on land. There's an immense white jade Buddha from Myanmar (bearing a war wound in the arm from the Boxer Rebellion days), a green jade jar dating from the thirteenth century, the 9 Dragon Wall with its cavorting dragons and clouds, a white stupa decorated with the sun and the moon, and countless other temples and pavilions.