Page 7 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - Beijing

Top 10 Beijing ❮❮ 5

Welcome to
Beijing

From ornate temples and palaces to hip cafés and bars,
Beijing’s many attractions make it a great place to explore.
In just three decades, China’s capital has transformed itself
from a socialist monolith to a cosmopolitan metropolis, with
all the arts, culture, entertainment, and glamor that entails.
With Eyewitness Top 10 Beijing, the city is at your fingertips.

Less than 15 years ago, the residents of downtown Beijing were
cycling around in their pyjamas, and mules pulling carts of bricks
through the streets were a common sight. But over the last decade,
the city has experienced an incredible rate of growth. Today, Beijing
is dotted with Olympic sites such as the Bird’s Nest and the Water
Cube, state-of-the-art venues including the National Center for the
Performing Arts, and edgy art districts like 798 and Caochangdi,
while Sanlitun is filled with chic boutiques.

Yet amid this cosmopolitan city, lovers of antiquities still have plenty to
see. The Forbidden City anchors the capital, and the Summer Palace
offers respite from city noise. The conical Temple of Heaven graces
countless guidebooks, and there are houses of worship on almost every
corner – from Taoist (White Cloud Temple) to Buddhist (Lama and
Fayuan) and Confucian to Catholic. However, the city’s real charm
lies in its hutongs – 800-year-old warrens that wind through the
center – and a walk around Hou Hai lake, with its historical courtyard
houses, offers a further glimpse of everyday life in Beijing.

Whether you’re coming for a weekend or a week, our Top 10 Guide
brings together the best of Beijing, from temple fairs to traditional
crafts and tea. The guide also offers handy tips throughout,
revealing the best free things to do in the city and how to avoid the
crowds, as well as eight easy-to-follow itineraries designed to help
you visit a clutch of sights in a short space of time. Add inspiring
photography and detailed maps, and you’ve got the perfect pocket-
sized companion. Enjoy the book, and enjoy Beijing.

Clockwise from top: Great Wall of China, Temple of Heaven, the Forbidden City, Beijing’s
financial district, painting at the Ming Tombs, the National Stadium, Chinese lanterns

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