Beijing Guide

The South Eastern Chongwen District is notable too for being home to the Temple of Heaven. Visitors and locals alike all flock to the city’s temples, parks and palaces and the Beijing subway is a great way to get around the city and is clearly marked in English for visitors. If you have a few days In the city then trawling some of the fascinating markets such as Xizhimen in the Xicheng District, Silk Street or Panjiayuan in the Chaoyang District and Hong Qiao Market in the Chongwen District is a must but remember to haggle, as its essential here.

Also, around an hour by train is the Great Wall of China at Badaling – be warned though, this can be very crowded in summer but there are other spots along the wall which are less crowded and where the views are better. Its very easy to eat cheaply but well in Beijing as street food is plentiful and only costs the equivalent of a few pounds. There are plenty of mid-range restaurant options too with meals around £20 per head and should you need a break from the authentic local food then there are plenty of international options and most hotels will have a general restaurant.

Chaoyang District is one of the main places to head for drinks, as it houses a number of clusters of chic and trendy bars, whilst Haidian District is also recommended as its where most of the city’s students, local and international, hang out. Most of the major international chains have hotelsin the city and there is plenty of accommodation to choose from since the Olympics. A 2-3 star hotel will cost from £20-£80 per night, whilst 4 stars also range from around £40 to £150 – some good deals can be had.

5 star luxury can be had for £100-£300 upwards.