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Featured · Beijing, CN

You'll wander through the serene Back Lakes neighborhood, moving between tree-lined hutongs and lakeside paths. This route connects courtyard homes, temples, and palaces that shaped Beijing's history, ending at the iconic Drum Tower.

• #history
• #architecture
• #art

Adapted from Frommer's

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1. Mei Lanfang Grand Theater

   This courtyard residence belonged to the celebrated Peking Opera performer Mei Lanfang and preserves the intimate scale of old Beijing domestic life.

   32 Ping An Li Xi Da Jie, Xi Cheng Qu, Bei Jing Shi, China, 100033·history

   Street View

2. 辅仁大学旧址

   The original campus of Furen University stands as an example of early 20th-century institutional architecture, with its arched gateway and traditional roof line.

   China, Bei Jing Shi, Xi Cheng Qu, 定阜街1号 邮政编码: 100035·architecture

   Street View

3. Prince Gong Mansion

   Built in 1777, this sprawling mansion passed through the hands of officials and royalty, its layered courtyards revealing the tastes of different eras.

   17 Qian Hai Xi Jie, Xi Cheng Qu, Bei Jing Shi, China, 100035·history

   Street View

4. Wild Duck Island

   A small man-made island sits in Hou Hai Lake, a quiet refuge that you can spot from the shore while walking the perimeter.

   W9VJ+3VV, Dong Ming Hu Tong, Shichahai, Xi Cheng Qu, Bei Jing Shi, China, 100035·nature & parks

   Street View

5. Jiumen Xiaochi

   This restaurant serves Beijing street snacks in a casual setting—try the quick-fried tripe soup or sweet glutinous rice cakes while taking a break.

   1 Xiao You Hu Tong, 东华门 Xi Cheng Qu, Bei Jing Shi, China, 100035·food

   Street View

6. Songqingling Former Residence

   Originally an imperial palace, this residence later sheltered Soong Ching-ling, the wife of modern China's founder, and now opens its halls to visitors.

   46 Hou Hai Bei Yan, 46, Xi Cheng Qu, Bei Jing Shi, China, 100035·history

   Street View

7. Lama Temple

   Dating to 1719, this temple retains its detailed stone carvings and animal-shaped gargoyles, a quiet spiritual landmark among the neighborhood's secular sites.

   12 Yong He Gong Da Jie, 国子监 Dong Cheng Qu, China, 100011·history

   Street View

8. Guanghua Lu

   This historic temple once employed China's last documented eunuch as a caretaker, a reminder of the city's complex social history.

   China, Bei Jing Shi, Chao Yang Qu, 光华路SOHO312号. 邮政编码: 100020·history

   Street View

9. Jinding Bridge

   A working bridge connecting the two main lakes, Yinding Qiao fills with foot traffic and traditional rickshaws, especially in warmer months.

   China, Bei Jing Shi, Xi Cheng Qu, Qian Hai Dong Yan, 前海东沿中段 邮政编码: 100035·hidden gems

   Street View

10. Yandaixie Street

    This pedestrian alley mixes folk-art vendors, the Guangfu Daoism Temple, and craft shops, offering a casual browse through traditional Chinese handiwork.

    Yan Dai Xie Jie, Xi Cheng Qu, Bei Jing Shi, China·markets

    Street View

11. Beijing Bell and Drum Towers

    The Drum Tower's yellow-tiled roof commands views across the neighborhood, and daily performances inside let you hear the rhythms that once organized Beijing's time.

    China, Bei Jing Shi, Dong Cheng Qu, 北京市东城区钟楼湾临字9号 邮政编码: 100009·viewpoints

    Street View

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