Biking Around Beijing

Biking Around Beijing

A great way to explore Beijing is by bicycle. A ride between Ditan Park and the Lake District includes some of the city's most famous sights and finest hutongs.

Begin at Ditan Park, just north of the Second Ring Road on Yonghegong Jie. Park your bike in the lot outside the south gate and take a walk around the park. Next, ride south along Yonghegong Jie until you come to the main entrance of Lama Temple. Running west across the street from the temple's main gate is Guozijian Jie (Imperial Academy Street). Shops near the intersection sell Buddhist statues, incense, texts (in Chinese), and tapes of traditional Chinese Buddhist music. Browse them before riding west to the Confucius Temple and the neighboring Imperial Academy. The arches spanning Guozijian Jie are one of the few of their kind remaining in Beijing.

Follow Guozijian Jie west until it empties onto Andingmennei Dajie. Enter this busy road with care (there's no traffic signal) and ride south to Gulou Dong Dajie, another major thoroughfare. Turn right (west) and ride to the Drum Tower. From here detour through the alleys just north of the Bell Tower. A small public square, crowded with city residents flying kites, playing badminton or chess, and chatting, links the two landmarks.

If you need a rest, stop in at the Drum and Bell (010/8403-3600), a rustic-looking bar and restaurant on the west side of the square; it has a nice rooftop terrace with views of the two towers and the square below. Retrace your route south to Di'anmenwai Dajie (the road running south from the Drum Tower), turning onto Yandai Xie Jie, the first lane on the right. Makers of long-stem pipes once lined the lane's narrow way (one small pipe shop still does). There are a number of shops and street vendors here selling handicrafts, ethnic clothing, and folk arts. You can also sample some of Beijing's famous old street snacks such as candied haw, sweet potatoes, roast corn, and much more.

Wind southwest on Yandai Xie Jie past guesthouses, bicycle-repair shops, tiny restaurants, and crumbling traditional courtyard houses toward Houhai, or the Rear Lake. Turn left onto Xiaoqiaoli Hutong and pass the arched Silver Ingot Bridge, which separates Houhai and Qianhai lakes. Before the bridge, follow the trail along Houhai's north shore, traveling toward Soong Ching-ling's Former Residence.

Continue around the lake until you arrive at Deshengmennei Dajie. Follow it south to the second alley, turning east (left) onto Yangfang Hutong, which leads back to the arched bridge. Ride along Yangfang Hutong past the stone bridge and follow Qianhai's west bank. Sip a soda, beer, or tea at one of the lakeside venues. Continue along the lane to Qianhai Xi Jie. Nearby is Prince Gong's Palace, 300 yards north of the China Conservatory of Music—look for the brass plaque.

Love to walk? So do we! You can also do this itinerary, or parts of it, on two feet if you're so inclined.