Things to see in Beijing

Every Chinese city once had drum and bell towers, used to advise citizens of the time of day and to announce curfews. Beijing's Drum Tower, in the north of the city, was originally built in the 13th century and reconstructed around 1420 when the Bell Tower was first built. The strikingly different towers offer wonderful views across Beijing, and the surrounding hutong alleys deserve exploration.

The heartbeat of old Beijing, these centuries-old alleyways still have a lost-in-time feel to them, and exploring them, either on foot or by bicycle, ranks among the most memorable of Beijing experiences. Contained within many alleys are historic siheyuan (courtyard homes), often hidden behind large, red wooden doorways. Many have now been split into smaller, less uniformed dwellings, adding to the ramshackle charm of the alleys. The best hutong areas are around the Drum and Bell Towers, Houhai Lake and Nanluoguxiang. The Beijing Tourism Administration (tel: (010) 6403 2726) can arrange one-hour, cycle-rickshaw hutong tours with an English-speaking guide.

Northeast of Beijing, the Lama Temple, built in the late 17th century, was once a centre of learning for the Yellow Hat sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Today, there are about 70 monks in residence. The temple consists of a series of halls connected by courtyards. A very impressive 18m (59ft) Maitreya, carved from a single sandalwood tree, stands in the furthermost hall.

Just south of Tiananmen Square, Temple of Heaven Park is Beijing's largest imperial park and a wonderful place to spend a sunny morning watching locals fly kites, practise tai chi or sing songs. The park’s focal point is the remarkable Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, an exquisite Ming-dynasty sacrificial altar that was used by the emperor once every year to ask the gods for good harvests.