Through Beijing's largest Muslim district and the old Xuannan quarter: Baoguo Temple, Changchun Temple, the halal food street of Niujie (yangrou paomo, beef noodles, sesame breads), the Niujie Mosque, the 1,380-year-old Fayuan Temple and Lanman Hutong.
Best time: Late morning, to eat in the Niujie halal snack shops at lunchtime; dress modestly near the mosque (no bare shoulders or shorts).
The route, stop by stop
- 1Baoguo Temple
Enter by the south gate; free. Start from Guang'anmennei station (Line 7). 20 min
- 2Changchun Temple (Xuannan Culture Museum)
Temple now housing the Beijing Xuannan Culture Museum; seen from outside on the guided walk. 30 min
- 3Jubaoyuan (Niujie flagship)
The Hui Muslim street: halal restaurants, bakeries with sesame breads and lamb pastries, yangrou paomo and beef noodles. 45 min
- 4Niujie Mosque
Beijing's oldest mosque, at No. 18 Niujie: first built in 996, the present buildings from 1696. Look at the Chinese-style minaret (bangke lou) from the street and courtyard. 25 min
- 5Fayuan Temple
One of Beijing's oldest Buddhist temples, founded in 645 as Minzhong Temple and rebuilt in 1437. 40 min
- 6Lanman Hutong
Old lane named after a noodle shop; former residence of Tan Sitong nearby; end at Caishikou station (Line 4). 15 min
More walks in Beijing
- Central Axis north: Jingshan to the Drum and Bell Towers
- Shichahai lakes loop: Yinding Bridge, Yandai Xiejie and Houhai
- Nanluoguxiang side hutongs to the Lama Temple
- Dongsi hutongs: Zhihua Temple to Dongsi Sitiao
- Qianmen, Dashilar and Yangmeizhu Xiejie to Liulichang
- Temple of Heaven at 7 am: east gate to Circular Mound
- Beihai to Jingshan at sunset
- Summer Palace: East Palace Gate, Long Corridor and Seventeen-Arch Bridge
- 798 Art Zone and 751 D-Park
- Ming City Wall Relics Park to the Ancient Observatory