A loop round Qianhai and Houhai, the lakes where old Beijing still strolls, fishes and swims: the Yinding Bridge view, the slanting Yandai Xiejie street, quiet temple lanes on the north shore and the Qing princely mansion on the south side.
Best time: Late afternoon into evening for the lakeside light and bars; in winter (January) the frozen lakes become skating rinks.
The route, stop by stop
- 1Sugar Cafe (Shichahai)
Lakeside entrance at the south tip of Qianhai, opposite the north gate of Beihai. 10 min
- 2Sugar Cafe (Shichahai)
Walk the willow-lined shore of Front Lake north towards the bridge. 10 min
- 3Yinding Bridge
Single-arch stone bridge between Qianhai and Houhai; on a clear day look west to the Western Hills, the old "Yinding Guanshan" view. 10 min
- 4Yandai Xiejie
232 m slanting street of small shops; look for the Qing Dynasty Post Office. 25 min
- 5Guanghua Temple
Working Buddhist temple in Ya'er Hutong, on the lanes behind the north shore of Houhai. 20 min
- 6Former Residence of Soong Ching-ling
Garden residence on the Houhai north bank, at the west end of the walk. 45 min
- 7Houhai south bank
Come back east along the south shore of Back Lake past the bars and cafes. 15 min
- 8Prince Gong Mansion
Qing princely mansion and garden on Qianhai West Street. 90 min
More walks in Beijing
- Central Axis north: Jingshan to the Drum and Bell Towers
- 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
- Niujie and Fayuan Temple: the Hui quarter and Xuannan hutongs
- 798 Art Zone and 751 D-Park
- Ming City Wall Relics Park to the Ancient Observatory