Off The Beaten Path - Beijing, China

If you are lucky enough to see Beijing on a repeat visit or have extra days in your itinerary to fill, there is a lot more to see than just the typical tourist sights. As well as day trips beyond Beijing, there are numerous places within Beijing worth visiting that are easily overlooked by many visitors.

Bell and Drum Tower
Beijing is a vibrant "hectic" city and places like the Bell Tower just allows you time to slow down a bit. The bell tower is lovely but its the surrounding things to see that are intriguing like the jade picture which is stunning. The two towers are in the same park and they both have very steep stairs and no elevators, so beware in advance. There is a drum demo about every 1/2 hour, it is good if you are actually in the tower for this, it is approximately 5 minutes long.

Old Summer Palace
Located only a few hundred meters from the existing Summer Palace, these ruins used to be a grand palace and park built under the Qing emperors in the 18th century, but was later destroyed by French and British troops during the Second Opium War (1860-1862).

Temple of Confucius and Guozijian Museum
Originally built in 1302 and used as a place for sacrifices to Confucius during the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, this former temple lost its religious function during the “bourgeois revolution” in 1912 and currently houses the Capital Museum.

Ancient Observatory
If you love astronomy or are curious about the "ancient scientists" then you will love this place. Eight huge astronomical instruments are displayed on an elevated platform at this observatory, which was used during the Ming and Qing dynasties, and is one of the oldest observatories in the world.

Fragrant Hills Park
This lovely wooded park is a favorite of Beijingers, especially in autumn to see the maple trees with their striking red leaves (it’s traditional to collect them). Take a walk through the lower areas, it is spotted with pavilions & temples and winding paths to wander around. You can take the cable car up to the top for some wonderful views of the surrounding hilly countryside.

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