Wangfujing Night Market
Make sure to take a trip to the famed Silk
Market in the CBD in the Chaoyang district,
now located in a high-rise building known as
the Silk Alley Building. It teems with retailers
ready and willing to barter with you.
Credit: Silvia Campi
TIME TO EAT
Beijing is a huge city and like most
international destinations, has a wide range
of cuisines to sample — from traditional dim
sum spots serving gao, bao and maybe even
an egg roll or two, to pizza counters and
burger joints.
down. It’s a hike up to the entrance where
most people load onto a cable car that takes
you up to the edge of the wall. It’s there that
the real walking begins. Don’t forget to fill
and bring your reusable water bottle.
Start climbing and you’ll soon find yourself on
a three-mile stretch that winds its way atop
the mountain peaks, with 19 watchtowers
to visit along the way. There are massive
staircases to navigate, with uneven steps
that remind you this breathtaking structure
was built long before machines created pre-
formed blocks. It’s an exhilarating experience
and the vistas are breathtaking. Take your
time as you hike along the 20-foot-wide
central area of the wall where five horses or
10 soldiers used to stand abreast, and drink
in the atmosphere. It is truly a wonder, and
a monument to humankind’s ingenuity and
architectural prowess.
Other wall sections to visit outside of Beijing
include Mutianyu, Huanghuacheng, Gubeikou,
Juyongguan, Jinshanling and Simatai. Your
hotel concierge can arrange a private car and
driver for you, which is well worth the cost.
“
When shopping, you can
(and should) haggle for
virtually everything in
China. It is an ART and well
worth a deeper dive on
the basic tactics.
”
SHOPPING TIPS
When it comes time to get in a little shopping
therapy, visit the Wangfujing Walking Street
in Dongcheng. It’s Beijing’s most famous
shopping area, a long, pedestrian-only
street lined with shops filled with silks, arts
and crafts, and all kinds of clothing and
accessories. In the evenings, the Wangfujing
Night Market is the spot to find unique local
foods like deep-fried scorpion or seahorses
on a stick.
When shopping, you can (and should) haggle
for virtually everything in China. It is an art and
well worth a deeper dive on the basic tactics.
Still, a trip to Beijing isn’t complete without
sampling the city’s signature dish. Peking
duck, a succulent roast duck dish paired with
thin pancakes, sweet bean (or hoisin) sauce
and scallions that has been served since
imperial times, is a must try during your visit.
The old-guard restaurant Quanjude boasts
eight outposts (that are always crammed
with tourists), so no matter what district you
are in, you’re likely to find one serving up the
crispy-skinned delicacy. For a more authentic
experience, visit Li Qun Roast Duck, located in
Dongcheng. That’s the hole-in-the-wall where
Anthony Bourdain gets his Peking duck. And
for what we consider the best Peking duck,
make sure to try Duck de Chine, located in
the ultra-cool 1949 — the Hidden City arts
and restaurant complex in Chaoyang. The
combination of gorgeous ambiance, beautiful
presentation and the most succulent-crispy
b