Route 1 (by subway & foot)

Bell and Drum Towers 鐘鼓樓 — Lama Temple 雍和宮 — Confucius Temple 孔廟 — Imperial Academy 國子監

Morning

9am: Start your day at Drum Tower, just about 100m north from which is Bell Tower. Go up the towers for views over Beijing's ancient city (one hour should be enough).

Drum Towers in Beijing

10am: Descend, walk west along Gulou Xidajie (鼓樓西大街) for about 150m, where you'll see a big T-intersection, turn right and walk north along Jiugulou Dajie (舊鼓樓大街) for about 15 minutes to the Gulou Subway Station. Take Subway Line 2 to Lama Temple. 10.30am: At Lama Temple, you may spend 1.5 hours lighting incense and appreciating the biggest lamasery in Beijing.

Bell Tower in Beijing.

Afternoon

12pm: Enjoy some freshly cooked Cantonese dim sum for lunch at Jin Ding Xuan Restaurant north of Yonghegong Qiao (雍和宮橋). Cheap, filling and delicious.

1.30pm: Return to Lama Temple's main gate and head west and through a decorated archway at the entrance to the leafy hutong, you'll pop into the Confucius Temple. Spend an hour looking around China's second largest temple dedicated to the revered Sage.

2.45pm: A few meters to the west is Imperial Academy. Within China's traditional education system, this was the highest and most prestigious institute. Explore it for about 45 minutes.

3.30pm End of tour.

Bike rental

Pedal power is by far the best transport for hutong sightseeing. A bike gives you the flexibility of hopping on and off as you like. Helmets are optional in Beijing, but are strongly suggested! Bike rental is extremely cheap and there are countless rental places. Here are a few:

1. Qianhai Nanyan (前海南沿) at Shichahai, bicycles are RMB10/hour, tandem bicycles RMB 20/hour. A RMB500 refundable deposit is required.

2. Opposite the Lǚsongyuan Hotel (侶松園賓館) along Banchang Hutong. Price is a mere RMB 5/hour or RMB 30/day. A RMB 200 refundable deposit is required.

Expenses: Drum and Bell Towers: 35 yuan Lama Temple: 25 yuan Lunch: 40 yuan Confucius Temple: 10 yuan Imperial Academy: 10 yuan Transport: 3 yuan

Route2 (by rickshaw)

Beihai Park North Gate 北海北門 — Drum Tower 鼓樓 — Yandai Xiejie 煙袋斜街 — Yinding Qiao 銀錠橋 — Houhai Beiyan 后海北沿 — Song Ching Ling Residence 宋慶齡故居 — Houhai Xiyan 后海西沿 — Dongming Hutong 東明胡同 — Yangfang Hutong 羊房胡同 — Liuyin Jie 柳蔭街 — Prince Gong's Mansion 恭王府 — Beihai Park North Gate 北海北門

If cycling just isn't your cup of Chinese tea, then hop on a rickshaw at the north gate of Beihai Park and let someone else do the hard work. Hold tight as you get whizzed down the winding, narrow alleys, quaintly stuck in a long-past age. See sihueyuan houses, check out the two ancient towers or simply absorb the culture of local people. You can wind up at Prince Gong's Mansion, the best preserved Qing Dynasty prince mansion. Be sure to have properly bargained for the entire price of your trip and make sure that you have clearly agreed to where you will go, how long you will take and whether the price is for the trip, or per person.

Rickshaws in Beijing.

Prices: Around RMB 80 for a 2-hour tour (price is negotiable). Starting point: Look for rickshaws nearby Beihai Park North Gate. Or you can find individual rickshaws or tricycles around the Houhai area. Hours of operation: You can get an individual ride at any time.

Route3 (by bicycle)

Nanluoguxiang 南鑼鼓巷 — Ju'er Hutong 菊兒胡同 — Houyuan'ensi Hutong 后圓恩寺胡同 — Heizhima Hutong 黑芝麻胡同 — Qinlao Hutong 秦老胡同 — Beibingmasi Hutong 北兵馬司胡同 — Mao'er Hutong 帽兒胡同 — Yu'er Hutong 雨兒胡同 — Dongmianhua Hutong 東棉花胡同 — Banchang Hutong 板廠胡同 — Chaodou Hutong 炒豆胡同

Nanluoguxiang prides itself on being ancient Beijing's most wealthy area and modern Beijing's Best –preserved Hutong grid pattern. Eight parallel hutong strike off from this 800-m-long stretch of authentic architecture. This tour will take you, by pedal power, through these hutong and the siheyuan courtyards along the sides.

Keyuan Garden (可園), No.9, Mao'er Hutong.

This grand and impressive abode was home to Wen Yu (?-1884), a Qing Dynasty secretary to the Grand Secretariat. Today it has been designed a cultural relic under state protection. It's regarded as the Qing Dynasty's most artistic garden.

Wanrong's Residence (婉容故居), No.35, 37, Mao'er Hutong.

Wanrong's claim to fame is that she was empress of China's last ever emperor, Puyi.

Beijing Artists Association (北京市美術家協會), No.13, Yu'er Hutong.

The place used to be home of Qi Baishi (1864-1957), China's most famed traditional painter.

Suo's Mansion (索家宅院), No. 35, Qinlao Hutong.

This beautiful southern-style garden was once home of an elite Qing Dynasty official. Its garden style is unique in this part of the city.

Central Academy of Drama (中央戲劇學院) Dongmianhua Hutong

The academy has produced several internationally known stars: Gong Li (Farewell My Concubine and Memoirs of a Geisha) and Zhang Ziyi (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Memoirs of a Geisha )

Prince Seng's Mansion (僧王府), No.77, Chaodou Hutong.

In its original state this vast mansion sprawled from Chaodou Hutong to Banchang Hutong. Since 1912, sections were sold off and smaller, individual complexes thus formed. To see the original sections of the mansion, Visit Nos. 71, 73, 75 and 77 along Chaodou Hutong and Nos.30, 32 and 34 along Banchang Hutong.

(By courtesy of Streetwise Guide Beijing)