• Forbidden City (?? Gù Gong) (also known as the Palace Museum) Get there when the gates open (around 8.30am) if you want to walk through the vast and spectacular courtyards in relative peace. This is truly the spot to appreciate the might and grandeur of the Imperial Chinese court during the height of its power in the Ming and Qing dynasties. Despite the transformation of the city around it, the Forbidden City remains mercifully relatively untouched. A few years ago there was a lot of local fuss when a Starbucks coffee shop opened in the Forbidden City, some interpreting this as a return to the bad old days of colonial domination. However, in July 2007, Starbucks decided to close the shop as part of the restoration of the Forbidden City, which is in part toning down the commercial locations inside the city walls. Only 2/5 area of the palace is opened, but some places are under restorations and will be opened before 2008.

• Tiananmen Square (????? Tiananmén Guangchang) Largest square in the world. Built by Mao to impress; his riposte to the Forbidden City, the square is surrounded by Soviet-style monuments and government buildings, and houses Mao's mausoleum at the end opposite the entrance to the Forbidden City. It remains an astounding place and a spot to linger and see visitors from all over China, many visiting their capital for the first time. There is a flag raising and lowering ceremony at dawn and dusk. There are 4 marble lions in front of the Tiananmen gate, the northwest one has a bullet hole on its stomach from the 1989 Tianamen Square massacre.

• Temple of Heaven (?? Tiantán), south east of Qianmen and the Tiananmen Square. Not only a beautiful sight, but also surrounded by a vast public park popular with local residents practicing tai chi, dancing, and so on in the mornings and on weekends. Home to many ancient trees, this is also the greenest place in Beijing. Just a short stroll away from the historical sights will bring you to peaceful woods and, amazingly, solitude (especially toward the West Gate). The temple itself was the site where the emperor prayed every year for good harvests and fair weather. Can be reached by buses 2, 7, 17, 20, 110, 120, 726, 803, 826 to the West Gate (???? Tiantán Ximén); or buses 35 and 106 to the North Gate (???? Tiantán Beimén). Park and historical sights (like the temple) ¥35, park only ¥15.

• Summer Palace (??? Yíhé yuán) extensive gardens and the ruins of palaces constructed by the Qing emperors. Most visitors stay in the front hill area, but if you prefer quiet places, the west bank and back hill areas are good choices. There are some quiet and secret ruins, caves, and other fun stuff in the back hill area.

• Beijing Zoo and Aquarium (????? Beijing Dòngwù Yuán) (they do have Pandas, but displays are not great, your best bet is to go to the Panda Breeding Centre in Chengdu, Sichuan Province). Some are concerned with the way animals are treated in the Zoo, but the aquarium is one of the biggest in the world, and very impressive. The Zoo was built on the sites of some ancient gardens, has lakes, pounds, pavilions and other beautiful old buildings. The Soviet revival Beijing Exhibition Hall is located nearby and has a Russian restaurant, "Moscow Restaurant".

• Beihai Park (?? Beihai) - Beihai is a good place to take a glance at Zhongnanhai (??? Zhongnánhai), heart of Communist China. There's a big island and white pagoda which was built in the 17th century. The giant buildings westward outside are PRC's Ministry of Defence and General Staff, which, to be honest, ruin the scene of the west bank. On the north bank, you can visit some small but beautiful gardens.

• Yonghegong (??? Yonghégong) - (also known as Lama Temple or Palace of Peace) The temple was built by Chinese emperors who harbored a deep fascination for the Tibetan (Tantric) version of Buddhism. Over the years many Tibetan and Mongolian monks lived and taught here, and there are still monks in residence today. The temple is famous for its 18m statue of Maitreya B

• Rent a bicycle and traverse some of the remaining hutongs. See above for bike rental information.
• Visit the Temple of Heaven early in the morning to see thousands of Beijingers starting the day with tai chi.
• Have a highly enjoyable and relaxing foot massage and/or pedicure etc. (for a fraction of the price in the West) from any of the respectable and professional offerings in central Beijing (in the vicinity of the Beijing Hotel for example).
• See a Beijing opera at the Laoshe Tea House (???? Laoshe Cháguan) near Qianmen station. There always are short displays in the afternoon (about 40 min). They are free of admission, but you should buy a cup of tea. Long displays are in the evening. You should book a seat in advance, since the place is always crowded.
• Shoot Chinese automatic guns and other crazy military grade weapons at the International Shooting Range [6] north of Beijing. Contact tel: +86 1069771368 ext 3103 (Chinese only).
• Enjoy life as the locals do at a spa complex. The Bigeast Ocean Gymnastic Club (ignore the Gymnastic part, tel: +861087323329/+861087323328, 200m eash of Huawei Bridge) has a huge sauna, 3 different kinds of spas to soak in, a steam room, and showers. After a jaunt in the spa room, get dressed up in pajamas and head upstairs to witness a variety show with comedians, singers, and clowns. After the show, you can relax in the reclining sofa room or grab some snacks from the cafe. The truly unique experience for someone who's "seen it all" in China.
• Club Oasis Fitness Centre & Spa, Grand Hyatt Beijing Hotel, 1 East Chang An Avenue,, ? +86 10 8518 1234 (reservation.beigh@hyattintl.com), [7].

Some of the cheapest and delicious meals can be had on the streets. Jianbing guozi (????) is one of the most popular street snacks, eaten from morning till night. This delicious pancake is cooked with an egg on a griddle, a fried dough crisp is added, and the whole thing is drizzled in scallions and a savory sauce. Hot sauce is optional. Diehard fans often go on a quest for the "best" jianbing cart in the city. This ubiquitous treat only costs ¥2, with an extra egg ¥2.50.

Lamb kebabs (??? yángròu chuàn ) and other kebabs are grilled on makeshift stands all around Beijing, from the late afternoon to late at night. Wangfujing has a "snack street" selling such mundane fare like lamb, chicken, and beef, but the brave can also sample silkworm, scorpion, and various organs all skewered on a stick and grilled to order.

A winter specialty, candied haw berries (???? bingtáng húlu) are dipped in sugar and sold on a stick. You can also find variations with oranges, grapes, strawberries, and bananas, or dipped in crumbled peanuts as well as sugar. This sweet snack can also sometimes be found in the spring and the summer, but the haw berries are often from last season's crop.