Beijing

North of the Forbidden City China’s capital offers plenty of heritage and culture to explore

- Jeremy Tiredinnick

1 JINGSHAN PARK

Start your exploration at the north gate of the Forbidden City, which faces Jingshan Hill, once the Imperial Garden for the Ming emperors and a private hunting ground and leisure spot for the ruling family. Now a 57-acre park, it’s a great place to see the true extent of the Forbidden City – and Beijing’s sprawl in all its dubious glory. An artificial hill made from the soil excavated while making the Palace moat and nearby canals, it rises 150 feet at its highest point (it has five summits, each with its own pagoda, with ancient stone steps accessing all), from where you can look down into the Forbidden City to the south, see the Bell and Drum towers to the north and the White Dagoba in the west. The park is open 6:30 AM – 8:00 PM during winter months (Nov-March); entrance fee RMB2/ $0.30.

2 BEIHAI PARK 

Beihai Park is one of Beijing’s most popular public parks. To get there, wind down the back of the hill and leave Jingshan Park by its western entrance, then cross the road and a few minutes’ walk brings you to Beihai Park’s East Gate. Beihai, or “North Lake,” is home to Hortensia Isle, connected by two bridges to the lakeshore. There are numerous ornate, beautiful buildings on this small but verdant island, with names like the “Hall of Joyful Hearts,” the “Temple for Cultivating Good Deeds” and the “Hall of True Enlightenment.”