Beijing City Travel Guide - Business & Tourist Travel Information sightseeing attractions history restaurants tea houses nightlife accommodation hotels & apartments for Chinese news: the euromost.info news matrix
Flight Arrivals & Departures To And From 100 + European Airports
Airlines flying to and from Beijing, Beijing Flight Arrivals and Departures Travelling to and from Beijing Capital International Airport to Beijing Beijing overview, sightseeing and attractions, restaurants, nightlife, apartment and hotel accommodations, Childrens Beijing, Public transport in Beijing, weather and average climate conditions in Beijing, 2008 Olypmic Games Links -
including population, religion, history, economic history, economy today, business opportunities, language, Confucius, The Great Wall of China & Consulate and Visa Information
Index to All Euromost Cities & Countries
Beijing Overview
Beijing, China's capital city, is on China northern plain. To the north and west of the city there are mountains. Part of the Great wall of China can be found between the city and the mountains. The Beijing area has been settled in for at least 3,000 years and has been the home of several Chinese dynasties. The city has numerous architectual examples of the power and splendour of the Ming and Qing dynasties who ruled China between the 14th and 20th centuries.
Beijing is the hub of China's automobile industry and in recent years has been a centre of real estate activity. Outside Beijing agriculture and farming are the biggest industries. Beijing has very cold winters and extremely hot sultry summers. Beijing is has a wide range of restaurants and though very conservative in some respects it has a diverse night life which like the city and culture is a very curious mix of the classical and contempotrary China.
Restaurants In Beijing
The Qianmen Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant is renowned at home and abroad for its roast duck. In line with traditional Chinese cooking, the duck is prepared hung from a pole over a wooden fire until its skin has a rich golden brown tone. The restaurant, which reportedly is over 140 years old, is especially famous for its seasoned pastries made up of pieces of the duck. The breast with chilli sauce and breast and eel casserole being particularly pleasing The QQ also offers a relaxed and comfortable enviroment which has an exceptional standard of service. It is expensive by Chinese standards but worth it however discerning you are. Tel + 86 010 6302 3062 - 32 Qianmen Street off the south side of Tiananmen Square.
Quan Ju De Peking Duck Restaurant. This establishment is a little bit of an enigma. The service is not outstanding, the menu is only in Chinese, the staff do not speak English, and it was probably last decorated during the Cuban missile crisis. Having said that it is extremely busy and has in the past been played host to the likes of Bush & Castro but not on the same night! The food if the shredded Peking Duck is anything to go by is pure heaven. It is served with flattened rice cake which is very complimentary and bizaarely a rewarding packet sauce which you ordain the duck with. A memorable night out all told! A little expensive in local terms but in some ways it is a 'must'. Guests on the next table said its theme was Chinese Dim Sum! Tel + 86 010 6302 3062. Its situated on the main road running south west from the south side of Tinanmen Square.
As a result of Beijing being the mainstay of China's Imperialist past it has a deeply rooted tradition of offering 'Imperial Cuisine'. This is difficult to define specifically but restaurants that offering this food will offer you a range of dishes or courses. These meals are served in the form of a banquet rather than a mezze. One restaurant that is a good example of this style is the ' Li Jia Cai Restaurant'. at 11 Yangfang hutong, Denei Dajie. This business which is entirely staffed by family members (some of whom speak English) is dedicated to reproducing traditional imperial food. There is no menu as the courses are determined by the family and the are varied regularly. The ingredients of all dishes are spared the contamination of man made additives and the establishment has some good and appropiate wine to compliment it excellent food. It has recieved significant international recognition and once was host to former US President Clinton. It is a little tricky to find but worth the effort and not expensive when you consider the range and quality of the food.
Matsuko Japanese Restaurant (on the the t Third Ring Road North Section, at Bai Jia Zhuang Beijing, 11 Tel: + 86 010 6582 5208) offers Japaneese food of the highest quality. The service is of equal standard and the overall good ambience is enhanced by the fact that the seating offers a fair degree of privacy. The Shushi, Sashmi are the mainstay of the menu which also offers beers and beverages. Widely thought to be the best place for grilled fish in Beijing.
Red Basil (Thai) is another safe bet which is very popular with both locals and visitors. It is very upmarket but not over he top - the decor is subtle, the tables are not on top of one another and it is though it has classic wooden floors it has a contemporary air about it. The food is very good with the 'kai hor bei tuey' chicken in pandana leaves and chicken coconut soup tom kari kai both outstanding. Curries on the other tables were seemingly well recieved. On the surface it seems a little pricey but this a quality food served well. It is situated at Nan Xiao Jie 8 Beijing, 11 (near ring road three) Tel +86 010 6460 2339.
The Taj Pavilion Indian Restaurant, is probably the best Indian restaurant in Beijing. It has numerous curries and probably as many vegetables. The dishes include the very best Tandoori Chicken and a truly delicious 'palak paneer' - homemade cheese with Spinach and other delights. There is also real naan bread on offer - the onion version is especially good as are the accompanying sauces. The restaurant is situated in the China World Trade Cenre at 1 Jian Guo Men Wai Avenue Beijing, 11 Tel + 86 010 6505 5866 which in part accounts for its high prices. Easy to find though!
To say that Beijing has an abundance of Chinese and Asian restaurants is an understatement. However Beijing cuisine offerings cater for palates from all the over world is much more. One that is particularly good is Schillers 111 at Nong Zhan South Road, Beijing, 11 . Tel +86 )10 6593 1078. This establishment is in similiar to some of the restaurants bars found in Berlin and Prague. It offers good quality food including steaks, burgers, samosas and chicken portions. Very European with distinct American and Germanic bias. Very reasonably priced.
The Bleu Marine is a restaurant serving good French food - with its steak subject to several good reports. Fluent English is spoken here and it has a cosy atmosphere. Located at Guang Hua Xi Li
Beijing, 11 Tel + 86 010 6500 6704.
Home from home (especially for those from Ireland UK and Ireland) has to be Franks Place. This pub / restaurant offers Amercan food in a very clean enviroment and at very competitive prices - even the drinks are fairly priced. They welcome families. It is busy with many English speaking guests. All the staff speak English and they are managed by a slightly off the wall but endearing Irish guy. It is open to the early hours and is situated close to the Holiday Inn Lido at Gong Ren Ti Yu Guan Dong Lu Beijing, 11 Tel: + 86 010 6507 2617
Beijing is a conservative city in cultural terms. The western 'clubbing' style of nightlife associated places like Prague and Ibiza is not part of the Beijing experience. There are night clubs but they certainly are not raves and dance floor space in a clubs is not at premium. The apparent lack of action on the dance floors of Beijing does not reflect the citys capacity for playing solid contemporary Western music as visitors to Babyface have confirmed. This very stylish club which cleverly utilises glass and metal in its decor partners with the world famous Ministry of Sound Setup and good music is assured.
The club at Gongti Xi Lu 6 (south of the Workers' Stadium west gate) is popular with well heeled young Beijingers Xin Haoyun Jiuba ( New Get Lucky Bar) is the last type of venue you would expect to find in Beijing. Heavy metal with a very obvious punk tendancy has arrived and it seems not to have a return ticket. International guests appear here including Brian Failure and Hanging on the Box. Very civil every city should have one of these. No more than 5€ to get and located In Oriental Qicai World, Nuren Jie . Tel + 86 010 8448 3335 The Icehouse (Dong'an Men Dajie Xipei Lou 53) Decent New blues club run by ambhitious Autsrailians and open till 2am Watch this space! Tel: + 86 010 6522-1389
Banana near the scitech hotel at Jianguo Men Wai Dajie 22 is furnished with imitation Palm Trees - white coloumns and populated by size 4 girls often wearing sunglasses being eyed up guys who for the most part are dressed in black. The haven't we met before line will work here or outside as the music is deafening! A little on the sad side.
The CD Jazz Cafe is fast becoming see the best plac to see live local jazz and blues musicians in Berlin acts in Beijing. It has a good ambience, a friendly crowd and can get rammed. Don't leave it to late.
Sanwei Shuwu (Sanwei Bookstore) is a good representation of more traditional Beijing nightlife. This teahouse, opposite the Minorities Palace -Minzu Gong - puts on intimate concerts at the weekend. Fridays offers Jazz and Saturdays its old style Chineese. Admission is about 5€ and includes tea and snacks. This venue is thought to be the best of its type in Beijing but there many other similar places. Generally these Teahouse gigs start around 8-8.30. and the closer you can get to the bands the better.
Ziteng Lu Chaguan (Purple Vine Tea House) Nan Chang Jie 1 - outside the west entrance to the Forbidden City. This cute English speaking little teahouse has private areas that overlook a fountain from the peaceful sound of running water arises. This is refreshing on a warm day and especially calming at night ( its open from Midday until 2am) and If you order one of the better oolong teas here you will be rewarded with a traditional Chinese tea ceremony Tele +86 010 6606 6614
| Beijing Night Life - Nightclubs Music Dance |
|---|
Public Transport In Beijing
Beijing has four main forms of public Transport. current public transport. The biggest of these is the the bus network. There are around 20,000 buses operating on 650 bus routes in the Beijing. The Metro system (underground) consists 4 lines with a further seven currently under construction. There are eight suburban rail routes operating from Central Beijing. There thousands of taxis - which are tightly regulated and most are honest!
The Beijing Metro (Undergound System)
Link To Map Of The Beijing Metro
The Beijing Metro, the first underground railway system in China, history began in the late 60's in response to detoriating relations between China and Russia. Line 1 was designed to move several divisions troops in the event of a Soviet invasion. The Line crosses Beijing from East - West through central (downtown) Beijing where it serves the the Tiananmen Suare area. Line 1 is the red line on the map below. Line 2 the Beijing Circle or Loop line (light blue on the Beijing Metro Map) is the other line key line. Line 13 & the Batong Line are the only other operational lines at the moment.
Line 5 is due to open this summer. The Airport Line & The Olymic Stadium Line will open in June 2008 with the other lines shown opening at later dates. Euromost acknowledges the input and information from Wikipedia for this rare updated information. They will be happy to accept your donations!.
Flat fares of 3 Yuan apply to lines 1 & 2 which are inrerchangeable. The Batong Line & Line 13 have their own flat fares of 2 & 3 Yuan respectively. The flat fare for transfers between lines 1 2 & the Batong lineis 4 Yuan. The flat fare for transfers between 1,2 & Line 13 is 5 Yuan.
Bus Services
Beijing Bus Services charges depend on the age of the bus. The fare for new buses is 2 Yuan and old buses 1 Yuan. Both rates apply for up to 10 Kilometres after which higher charges apply.
For information on the actual routes and services please go to this website.
Rail Services For Beijing & China
In Beijing there are two major railway stations: Beijing Railway Station (sometimes referred to as Beijing Central Station) and Beijing West Railway Station. There are six other important stations which handle the remainder of the Beijing surburban rail services. They are: Beijing East, Beijing North, Beijing South, Fengtai, Guanganmen, and Xinghuo..
Visitors should note that it is at certain times necesscary to book your tickets in advance on some services.
Most trains offer tickets on a two tier basis. 'Hard' seats (which are upholstered) equate well with economy airline seats. 'Soft' seats are more comfortable and offer more legroom - they are generally twice the price of hard seats. Hard seats are often sold out and soft seats are more readily available.
A similiar system applies on 'Sleeper' Trains to and from Beijing which are are compartments shared with other passengers. There is no privacy on these trains, and though there are washing facilities they wc's are often very dirty and unhygenic and without paper.
For information on Beijing and other Chinese rail services please go this excellent English website. Thanks Duncan
Taxis In Beijing
Taxis in Beijing are regulated safe and cheap. The vast majority of Taxis drivers are honest (are you listening in St Petersburg? )but they rarely speak English.
The easiest way of explaining where you want to go is to have your destination written on a piece of paper in CHINESE CHARACTERS. Ask staff or the concierge at your hotel to do this for you wherever you are going. A phrase book can be used in ad hoc situations.
When hailing a taxis try to avoid stretches of the road with a single thick white line as taxis should not stop there. They definitely will not stop there id Police are around. At the end of the journey pay as per the receipt issued by the meter.
All Jouneys have a starting fee of 10 Yuan and after the initial part of the journey cost 2 Yuan a Klm. The journey from Beijing Airport to central Beijing which is about 20 Klm will cost between 90-100 Yuan
| Accommodation In Beijing Hotels & Apartments etc |
|---|
please see accommodation advice > |
Weather Forecast And Average Monthly Temperatures In Beijing China
Ave Sun hour |
Temperature | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average | Record | ||||
| Min | Max | Min | Max | ||
| Jan | 7 |
-10 |
1 |
-23 |
14 |
| Feb | 7 |
-8 |
4 |
-18 |
19 |
| Mar | 8 |
-1 |
11 |
-14 |
28 |
| Apr | 8 |
7 |
21 |
-3 |
36 |
| May | 9 |
13 |
27 |
3 |
38 |
| Jun | 9 |
18 |
31 |
10 |
43 |
| July | 7 |
21 |
31 |
15 |
41 |
| Aug | 7 |
20 |
30 |
11 |
38 |
| Sept | 8 |
14 |
26 |
2 |
34 |
| Oct | 8 |
6 |
20 |
-5 |
31 |
| Nov | 6 |
-2 |
9 |
-13 |
24 |
| Dec | 6 |
-8 |
3 |
-20 |
13 |
| Very Cold | Cold | Mild |
|---|---|---|
Warm |
Very Warm |
Hot |
During August it rains on average on 11 days. The humidity averages between 70% - 85% on any day and can be very uncomfortable
The Temple of the Sleeping Buddha
This Temple is in Tiantan Gongyuan West Beijing. It was originally built in the Tang Dynasty and later rebuilt during the renamed in Yuan and Ming Dynasties.
The Hall of the Sleeping Buddha is the centre of the Temple. To enter the temple you pass through the Glazed Archway, and into the Mountain Gate Hall. After walking through the Devaraja Hall and the Hall of the Buddhas of Three Ages, you arrive at the Hall of the Sleeping Buddha.
The Sleeping Buddha, is a statue of Sakyamuni Buddha in a recumbent position. Cast in bronze in 1321 the statue is over 5 metres long and weighs 54 tons. Around the Buddha are twelve clay disciples. The scene depicts the Buddha giving his disciples their instructions before he leaves earth. website
The Temple Of Heaven
Situated in south east Beijing this Taoist Temple (also known as the Altar of Heaven ) was founded in 1420,. It is regarded by some as the finest example of Ming architecture, and the temple itself is an emblem for Beijing. It is surrounded by other Taoist buildings in a wide park .More details from the World Heitage Website.
where ever you are - wherever you are going - euromost.info will help
www.euromost.info
the webs most informative and independent travel guide for business travellers and tourists to Central and Eastern Europe and The Baltic States - covering over 28 cities in 22 countries with a special Auschwitz supplement.
Tiananmen Square
Tiananmen Square (image above) is the largest square in the world. It dates back to 1417 but was enlarged in 1952 to it present size of 440,000 square metres. Translated from tradaitional Chinese it means Heavenly Peace and is named after the Gate of Heavenly Peace on the side of the square where in 1949 Chaiman Mao Ze Dong proclaimed the Communist Republic of China 1949. Opposite the gate is the Monument to the People's Heroes, where you every day the Chinese National Flag is raised. Incidentally kite flying in the square is a pastime of many locals.
Within the square is the Chinese Parliament - Peoples Congress, The China History Museum. On the south side of the square is the Qianmen-Gate, which was built as a city gate during the Qing-Dynasty. In the centre of the square is the Mausoleum of Chairman Mao where his body can be viewed in a sarkophagus of glass.
The Summer Palace
The summer palace is ont he shore of Kunming lake. It is a garden which was revived and develped by Emperor Quianlong in 18th century with temples, lakes and monuments. It is vast and easy to spend the day here as there is so much to see notably: The Palace of Benevolent Longevity, the Garden of Virtuous Harmony and the Long Corridor with some amazing art paonted all along it. Other attractions include the Pavilion of Buddhist Fragrance, Pavilion of Precious Clouds, and the Wenchang Gallery. Website
The Forbidden City - The Palace Museum
Many visitors to Beijing believe that this splendid 14th century building (see image of the throne above) is Beijings leading attraction. Now it is a National museum having been the palatial home of the rulers of the Ming & Qing Dynasties. It has a southern and northern entrance. The route from the northern entrance gives you a panoramic view Beijing from the Jingshan Park where in the mornings you will find locals practising Tai Chi. There is a standard admission fee at the entrance and for some special exhbitions within the Palace other charges may apply. It is rumoured the museum has nearly a million items of exbhits from China's 5,000 year history & covers 720,000SQM Website.
Beijing For Kids And Grown Up Adults
Beijing Amusement & Water Park
Animal shows, bumper boats, carousel, go-karts, waterslide Bajiao Underground Railway Station Beijing, 100043, Phone 86/8862858
Beijing Jiu Long Entertainment Park
Chinese fairyland with Disney style !
Close to theThirteen Reservoirs, Chang Ping District, Beijing, 102200, Tel +86 (0)10 6071 3460; 6071 3399 (ext. 3322) Fax +86 (0)10 6071 3396 6071 3723
Slides Balls & Games for Kids
Gong Ti South Road, North of the Lan Dao shopping center, Chao Yang District, Beijing, 100027, Tel +86 (0)10 6593 6207
The Deer Garden
Sanctuary of Rare Deer
Nan Jiao Farm, Da Xing County, Beijing, ??100067, Tel +86 (0)10 8796 2105, Fax +86 (0)10 8796 2105 ext. 300; 8796 2107 ext.300
China Puppet Theatre
Weekly puppet shows
1A An Hui Xi Li, North Third Ring Road Central Section, Beijing, , Tel +86 (0)10 6425 4798
Chinese Science and Technology Exhibition Hall
1 Zhong Zhou Road and North Third Ring Road, Chao Yang District, Beijing, ??100029, Tel +86 (0)10 6237 1177 ext. 3216, Fax +86 (0)10 6237 93789
Tai Ping Yang's Underwater World
A bay of beasts!
11 West Third Ring Road Central Road, Hai Dian District, Beijing, 100036, Tel +86 (0)10 6846 1172; +86 (0)10 6846 1173, Fax +86 (0)10 6846 1198
Tuan Jie Hu Park
Lake with man made beach
16 Tuan Jie Hu Nan Li,, Chao Yang District, Beijing, Beijing100026, Tel + 86 (0)10 8597 3603
euromost |
Air Travel News Offers Europe new route details |
Low Cost Flight Search lowest fares on airline websites |
European Airports Departures arrivals & local information |
UK Airports Departures arrivals hotels etc |
UK Hand Luggage Limits baggage size |
UK Airports Travel Update General Status |
| Home | euromost.info the webs leading independent european travel guide | Save us in favourites | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baltic States | Russia | ||||
| Beijing China | Scandinavia | ||||
| Central Europe | Southern Europe | ||||
| Eastern Europe | United Kingdom | ||||
| Euromost | Western Europe | ||||
| . | |||||
