24 hours in Beijing

1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. -- Dali Courtyard Restaurant

Dali Courtyard Restaurant. [Photo/Dianping.com]

If you are interested in taking a step out of the hustle and bustle of the city, try Dali Courtyard. It is a great place to have tea, enjoy wonderful food and experience the ambiance of a quaint restaurant, even if you have limited time. All of the ingredients for their specialty dishes are flown in from the Yunnan province.

Tips:

Time needed: 1.5 hours

Average cost: 100 yuan per person.

Operating Hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Address: Dongcheng District, Gulou East Avenue (Gu Lou Dong Da Jie), Xiao Jing Chang Hu Tong

Address (Chinese): 東城區鼓樓東大街小經廠胡同67號

Phone: (010) 84041430

Directions: It can be found on the north side of Gu Lou Dong Da Jie (Drum Tower East Avenue in English). From the entrance of Xiao Jing Chang Hu Tong, walk north for about 200 meters until you see a small red lantern and the sign marking the front door.

3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. -- Lama Temple

Lama Temple. [Photo/China.org]

The Yonghe Temple, also known as “Lama Temple,” is one of the largest Tibetan Buddhist monasteries. The temple was built to house the Kangxi Emperor's son. Once his son became Emperor, it was converted into a monastery for the Tibetan Buddhist monks. The history of this building has led to a mixed theme of Han and Tibetian architecture and artwork. The temple is still active, so walk through and smell incense burning, and see people worshiping along with monks. The statues are memorable, and the visit will be well worth your time.

Tips:

Time needed: 2 hours

Entry Fee: 25 yuan

Operating hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Directions: Take subway line 2 or 5 to stop Yonghegong (Lama Temple)

6 p.m. to 7 p.m. -- Bell and Drum

The Drum Tower (Right) and Bell Tower. [Photo/cicc.org.cn]

The bell and drum towers, located a little west of the Lama Temple, are a huge part of Beijing's history. The towers were originally used for music and later used during the Han Dynasty to tell time. There would be a morning bell and an evening drum to help people of Beijing, who had no other way to tell time, keep a regular day. This idea was then implemented in other cities around China; however, Beijing has the largest and the tallest bell and drum towers. This way of telling time was abolished after the last emperor left the Forbidden City but was revived in 2001 on New Year's Eve. Now the bells ring and the drums are beaten for fifteen minutes four times a day, starting at 9:30 a.m. The performance consists of folk traditions like the lion and dragon dance.

Tips:

Time needed: 1 hour

Entry Fee: 15 yuan (Bell Tower), 20 yuan (Drum Tower)

Operating Hours: 9:10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Directions: Take Subway Line 2 and get off at Guloudajie Station, take Exit B (southwest exit), and walk South.