Creativity is a major attraction of Nanluoguxiang as many shops are owned and run by local designers and artists. Places like Le Tian and Shi Jie specialize in handmade potteries.

At 55  Nanluoguxiang you may ask craftsmen to make old Beijing paper-cut  works in accordance with  your own design. Clothing shops like  Shanghai Tailor offers custom-made outfits.

We recommend you have an on-line tour at Nanluoguxiang's English website (www.nlgx.org)  beforehand. It contains a detailed directory of all the shops and  recreation sites of the lane.    

Maliandao Tea Street   

This is a must for both local tea lovers and foreign visitors who wish to take home some cha as a gift.

The 1,500-meter-long  street is located outside the Guang'anmen (a famous city gate) in  the west Second Ring Road and can be reached by buses 46, 414 and 609.    

The largest tea market in the city, it is home to more than 100 shops and five large tea stores. The beauty of the place is you could pick up your cup of tea from among a variety of tea products coming in from all the major production regions around China.

This gives you more choices than most individual tea shops in the city. You may smell and taste any kind of tea before making your final decision.

Shop owners will offer you tips on how to make genuine Chinese tea.