Coal Hill 景山公园
Made from earth excavated to create the Forbidden City’s moat, Coal Hill is the centerpiece of a pleasant park. Aligned directly north of the Forbidden City, Coal Hill, it was believed, would protect the palace from evil spirits. Despite such fengshui, the last Ming emperor was unable to halt the disintegration of his dynasty and hung himself on a cypress tree at the foot of the hill as Beijing fell to a rebel army in 1644. Coal Hill’s top drawing card is the panorama visible from Wanshou Pavilion atop the hill, notably the spectacular views of the Forbidden City.
Address: Jingshan Qian Jie, Dongcheng District (directly north of the Forbidden City) 东城区景山前街,故宫北门外
Phone: 6404 4071
Opening hours: 6am to 10pm, peak-season; 6:30am to 7pm, off-season
￥: 2

Eastern Qing Tombs 清东陵
One of two royal cemeteries of the Qing dynasty, these stately tombs hold the remains of five emperors, 15 empresses and assorted nobility and concubines. The Spirite Way and the tombs of Emperor Qianlong and Empress Dowager Cixi are the most memorable sights. The Eastern Qing Tombs are some 3 hours away from Beijing by car.
Address: Zunhua, Hebei province 河北省遵化
Phone: 0315 - 694 5471
Opening hours: 8am to 5pm, peak-season; 9am to 4pm, off-season
￥: 80

Fragrant Hills Park 香山公园
Beijing Botanical Gardens 北京植物园
Fragrant Hills Park and Beijing Botanical Gardens can easily be visited in a single excursion. On the grounds of Fragrant Hills Park, a former imperial hunting reserve, are pavilions, pagodas and lakes, connected by winding, tree-lined paths. The park is best visited during the spring or autumn. The Beijing Botanical Gardens are near Fragrant Hills Park on the road to Beijing. Recently expanded, they’re a delightful spot for a stroll and a picnic, notably in spring when the magnolia and cheery trees are in bloom.
Fragrant Hills Park 香山公园
Address: Xiangshan 香山
Phone: 8259 0297
Opening hours: 6am to 7pm

￥: 10 peak-season, 5 off-season for the park;10 for the Azure Cloud Temple; 50 for the chairlift, two-way

Beijing Botanical Gardens 北京植物园
Address: Xiangyi Lu, Xiangshan 香山香颐路
Phone: 6259 1283
Opening hours: 6am to 7pm

￥: 5 for the park only; 15 includes the Sleeping Buddha Temple and the other two sites

Old Summer Palace 圆明园
Like the Summer Palace, the Old Summer Palace was an imperial retreat that was razed by the French and British troops during the Second Opium War in 1860. The compound’s 145 buildings, some of them European-looking palaces designed by Jesuit priests, were never rebuilt and the ruins stand as reminders of the ravages of imperialism. But don’t let that stop you from coming: this huge park contains several lotus-filled lakes, a maze and canals that are great fun to explore.
Address: 28 Qinghua Xi Lu, Haidian District (near the west gate of Qinghua University) 海淀区清华西路28号,清华大学西门附近
Phone: 6255 1488, 6262 8501
Opening hours: 7am to 7pm

￥: 10 for the park only; 25 for full access

Ox Street Mosque 牛街清真寺
The spiritual heart of Beijing’s 200,000 strong Muslim community, the Ox Street Mosque was built by the son of an Arab imam in AD 966. Architecturally, it is a fascinating hybrid of Arab and Chinese styles: the exterior looks like a Chinese temple with a typical curved roof, but its pillars are decorated with verses from the Koran and there’s a minaret at the back. Though you can peer in, the handsome prayer hall is off limits to non-Muslims. All visitors must wear long pants or skirts to enter this religious sanctuary.
Address: 88 Niu Jie, Xuanwu District 宣武区牛街88号
Phone: 6353 2564
Opening hours: 8am to 7pm (but closed to non-Muslims during services)

￥: 10 (Muslims can enter for free)

Temple of Confucius 孔庙
Built in AD 1302, this underrated temple exudes a wonderful ambiance. In addition to the temple building, there’s a statue of the Sage, aged cypress trees and a small museum of Beijing history. On the grounds are 198 stone tablets that record the names, ranks and hometowns of scholars who passed the formidable jinshi examination, the highest civil service test given during the dynastic era.
Address: 13 Guozijian Jie, Dongcheng District, (a street running west across from the Lama Temple’s main gate) 东城区国子监街13号
Phone: 6401 2799
Opening hours: 8:30am to 5pm
￥: 10