My All-Time Favorite Beijing CityWalk: Temples, Towers & Hidden Lanes
A quiet winter day, soft light on old buildings, no crowds — this is how Beijing citywalk should feel. From Lu Xun's house to the Forbidden City panorama at Jingshan.
Trip Highlights
The Route
Lu Xun Museum → Miaoying Temple (White Pagoda) → Qianchaoshou Hutong → Temple of Past Emperors → Zhengyang Bookstore → 1901 Café → Xishiku Cathedral → Jingshan Park
📸 Stops Along the Way
1. Miaoying Temple White Pagoda 🎫 ¥20
A 700-year-old Beijing landmark. Don't miss the east alley outside the red walls — it's where Yi Yangqianxi and Guan Xiaotong shot those famous photos. Want to avoid the crowds? Explore the surrounding hutongs for hidden angles, and there are some gorgeous rooftop cafés nearby where you can shoot the pagoda from above.
2. Lu Xun Museum 🎫 Free
His preserved home, the personal belongings, the exhibition of his life — they reveal a warmth you don't expect from someone known for razor-sharp writing. He wrote about ordinary people's kindness in A Small Incident and childhood warmth in Village Opera. That tenderness is easy to miss if you only know his reputation. A genuinely moving visit.
3. Temple of Past Emperors 🎫 ¥20
The architectural scale rivals a mini Forbidden City, but with a fraction of the visitors. Great for photos.
4. Zhengyang Bookstore 🎫 Free
Hidden inside is the 800-year-old Wansong Elder Pagoda. This bookstore only sells reading material about old Beijing — a true niche gem.
5. Xishiku Cathedral 🎫 Free
Where Gothic architecture meets Chinese design elements. The stained glass windows inside are breathtaking — genuinely speechless-level beautiful.
6. Jingshan Park 🎫 ¥2
The best ¥2 I've ever spent in Beijing. Climb to the top for a panoramic view of the entire Forbidden City and the city's central axis — the scale is jaw-dropping. At the base of the hill, the Shouhuang Temple complex is beautifully built, nearly empty, and very photogenic.
