Beijing Information
Hotel Location
Marco Polo Parkside, Beijing - located in the Asian Games Village, currently known as The Olympic Area - is only 15 minutes walk from the 2008 Olympic Main Stadium and the spectacular Water Cube swimming complex. The area offers a wide range of restaurants, coffee bars, shopping malls and super markets. Apart from easy and quick access to the Great Wall and Summer Palace, Beijing Capital International Airport is just 20 minutes away and the subway and light rail are 5 minutes walk from the hotel. Zhongguancun Hi-Tech area, Wangjin Commercial/Business Area and Shangdi Hi-Tech zone are also very closed by.
Marco Polo Parkside, Beijing is an ideal choice for corporate and leisure guests wanting to avoid the hustle, bustle and heavy traffic in the CBD.
Beijing Places of Interest
Tian' an Men
Almost as iconic is the vast square next to the palace, it is often said to be the "heart" of China. Quadrupled in size shortly after Chairman Mao Zedong declared the founding of the People's Republic from the rostrum that bears his gigantic portrait, famous Tian'anmen Square can hold up to a million people and at 4,736,000 square feet / 440,000 square meters, it is the world's largest.
The Great Wall
Zig-zagging its way from the east to west across the northern edge of the ancient Chinese Empire, The Great Wall is an unfathomable exercise in large- scale construction. China’s Great Wall has many parts, each accessible to tourists. Most popular sections are Badaling Great Wall, Mutianyu Great wall and Juyongguan Great Wall. The Marco Polo Parkside, Beijing is located right next to the Badaling expressway which leads to the Great Wall.
Forbidden City
Also known as the Imperial Palace, or Gugong, this is probably the second most famous symbol of ancient China after the Great Wall. Home to 24 emperors, from the Ming and Qing dynasties, this incredible 580-year-old Beijing residence, which took 17 years to build, covers 170 acres and boasts some 8706 rooms. Stuffed with antique furniture, porcelain, clocks, and jewelry, it's a veritable imperial museum. No visitor to Beijing can afford to miss this, the city's premier attraction.
Summer Palace
This area has served as a royal summer home since the Jin Dynasty, but it assumed its present shape in 1750, when Emperor Qianlong remodeled it for his mother. Twice sacked by foreign armies-in 1860 an d1900- the Palace was twice rebuilt by the indefatigable Empress Dowager Cixi. The Palace consists of temples, lakes and walkways. The essence of Chinese classical garden.
Temple of Heaven
A wonderful example of Ming architecture in a walled 267-hectare park. It is the place where Chinese emperors offered sacrifices and prayers for good harvests.
Lama Temple
The spectacular Lama Temple was originally the home of Qing Dynasty Prince Yong before he became the Emperor Yongzheng, which is why you’ll see the golden roof tiles of an imperial residence. After his elevation in 1723, he kept with tradition by making a portion of the grounds into a lamasery for Tibetan monks, and another part became the headquarter for his terror posse and secret intelligence agency. 15 minutes drive from the Marco Polo Parkside, Beijing.
Yuanmingyuan Park
Also known as the “Old Summer Palace, the place was designed by Jesuit missionaries, was known as the “Versailles of the East”, “Unfortunately”, reads a sign at the Old Summer Palace, “this wonder of civilization was sacked, looted, and razed to the ground by Anglo-French forces in 1860.” It’s best to ignore the “palace” label, and treat Yuanmingyuan as a park. You can wander the day away among the beautiful lakes, hills and small bits of ruin.
Hou Hai restaurants & bars area
Houhai is compromised of several areas. Starting from the southern-most end, Lotus Lane is a swish row of bars and restaurants, heavily designed and intentionally reminiscent of Shanghai. Moving up the bank one comes to Yinding bridge, which is a charming little spot by itself but is generally clogged with strollers, drunks, vendors and motorists.
Ming Tombs
Lying 50 kilometers northwest of the capital, a Ming Tomb visit is usually combined with a visit to the Great Wall. This is the burial site of 13 out of 17 emperors of the Ming Dynasty.
Wangfujing
Beijing’s central tourist area - shopping, eating, from low end to high end, located east of Forbidden City.
Panjiayuan antique market
The mother of all antique markets: it is home to over 3000 dealers who scour the countryside in search of antiques, family heirlooms and this is the place to go for everything from 1930s qipao to 1990s Qing-looking furniture and almost literally everything in between. Best bargains are offered early on weekend mornings.
Silk Market
Although this six-storey market is overwhelmingly touristy (and therefore overpriced, even with bargaining), it is filled with, literally everything imaginable – clothing, souvenirs, jewelry, electronics and fabrics – each with its own section. Be prepared for loud and pushy sellers who are accustomed to dealing with foreigners.
Hongqiao Market
Another shopping paradise – here you’ll find T-shirts, silk pajamas, Chinese tchotchkes, watches, jewelry, pearls, beads, shoes, and some electronics, as well as a great fish market in the basement.
Yaxiu Market/Yashow Market
Its' overrun by free spending tourists, but Yaxiu is an unavoidable fixture in the life of a serious shopper. It has a good selection of “brand-name” underwear, jeans, jackets, shirts, shoes, sportswear, sports equipment, bags, souvenirs, DVDs, cds, literally, everything you would need.
Sanlitun Bar Street
Bars and restaurants area, Sanlitun is a major draw for tourists, new-comers and long-term residents.
The National Museum
One trip to the National Museum of China and you will certainly be reminded of China’s rich history and culture. The museum’s current structure was inherited from the two previous museums- the national Museum of Chinese History and National Museum of Chinese Revolutionary History. The building was one of the ten famous structures built as a celebration of PRC’s 10th anniversary in 1959, and is located on Tian’anmen Square.
Lady Street/Lai Tai Flower Market/Lai tai Flower Market Basement
Shopping and bars street – apart from flowers on G/F and beyond ( inside the building), here you’ll find many stalls selling traditional Chinese lamps including reading lamps with porcelain bases, bowls, dishes, glasses, decorating items. Opposite Lai Tai ( the building), there are many small shops that sell from flowers to lampshades to rattan goods to candles.
