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Housed in the Hall of Jupiter, part of the Xiannong Tan temple complex, this museum offers an excellent introduction to the ancient construction techniques of Beijing buildings, all helpfully illuminated with detailed models. A fascinating three-dimensional plan shows the city as it was in 1949, with the city walls and gates largely intact.

Contemporary Western cuisine that combines top-quality ingredients with impressive cooking skills. A multi-course option with wine pairings provides a tour of an inventive but never pretentious Asian-French fusion menu that’s pure pleasure (see Aria).

The Continental-Asian fusion cuisine here constitutes possibly the most satisfying dining experience in Beijing (see Aria).

Part of the Beijing University archeology department, the museum’s collection spans 280,000 years, from the Paleolithic era to the Qing dynasty. As well as fossils and bones, it includes beautiful bronzes and fine ceramics.

Quirky café in the the 798 Art District with a limited but appealing menu (see AT Café).

Close to the lakes, this is the oldest of Beijing’s traditional hotels, with the largest and most elaborate courtyards, plus rockeries and covered pathways.

A short walk north of the Drum and Bell Towers, Bed makes the absolute most of its old courtyard house setting (see Bed Tapas & Bar).

A beautiful example of a classic imperial garden, Bei Hai was a summer playground for successive dynasties that ruled from the neighboring Forbidden City. Today, it is well and truly open to the public, and thronged daily by locals who come here to socialize. There are a couple of small temples, a fine, small ornamental garden, and a noted restaurant. This is arguably the most lovely of Beijing’s many fine city parks (see Bei Hai Park).