The Shicha Lake (Houhai)

The Shicha Lake, colloquially known as Houhai, has been subject to very little modernization, and the street plan remains a tangle of alleys, centring on the three artificial Shicha lakes, created during the Yuan dynasty, and the port for a canal network that served the capital. The choked, grey alleys show Beijing’s other, private, face; here you’ll see cluttered courtyards and converted palaces, and come across small open spaces where old men sit with their pet bird. There are also two giant old buildings, the Bell and Drum towers, hidden away among the alleys. The area recently been prettified, with touristy venues being built and rickshaw tours running from outside the bell towers, but it retains its charm, at last for the moment.It’s also become one of Beijing’s hipper hang-outs, with a string of bars and restaurants along the lakeside. The best way to get around by yourself is certainly by bike. Traffic is light and you’re free to dive into any alley you fancy, though you’re almost certain to get lost - in which case cycle around until you come to one of the lakes, the long big landmarks around.

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