Park Life

Beijing is not short of parks with elegant pagodas and historical gates. We've chosen the best for you to enjoy

There's nothing like a stroll in the park and Beijing has many to choose from. Ranging from the large and majestic Tiantan Park in the south of the city to the rather more humble but no means less accommodating Ditan park in the north, there's parks a-plenty.

They're a great place to catch Chinese relaxing from their ever more hectic lifestyles, watch choirs practice, old men bring their song birds, play cards, fly kites, fish, calligraphers scribble Tang dynasty poems on the ground with water brushes, people doing taichi in the early morning. 

Whether you're sightseeing or looking to explore, the city offers a wide choice of public spaces to relax in and escape the urban hustle and bustle.

Here are the main parks worth a visit:

Ritan Park is the main historical park in the east, with well kept gardens that burst into flower in spring and has an altar dedicated to the sun where the Emperor would perform rituals. 

A more modern creation covering a vast area is Chaoyang Park. Situated past the third ring road east, it has its own amusement park; a hit with the little ones. If it's five-a-side football or tennis, Side Park on the way to Lidu is the one.

Being the grandest architecturally, Tiantan Park (Temple of Heaven) sees the most visitors. Rituals to bring the country prosperity and good harvest were performed in the large circular temple which stands in an elevated position constructed according to strict geometric rules. It's a wonderful park to visit and people watch even if you give the ancient structures a miss.

For Beijingers living in the west, Yuyuantan Park  in Haidian district, which sports a huge lake, pedallos and boats for those wishing to take to the water, is at their disposal.

In the north by Andingmen metro station is Ditan Park, which, while less spectacular than others, has the usual assortment of historic buildings and noisy kids areas.

Running on the central axis, there are three parks; Zhongshan Park  named after Sun Yatsen just to the west of the Forbidden City on the moat, Beihai Park complete with white Tibetan stupa and rose garden at the back and Jingshan Park (Coal Hill), Beijing's very own man-made hill.

These three where once areas where Imperial family would come to take in the air away from the whispers and intrigue of the imperial court.

Read more about sightseeing in Beijing