If you have a love for the curious, then a wander down the many winding alleyways of Beijing’s hutongs is an essential activity on your list of things to do in Beijing. Now considered the most expensive real estate in Beijing, narrow alleyways connect the siheyuan (traditional courtyard residences) to each other to form neighborhoods. The most well-known hutongs are Wudaoying Hutong, Shichahai Hutong, Nanluoguxiang, Shijia Hutong (visited by Prince William) and hutongs near the Drum and Bell Tower.
Update: June 17, 2021