The Bell and Drum Towers were once Beijing’s timepieces, and now stand as monuments to the past.

Zhujiajiao is a beautiful water town outside of Shanghai with magnificent bridges and traditional architecture.

The slightly less famous Huanghuacheng section of the wall is 60 km from Beijing in Huanghuacheng Town. This 10,800-meter section of the wall is the strongest and most well built, with six forts guarding six passes, twelve beacon towers, and thirty-two watchtowers. Ming Dynasty General Cai Kai supervised its construction. So long did it take and so great were the resources he poured into it that the Emperor concluded that General Cai Kai must be embezzling and had him executed.

The Liulichang Street of Chinese Culture is a 750 meter long collection of all kinds of Calligraphy, art, antiques and paintings that China has to offer.

A short trip to the western edge of Beijing brings you to Badachu, where you can see eight famous temples and monasteries.

The Guangou Valley, 18 kilometers in length, lies more than 50 kilometers away from Beijing in Changping County.