Nanluoguxiang and the Hutongs

Hutongs are the narrow alleys formed between siheyuan, the courtyard houses that made up old Beijing, and the grid around Nanluoguxiang dates to the Yuan dynasty, laid out in the thirteenth century, making it one of the oldest surviving street patterns in the city. Nanluoguxiang itself, the central north-south lane, has been comprehensively commercialised into a pedestrian strip of snack stalls, milk tea shops and souvenirs, packed shoulder to shoulder at weekends. The side alleys running east and west from it are quieter and still residential, with grey walls, carved gate piers and old trees, and the neighbouring Shichahai lakes area holds Prince Gong's Mansion and the drum tower district.

What you actually see

• The Yuan-era alley grid - one of Beijing's oldest surviving street patterns.
• The side hutongs - quieter residential lanes with courtyard gates and old trees.
• The commercial strip - snacks, tea and souvenirs along the main lane.
• The courtyard architecture - grey brick walls, gate piers and tiled roofs.

When to go

April to May and September to October for comfortable walking; weekends and holidays make the main lane almost impassable. Early morning and weekday afternoons are far better, and the side alleys are always calmer.

Honest expectations

Nanluoguxiang itself is thoroughly commercial and can be crowded to the point of being unpleasant. Many hutongs elsewhere in Beijing have been demolished over recent decades. Residents live here, and courtyards are private unless opened as attractions.

Nearby

The Drum and Bell Towers lie northwest; Shichahai and Prince Gong's Mansion are west.