Wangfujing & Dongcheng, Beijing
The historic core — walk to the Forbidden City, sleep in the middle of everything

The character of this area comes from two very different atmospheres sitting close together. Wangfujing Street itself is bright, busy and full of malls and visitors. The old hutongs in the north of Dongcheng, by contrast, are still genuine residential neighbourhoods where Beijingers actually live. Be honest with yourself about this: if you only walk the main street, you have seen half the area — the better half is in the lanes.

• 1
  For people who want to stay closest to the sights

  Most central base · walk to the Forbidden City

  If the main purpose of your trip is the Forbidden City, Tiananmen and Beijing's headline sights, staying near Wangfujing is the most straightforward choice you can make. You can walk over early to queue for the palace before the crowds build, with no taxi or transfer to factor in, and stroll back to your hotel in the evening.

• 2
  For browsers and mall-goers

  Oriental Plaza · department stores · pedestrian street

  Wangfujing is Beijing's classic shopping street. Oriental Plaza (东方新天地) is the large mall at the southern end, attached to Wangfujing subway station; there is also the Wangfujing Department Store and the Foreign Languages Bookstore. It is a pleasant evening stroll once the lights come on, and the air-conditioned malls are a useful break from the summer heat or the winter cold.

• 3
  For people who want to walk the real hutongs

  Dongcheng hutongs · Nanluoguxiang · old Beijing

  North of Dongcheng there are plenty of old hutongs to explore. The best known is Nanluoguxiang (南锣鼓巷) — a lane lined with cafés, gift shops and old grey-brick buildings. The smaller side alleys branching off it stay quiet and remain genuinely residential. If you want to see the old Beijing that is not a postcard, these lanes are where you find it.

• 4
  For temples and culture

  Lama Temple · Confucius Temple · quiet mornings

  The northern corner of Dongcheng is home to the Lama Temple (雍和宫), a beautiful Tibetan Buddhist temple that is still an active place of worship. Next to it sit the quieter Confucius Temple and the Imperial College. Both are best in the morning before the crowds, and both are close to Yonghegong station on Subway Line 5 — an easy ride from Wangfujing.

The strongest argument for basing yourself here is a location that genuinely puts the headline sights within walking distance. You can walk to the Forbidden City early before the crowds and stroll back in the evening, with no transfer to plan. Add Subway Line 1 running right along the street and the rest of the city is easy to reach too. Hotels in the area range from good-value mid-range to high-end addresses with views over the palace rooftops.

The trade-off to know about: this area is busy and tourist-oriented. If you want the quiet, lived-in atmosphere of the lanes, you may prefer a boutique hotel inside the hutongs to the north instead. But if you weight convenience and walkability to the sights above all else, Wangfujing is the best-value choice for a first Beijing trip.