FANG Chen · Beijing Shichahai view.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0
Shichahai
Three linked lakes and the hutong quarter around them — the city’s evening walk.
Shichahai
Shichahai is the name for three linked lakes north-west of the Forbidden City and the grey-brick lane quarter that surrounds them. It is the most intact piece of old Beijing that is still ordinary — people live here, and the hutongs around the northern and western shores are residential rather than restored for visitors. The lakes themselves are used all year: rowing boats in summer, skating when they freeze hard enough in winter, and walking at every hour. The southern and eastern shores have become commercial, with bars and restaurants along the water, and the difference between the two halves is worth knowing before you choose a direction. Prince Gong’s Mansion is immediately north, and the Drum and Bell towers are a short walk east.
Explore Shichahai on the map
City locations, drawn from our published destination data. Attractions, hotels and restaurants are not mapped yet.
What to see
Water, lanes and two towers — and the split between the quiet and busy shores.
The lakes
- Qianhai, Houhai and Xihai, the three linked lakes the district is named around.
- The Silver Ingot Bridge between two of them, which is the classic vantage point.
- Rowing boats in the warm months; skating in a hard winter.
The lanes
- The residential hutongs on the northern and western sides, which are the reason to come.
- The Drum and Bell towers, a short walk east of the water.
- Prince Gong’s Mansion, immediately to the north.
Getting there
Xicheng District, north-west of the palace, and walked rather than driven.
Arriving
- Subway stations serve the edges of the district; the lanes themselves are walked.
- It is a straightforward walk north from Jingshan and the Forbidden City’s northern exit.
- Cycling the lanes is common and pleasant outside the busiest hours.
Best time
Late afternoon into the evening, or early morning for the lanes.
When to go
- Late afternoon, when the light is on the water and the district fills up.
- Early morning for the residential hutongs, before the day starts.
- Winter, if the lakes freeze hard enough to skate — which is a genuine Beijing institution.
Visitor intelligence
One choice determines what kind of visit you have.
Practical
- The southern and eastern shores are commercial; the northern and western are residential and quieter.
- The hutongs are people’s homes — the courtyards are private, and photographing into them is not welcome.
- Pedicab tours are heavily touted around the bridge; walking costs nothing and sees more.
Nearby
All within a walk of the water.
Frequently asked
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