Shichahai

Shichahai refers to the three lakes of Qianhai, Houhai and Xihai and the surrounding areas. It has a large area of beautiful lake surface and is also a famous historical district in Beijing. Many celebrity residences, royal palaces and other historical sites are scattered among it, as well as various kinds of food close to the lives of ordinary people. Houhai Bar Street is a long-standing resort for nightlife in Beijing.Take a cruise in the summerWhen you first arrive at Shichahai, you will definitely be attracted by the vast expanse of brilliant lake light. In summer, the lakeside is very cool, and the lotus flowers are in full bloom. You can take a boat to enjoy the lake view. There are many docks along the lake, including the Haomeng Jiangnan Dock and the Lotus Market Dock in Qianhai, and the Wild Duck Island Dock and the Liuyin Zhengdu Dock in Houhai, all of which have cruise ships available.You can have fun on your own on pedal boats or rowing boats. The fare ranges from 40 to 60 yuan per hour, depending on the type of boat. If you take a sightseeing rowing boat, it will take you around the lake, which takes about an hour. The boatman will also explain the attractions of Shichahai. The reference price for sharing a boat with others is 50 yuan.Ice skating on the lake in winterIn winter, the lake freezes over and the cruise ships are not open, but you can come to enjoy the winter scenery. When the ice reaches a certain thickness, the Shichahai Ice Rink will be opened on the lake. The reference price for admission is 20 yuan per person. In addition, ice skates and ice bikes can be rented, which are not expensive, but a deposit of 100-200 yuan is required.Visit ancient buildingsThe ancient buildings around Shichahai have preserved the characteristics of old Beijing, including Huitong Temple, Deshengmen Arrow Tower, Prince Chun's Mansion, Guanghua Temple, Yinding Bridge, Bell and Drum Tower and other attractions.The most famous one is Heshen's residence on Qianhai West Street - Prince Gong's Mansion. In addition to seeing the mansion of Heshen, a corrupt official in the Qing Dynasty, there are more than 10,000 "Fu" characters hidden in the mansion. The "Fu" stele written by Emperor Kangxi is even more attractive to tourists who are willing to queue up to see it.If you are interested, you can also turn to Yandaixie Street to visit the Qing Post Office, which marked the birth of modern Chinese postal service, and stamp a few exquisitely patterned postmarks at the post office as a souvenir. Of course, you have to buy postcards from the post office before stamping the postmarks.Try some old Beijing snacksIf you like to eat some snacks, you can buy a string of candied haws, lean against the white marble railings of Shichahai, and eat while watching the cruise ships on the lake. If you want to specifically look for Beijing snacks, you can go to Jiumen Snacks, where you can find everything from braised beef, daluo huoshao, shabu-shabu mutton, and tofu pudding in an old-fashioned courtyard; or go to Huguo Temple Snack Street to the west of Mei Lanfang Memorial Hall, where you can taste the delicacies from the Hutongs, such as tubular fin bar, palace cheese, and shoe-sole huoshao; in addition, there is a Quanjude Roast Duck restaurant in the Lotus Market.Bar NightlifeWhen night falls, the lively time comes. There are bursts of singing coming from the many bars around Shichahai. Some bar singers in Shichahai really sing well, and there are stories of "Beijing Drifters" behind the bars. Rock singer Dou Wei has been a resident singer in Shichahai for 3 years. It is said that the restaurant Qingyunlou in Shichahai is opened by him. Other famous bars include Hutong Xieyi and Jiadingfang. Go to the bar and sit down, watch the singers' performances, and you can hear the enthusiasm of "Beijing Drifters" for music from the singing.Nearby attractionsShichahai is adjacent to Nanluoguxiang in the east and Beihai Park in the south. It is also not far from Jingshan Park, the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. People usually visit the Forbidden City or Tiananmen Square during the day and go to a bar in Shichahai at night. If you don't want to visit the Forbidden City or Tiananmen Square and like the lake view, you can visit Beihai Park and Shichahai together. If you just like shopping and eating snacks, you can go to Nanluoguxiang next to Shichahai after visiting Shichahai.