Shichahai is the one stretch of open water in the middle of Beijing: three connected lakes — Qianhai, Houhai and Xihai — that were the northern terminus of the Grand Canal under the Yuan. The hutong life and the lakeside pace survived, which makes it the place to walk slowly.
The three lakes, and the pace of each
- Qianhai (前海)
- The busy one: boats, food, crowds, and the place to be after dark. The Lotus Market is here too.
- Houhai (后海)
- Quieter, with deeper lanes and the best walking along the water. At night the bars on the lake have live folk music.
- Xihai (西海)
- The quietest, with almost no visitors: a wetland park and a boardwalk around the lake, for sitting still and watching the birds.
- The best hours
- Go between 16:00 and 21:00: soft light for the sunset, then the blue hour over the water.
Two routes
- Half a day, the first-timer's route (3 hours)
- Out at Shichahai station Exit A2, Yandai Xiejie for design shops and snacks, the Yinding Bridge for the view of the Western Hills, the Tangfang cafe terrace above it all, then the north shore of Houhai on foot, a rowing boat at sunset, and the Houhai bars after dark.
- A full day of history (6–8 hours)
- Beihai North station, Prince Gong's Mansion for a Qing princely house, copper-pot hotpot for lunch, the Soong Ching-ling residence, the Yinding Bridge, Yandai Xiejie, the quiet of the Xihai wetland, and Houhai in the evening.
What to see, and where to stand
- The Yinding Bridge (银锭桥)
- The bridge between Qianhai and Houhai, and the classic viewpoint called 'watching the hills from Yinding', one of the old Eight Scenes of Beijing. On a clear day you see the Western Hills; at sunset the light comes from behind them.
- Yandai Xiejie (烟袋斜街)
- An old diagonal lane a little over 200 metres long: small design shops, a Qing-era post office where you can get a stamp in your passport of a notebook, and old Beijing snacks.
- Prince Gong's Mansion (恭王府)
- Half of Qing history in one mansion — the house of Heshen. The stele called the finest fu character in the land and the hall built of nanmu are the two things to see. Book ahead.
- The Drum and Bell towers (鼓楼与钟楼)
- Close by, and from the mouth of Lingdang hutong you get the drum tower's red wall against grey roofs in one frame.
- The Xihai wetland park (西海湿地公园)
- Where local people actually go: reeds at the water's edge, open lake, no crowd — for photographs or for nothing at all.
Where to eat around the lakes
The old shops cluster here. Go into the lanes for the real food and skip the marked-up trend snacks on the waterfront.
- Kaorouji (烤肉季)
- A century-old shop beside the Yinding Bridge, and the place for lamb grilled on the iron griddle, with sesame flatbread. About 80 to 100 yuan a head.
- Ya'er Liji (鸦儿李记)
- The hotpot shop the neighbourhood eats at: beef and lamb cut to order, and a crisp, savoury sesame pastry. The queue at mealtimes is long.
- Nanmen hotpot (南门涮肉)
- Proper copper-pot hotpot and a sesame dip that is the reason to come. The hutong branch is better value, around 100 yuan a head.
- Huguosi snacks (护国寺小吃)
- Pea-flour cake, rolled bean-flour cake, seasoned millet porridge — the old Beijing snacks in one sitting, 30 to 50 yuan a head.
- No. 69 Fangzhuanchang noodles (方砖厂69号炸酱面)
- A cheap old noodle shop in a lane: a proper bowl of zhajiangmian for about 25 yuan, with free refills.
- Wuyutai tea ice cream (吴裕泰花茶冰淇淋)
- Strong tea, not too sweet, 15 yuan a cone — which is exactly what walking these lanes calls for.
What catches people out
- Tickets
- The whole lakefront is free. The historic houses — Prince Gong's Mansion, the Soong Ching-ling residence — sell their own tickets and need their own bookings.
- Getting there
- Take the metro: Line 8 to Shichahai Exit A2, or Line 6 to Beihai North Exit B, both walkable. Do not drive — parking around here is close to impossible.
Where it goes wrong
Do not get into a pedicab that solicits you at the roadside: the charges appear later, or you are taken somewhere that pays them. If you do want the ride, agree the price first.
You do not have to walk Yandai Xiejie end to end. Go into the shops that interest you and avoid the crush.
Water and snacks cost more here than elsewhere. Carry a bottle.
This is a residential neighbourhood. Keep your voice down and do not photograph into doorways.