A few years back there were only empty factory buildings. Now it's one of the "in" places in Beijing, offering a multi cultural atmosphere. 798 Art District has developed into a growing area with many different Art Galleries and Shops. Attracting more and more famous artists it also features changing exhibitions, indoors and outdoors. If you get tired exploring Art, visit one of the numberous restaurants or cafes for a break. Beijing 798 Art Zone, 4 Jiuxianqiao Rd, Chaoyang District http://www.798art.org/

There are some great monthly or weekly magazines which provide all the information you need about Restaurants, Bars, Shops, Art and Culture Events, Tours and much more. I always make sure I have a copy of of the Magazines at home and I use them a lot. It's also a good idea to sign up for their newsletter to get the newest information. You can find the magazines at restaurants, supermarkets, hotels, Massage places, just look for them where ever you go. I love the restaurant section. It always introduces new restaurants with rating and contains a list of all popular restaurants and bars (with phone number and address), sorted by category. It's very handy if you need to make a...

A good place to get some information about Beijing is the Planning Exhibition Hall. A massive scale model of the city, which takes up an entire floor gives the visitor a better idea about the city layout and size than any map. Two films show the history of the city and the development of the modern city today. Another part of the museum gives information about hutongs and traditional homes. Since the museum is very close to Tiananmen Square, it's easy to find. A good day of sightseeing could be the following: Planning Exhibition Hall Walk accross Tiananmen Square Visit the Forbitten City (get out the other end) Climb the Coal Hill for a great view (it's all very close together)...

The Chinese Culture Center is a very different kind of Travel Agency. It offers a wide variety of sightseeing tours around Beijing, trips to different parts of China, but also lectures and cultural hands on activities which are a lot of fun. When we came to Beijing it was a very small organisation but has extendet it's program tremendously during the last 4 years. The owner always talks to the Expat community, which are their usual customers, looking for new ideas. We have done some trips with the Chinese Culture Center, all well organized. Instead of the normal big tourist groups you find small groups with people from all over the world (almost all of them expats who live in Beijing)....

You want to see the real city behind the tourist facade? Look for the Beijing by Foot Cards. You can by them at Jenny Lou Supermarkets, April Gourmet Markets and many more places around Beijing. The deck of 40 walks - each printed on a handy card - will lead you through neigborhoods old and new, to uncover forgotten ruins and little known corner. Grab a card and go - whether it's to a hidden temple, a cutting-edge art district, or a willowy lake. We did some of the walks and never got lost, not even in the smallest hutong alleys (without the cards we never would have found them). We hardly saw any tourists but met many friendly local people....

Hello German Newcomers to Beijing, if you just moved to the city, have some extra time or just want to meet more people, check out these two groups. German Christmas Charity Bazaar Group A nice group of women who meet throughout the year to organize the German Christmas Charity Bazaar. We support 7 different Charity Projects around Beijing. We always look for new people to join our group. We make arts and crafts, visit our Charity Projects which will show you a different side of Beijing, organize the Bazaar and just get together for coffee or lunch to share information. The group meets Wednesday mornings at the German Embassy in Beijing from 9.30 to 12.30. You will need your passport to...

You might not find too many real antiques anymore, but it is still a lot of fun to spend a Saturday or Sunday morning at Panjiayuan Market. Go early for best selection and not too many people. Watch your wallet and bag when you roam the packed alleys! You will find everything, jewlery, books, pottery and a large selection of arts and crafts. Don't miss the back part with the stone lions and Buddahs, it's worth a visit. My favorit is the section with the paintings. You will need to bargain but it's not always easy to get a good price. The market is open every day but there is not much going on during the week. Most dealers are only...