Bell Tower to Houhai Stroll
Half-day walk from the Drum and Bell Towers through Shichahai's hutongs to Houhai Lake, tracing old Beijing's waterways and lanes.
Written and signed by Xiangqun LiWhat it actually is
A half-day citywalk linking the Drum and Bell Towers, bell-chime alleyways, Yandai Sloping Street, the Yinding (Silver Ingot) Bridge, and the Houhai lakeshore. Best in autumn when willow leaves turn gold and the lake glows at sunset.
Editor's take
Worth it on a clear autumn afternoon for any first-time Beijing visitor who wants one compact walk through hutongs, lakeshore and a Ming-era city gate. Skip if you only have a half day for the Forbidden City or Great Wall.
Essentials
Good to know
Shichahai Hutong & Houhai Half-Day
Half-day hutong and lake walk: Drum and Bell Towers -> Li Dang Hutong -> Yandai Sloping Street -> Yinding Bridge -> Houhai lakeshore -> Tangfang Cafe. ~3.5 km, mostly flat, easy pace. Recommended start: 14:00.
- 1
Drum and Bell Towers (Gulou & Zhonglou)· ~30 min
Two Ming-era (1368-1644) timekeepers that once rang the city's hours. Climb the drum tower for the lake view.
Walk 420 m, ~6 min to Li Dang Hutong (traditional Beijing alleyway lined with courtyard houses)
- 2
Li Dang Hutong· ~20 min
Bell-chime alley, named for the horse-collar bells once sold here. A typical Beijing Hutong (traditional Beijing alleyway lined with courtyard houses), perfect for casual photos.
Walk 320 m, ~4 min to Yandai Sloping Street
- 3
Yandai Sloping Street (Yandai Xiejie)· ~45 min
A Qing-Dynasty-era (1644-1912) merchant lane shaped like a tobacco pipe. Snacks, craft shops and the only surviving Qing post office counter in Beijing.
Walk 260 m, ~3 min to Yinding Bridge
- 4
Yinding Bridge (Yinding Qiao)· ~15 min
Small stone arch marking the old city's western edge. The classic Shichahai photo: lake, willow trees, drum tower.
Walk 480 m, ~6 min along the south shore to Houhai lakeside
- 5
Houhai Lakeshore Walk· ~60 min
Houhai (the rear lake, the largest of Shichahai's three connected lakes). Willow-lined path, courtyard rooftops, small craft breweries. Watch the sunset.
Walk 350 m, ~5 min to Tangfang Cafe
- 6
Tangfang Cafe (Tangfang Kafei)· ~40 min
Restored courtyard cafe on the south shore. Climb to the third or fourth floor for a drum-tower-at-dusk view over the lake.
Walk 500 m, ~6 min to Shichahai metro station
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Drum and Bell Towers Overlook
Stand between the Drum Tower (Gulou, the medieval timekeeper) and Bell Tower (Zhonglou) to frame a Beijing postcard: red walls, grey tiles and Beijing's straight north-south axis lined up behind you. The drum tower's west side is the cleaner angle.
Hutong (traditional Beijing alleyway lined with courtyard houses) Slow-Walk
Slip south from the towers through Li Dang Hutong (bell-chime alley, named for the horse-collar bells once sold here) and then Yandai Sloping Street (Yandai Xiejie, a tobacco-pipe-shaped merchant lane since the Qing Dynasty, 1644-1912). Eat street snacks, browse courtyard shops and let your camera catch the everyday Beijing.
Yinding Bridge at Golden Hour
Pause at the Yinding Bridge (Yinding Qiao, a small stone arch that once marked the old city's western edge) for the iconic Shichahai view: lake, willow trees and the drum tower reflected on still water. The light turns the lake gold roughly 30 minutes before sunset in October.
Hutong Slow-Walk Through Li Dang and Yandai
Slip south from the towers through Li Dang Hutong, named for the horse-collar bells once sold here, and Yandai Xiejie, a tobacco-pipe-shaped merchant lane since the Qing Dynasty. Eat street snacks, browse courtyard shops and let your camera catch everyday Beijing.