Beijing by Torchlight: Tour Beijing with the Torch Relay

Tian'anmen Square and the Forbidden City

It's early morning and the flag has just gone up on another day. The rays of the sun come east down Chang'an Avenue and illuminate the faces of the people who have made the pilgrimage to see the flag raised in dramatic fashion by the precision-drilled army team.

The largest city square in the world, Tian'anmen is a great place to fly kites, people-watch, or as a starting point for your explorations of the surrounding sights: great bargain shopping and hutongs to the south, Mao's Tomb, the impressive National Museum to the east, and the Forbidden City to the north.

In any single visit to the Forbidden City you come away feeling you've missed more than you've seen. Containing several museums that are in themselves full-day expeditions, like the Queen s Palace and the halls containing the spectacular Qing clock collection, the secret to seeing this immense palace in a day is to play hide-and-seek with the tour groups, first going up the "sides", and then back down the "middle" to see the main structures later in the day when the caps and flags (the massed bus tour groups) are less numerous.

Don't miss the imperial gardens with their spectacular flowers and sculptured trees, and the secluded courtyards off to the east and west where the tour groups never go. The hills behind the Forbidden City are also worth a visit for the panoramic views over the rooftops of this ancient imperial palace and over Beijing.

The Temple of Heaven

If anything can rouse you from your bed early on a cool spring morning it's the morning sky above the Temple of Heaven. A correct translation of the name would probably be Altar  of Heaven, as that is the function of many of the structures in the grounds of this beautiful wooded area: they are altars upon which the emperor would make sacrifices to Heaven for national fortune in the coming year, and atone for misdeeds past.

Winter solstice was the auspicious time for the ritual and the day before, the emperor and his retinue would present at the southern gate, give the signal, and wait to hear the sacrifices had been carried out perfectly. The slightest slip-up was said to have dire consequences for the state of the nation.

The proper way to explore the Temple of Heaven is thus to go as early in the morning as possible, leave the guidebook in the hotel, visit the central structures and then allow yourself plenty of time to simply ramble over the 267 hectare park in whatever direction your interest takes you.

The Summer Palace

Originally more of a hunting lodge for Chinas imperial rulers, Emperor Qianlong dramatically expanded the role and facilities of this vast park. As anyone who has visited Beijing in the high summer knows, the city often bakes in temperatures well over 30 degrees C, and it s at these times a house at the edge of a large body of water seems a very good idea indeed.

Heavily damaged twice by foreign troops in punitive attacks, the Summer Palace was largely rebuilt in 1888, and in the early 1900s.

Spectacular views are available from South Lake Island (reached by a beautiful 17-arch bridge) towards Longevity Hill, and back from the upper slopes of the hill towards and across the lake. If there is a breeze, a snack in one of the restaurants built into the historic facades can be a lovely way to soak up the imperial atmosphere.

Recent extensive restoration programs have ensured that the Summer Palace will continue to look its best up to and after the 2008 Olympic Games.

The Great Wall

Several parts of this amazing and spectacular structure are easily accessible as daytrips from Beijing. Here we highlight the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall:

Mutianyu

This is where the Torch Relay will come to the Great Wall. With its appealing scenery (orchards, wooded hillsides) and a cable-car option to avoid the strenuous climb if you should so choose, this is the second most popular part of the wall after Badaling, and yet not too crowded. Responding to numerous requests, the local authorities have banned touts from the actual wall itself so once you are through the throng at the main gate your climb up and onto the Wall itself should be frustration free. Many excellent vistas and photo opportunities, although some of the restoration work is inauthentic. Especially beautiful in the rain (the slicked dark surfaces of the Wall will make your photos truly stunning) and mysterious in fog, so dont let inclement weather postpone your trip. Unlike some wilder sections of the wall, this is easy to get to by hotel, public or tour bus, or by hiring a taxi for the round journey.