Hutong Schmutongs

One of the great but quickly becoming exploited neighborhoods of Beijing would be the hutongs. The hutongs are alleys formed by the courtyard residences of Siheyuan traditional houses. While a lot of the original hutongs have been demolished to make way for new roads and buildings some have been protected. Recently even some hutongs have been reconstructed since they have become a tourist hotspot.

While some Hutongs seem overly touristy we were lucky to find a few off the beaten path where the coffee was delicious and the beer was cold. Our two favorite liquids to drink while exploring a new city. There were also some cheap shopping to be found while walking around at night. Plenty of dresses, bracelets and and Mao inspired goods lined the dark alley ways.