The Rough Guide to Beijing is the ultimate insider�s guide to China's fascinating capital. With the extravagant 2008 Olympics marking the city's triumphant return to the global stage, the city now draws thousands of visitors a year by offering world-class hotels, fashionable restaurants and the coolest clubs alongside fantastic historic sites that remind us of the thousands of years it has spent at the heart of the Chinese empire. Both the popular and less well-known sights are covered in The Rough Guide to Beijing; from avant garde architectural projects (the new CCTV Tower), to hip bar district Nanluogu Xiang, and the achingly cool arts districts of 798 and Caochangdi. But the guide goes beyond the trendy, revealing the best places to eat and the best places to stay, ranging from charming youth hostels and courtyard boutique hotels to the most luxurious business behemoths. When the pace of the city gets too frenetic, the guide provides all the information you need to plan great daytrips, from the magnificent temples of Chengde to the grandest and most secluded stretches of the Great Wall. Easy to read maps are provided throughout the guide, plus there's a handy colour subway map, and the pinyin and Chinese characters are given for all destinations.