http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/ Welcome to Been there. Your tips on the places you know - that you love, live in or have just visited - are what make this guide. http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20048 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20048 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19777 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19777 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19758
By the way, a good coffee isn’t the easiest thing to come by in Beijing unless you like Starbucks (yep, ’fraid so) but Shauna Liu, the owner, knows a mean brew.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19758 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19635 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19635 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19571 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19571 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19535
They serve the best pizza in Beijing and it's perfect for when you get tired of gloopy soup and fatty Chinese pork. If you're only in town for a short stay you should, of course, try local dishes (especially duck) but after a few days you'll probably want to try Kro's Nest.

It's not easy to find though. Apparently there are a couple of branches but I've only been to the one at Workers' Stadium.

I read about it in Beijing for Beginners: An Irishman in the People's Republic and it has been a life-saver since.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19535 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19530
It was built as a bomb shelter during the cold war between China and Russia to protect party officials but the the mobile signals show the quality of construction. 50s propaganda movies and memorabilia set the scene. Serves Gold Star Yanjing beer!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19530 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19493 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19493 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19449 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19449 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19447 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19447 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19448 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19448 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19446 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19446 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19445
The park was built in the Jin Dynasty (1186). The park is open all year around but the best time to visit it is in autumn, when all the leaves turn red/orange colour and it will just leave you mesmerized. Běijīng Zhíwùyuán (Beijing Botanical Gardens), are located next to the foot of Xiāngshān. It's a world away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre, and would be ideal for anyone who wants to while away their time in beautiful surroundings, including the greenhouse and a special rose garden that contains at least five types of rose flower. Quite romantic too!

After spending the day at Xiāngshān and Běijīng Zhíwùyuán, it would provide a nice ending to the day if you visited the town of Wu Dao Kou - an area near the Tsinghua and Beijing Universities, popular with tourists, foreign students and expats alike. There are a myriad of restaurants of all different types of cuisines (including Indian, Italian and Mexican). There are also some nice Japanese and Korean restaurants where you can drink authentic Japanese or Korean beer over a nice meal.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19445 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19444 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19444 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19443 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19443 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19442
Yunnan specialities include goat's cheese (rubing), pineapple rice (bolo fan), 'crossing the bridge' noodles (guo qiao mixian), proscuitto-like cuts of ham and the hot, fresh wonderfulness which is Dai mint salad.

There's no English menu but everything is illustrated with photos. Yunnan food is very trendy in Beijing and can be hugely overpriced, but a meal here for two with Yunnan beer or tea shouldn't cost more than £10. Highly, highly recommended.

Set back from the road, Yunteng Shifu looks to be part of a posh housing estate. Look for the building with large gold characters down the side of it and stone steps leading up to the entrance.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19442 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19441 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19441 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19440 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19440 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18962 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18962 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18468 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18468