Around 220 yards of Guanghua Lu, take a right and enter Ritan Park at the West Gate. In the name of Olympic spirit, many of Beijing's parks have abolished entrance fees – and this just happens to be one of them. It is one of the oldest parks in Beijing, dating back to the 1530's when it was a place for Qing and Ming Dynasties emperors to pay homage to the God of the Sun. Today, it is a bit less exclusive, with tai chi enthusiasts, ballroom dancers, fitness fanatics and those just looking for a bit of respite in the shade of the droopy willow trees.

Head north up Ritan Xilu pass Guanghua Lu and you will come across stalls selling purple mink hats, mustard-hued fur jackets, and fluorescent green, knee-high boots. Chinese noodle houses are replaced by cafes selling borscht and pastries, and rickshaw drivers solicit you in Russian. You are now in the heart of Little Moscow, and even if you are not in the market for the fashion listed above, it is a fascinating place to window shop. Moscow restaurant, on the corner of Guanghua Lu and Ritan Xilu, is a popular Russian haunt, serving up hearty soups and creamy stroganoff with cheap vodka and live entertainment.

The blocks surrounding Ritan Park, or Temple of the Sun Park, are some of the most eclectic in Beijing, with Chinese, Russian and Western influences at every turn. Featuring three of the best markets in town, the area is teeming with bargain-hungry shoppers, as well as diplomats who call the local Jianguomen embassy district home, and Slavic traders selling furs in the stalls of 'Little Moscow'.

Begin with breakfast at Grandma's Kitchen in Xiushui Nanlu, off Jianguomenwai. Bottomless cups of coffee and hearty servings of pancakes or French toast will give all the energy you need for a big day of walking and shopping. In summer, nab a seat out the front and indulge in a spot of people watching.

Zhengguo Temple
As the oldest one of the eight temples, Zhengguo is thought to have been built in either the Tang or the Sui Dynasties. Facing south, it has two high stone steles on either side of its long entrance.

Entrance Fee:
CNY 10; Kids below 1.2 m are free of charge
CNY 50 for Cable Car; CNY 50 for Slide
CNY 80 for Combination ticket (including Cable Car and Slide)

Opening Hours:
06:00 - 20:00 (Apr. 16 to Aug. 31)
06:00 - 19:30 (Sep. 1 to Nov. 15)
06:00 - 19:00 (Nov. 16 to Apr. 15)

Bus Routes: Take Bus No. 347, 389, 622, 958 or 972 and get off at the last stop.

Xiangjie Temple (The Temple of the Fragrant World)
Largest of the temples, Xiangjie was built on Pingpo Hill around the year 760 during the Tang Dynasty. Its three doorways lead to five courtyards. One entrance displays an inscription, on a stone slab, written by the Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty. One courtyard contains an ancient pine which resembles a reclining dragon, thus attracting the name of 'Dragon Pine'.

Pearl Cave (The Cave of Precious Pearl)
Created in 1780, the cave, atop Pingpo Mount, is a perfect spot from which to view the sunrise and the panorama of Beijing. Emperor Qianlong wrote the inscriptions which can be found above the wooden archway to the hall, behind which the cave is located. Black and white gravel which forms parts of the cave's stone walls resemble glittering pearls, hence the cave's name.

Dabei Temple (Temple of Great Mercy)
Built before 1033 and with three courtyards, the Dabei Temple sits on a mountain slope that faces east. Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911) wrote an inscription over the entrance door, through which stand four heavenly kings. In front of the Daxiong Hall, green bamboos planted during the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) still thrive.

Dragon Spring Nunnery
Lying to the northwest of the Dabei Temple, this nunnery is also known as the Dragon Hall. It was built in 1425 and has five courtyards which are home to tall pines and cypresses which provide pleasant shade during the summer. Entrance to the nunnery is through a small door which leads visitors to spring water which flows through a dragon's mouth into a pond. The nunnery's Tingquan Pavilion serves tea.

Sanshan Nunnery (Three-hill Nunnery)
Constructed in 1151, this nunnery is surrounded by the Cui, Pinpo and Lushi Hills. Facing north, it has one courtyard and a main building used to house a statue of Sakyamuni. An inscribed board above the door writes 'Big World', while a slab of marble at the foot of the door is known for its beautiful veins that have formed into a beautiful landscape. When water is sprayed on the marble, pictures of waterfalls, figures, animals and clouds appear. Couplets on the back door of the site's east hall were written by a famed calligrapher named Chu Tunan.

Chang'an Temple (Temple of Eternal Peace)
Situated in the south of the park entrance and with its eastern aspect enclosed by a red wall, this temple was built in 1504. A brick wall opposite to the temple's entrance writes the Chinese inscription 'Arriving at Shangri-La'. Two courtyards, three halls and two 100-year-old healthy lacebark pine trees are the main features of the the temple.

Lingguang Temple (Temple of Divine Light)
This is the most prominent of the temples, though not the largest. Built between 766 and 779 during the Tang Dynasty, it is well known for its Dabei courtyard, a water-lily festooned gold-fish pool and pagoda. A gold-coated copper statue of the Sykyamuni Buddha, bequeathed by a Thai head monk, is enshrined in its main hall. A relic of the tooth of this Buddha was found in the ruins of Zhaoxian Pagoda, built in the Liao Dynasty (916 - 1125) and was later razed by invaders. A replacement pagoda now houses the tooth.

The Badachu, meaning 'Eight Great Sites', refers to the eight Buddhist temples and monasteries scattered across the Cuiwei, Pingpo and Lushi hills in the Shijingshan District, at the foot of Beijing's Western Hills Scenic Area. The Badachu Park is notable for its eight ancient temples, nunneries and a cave set amidst beautiful scenery on the southern slopes of the Western Hills.

With an area of 250 hectares, the ancient temples and nunneries were built at the end of the Sui Dynasty (581 - 618) and the beginning of the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907), and were renovated during the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties. The early 1990s saw the Badachu cable car and one of China's first chute slides brought into operation. The eight ancient Buddhist temples and monasteries are:

Easily reached by public transport, this popular recreational area features an excellent series of clearly marked paths and a chairlift allows visitors to select pleasant low-level, tranquil forest or strenuous hill walking. The best time to visit the park is late autumn, when the maple tree leaves turn red. The trees make the grandest display of all scattering all over the hills and look absolutely lovely. There are also groves of apricots, pears, peaches and lilacs adding their fragrance, and the more solemn evergreens, whose contribution to the local beauty is unrestricted by seasonal changes.