Sanlitun

Sanlitun is Beijing's most cosmopolitan entertainment district, a fashionable quarter in the Chaoyang area long associated with the city's nightlife, shopping and international community. Its proximity to the embassy district drew bars and foreign visitors decades ago, and it has since grown into a glossy hub of retail and dining.

Taikoo Li anchors the modern district. This open-air shopping complex of low, brightly clad buildings gathers global fashion flagships, cinemas, restaurants and cafes across a series of pedestrian plazas, and its striking architecture and giant video screens have made it a landmark of contemporary Beijing consumer culture.

Nightlife built the neighborhood's name. The infamous Sanlitun bar street was for years the center of the capital's after-dark scene, and although it has been repeatedly redeveloped and tamed, the area still holds a dense concentration of bars, clubs and live-music venues that draw a mixed local and expatriate crowd.

Food and fashion round out the appeal. International restaurants, trend-driven boutiques and a constant churn of new openings keep the district feeling current, and its streets are among the best in the city for people-watching and street style.

For visitors, Sanlitun shows the outward-looking, affluent side of Beijing. It is reached by subway and taxi and lies a short distance from the diplomatic quarter and several parks. The appeal lies in shopping, dining and nightlife rather than historic monuments, offering a break from the temples and imperial sites elsewhere in the city. Travelers curious about modern urban China and its consumer culture find it a lively, polished destination, busiest in the evening and on weekends when the plazas and bars fill. It pairs well with a daytime visit to the nearby workers' stadium area and green spaces.