Yandai Xiejie

Beijing


So named for its yesteryear trade in pipes and the demon weed (that's tobacco, not opium), 'Tobacco Pouch Lane' is a short, crooked alley of touristy shops running northeast from Houhai Lake towards the Drum Tower. One or two older shops do still sell the occasional pipe, but it's mostly T-shirts, gifts, snacks and the like.

At number 37, Guangfu Temple (广福观) is a Taoist place of worship dating back to the Ming dynasty. It served as a bar and restaurant before being restored as a temple in 2007 when Yandai Xiejie received a pre-Olympics makeover.