Of the more than 1,000 Hutongs left there are some distinctive ones, attracting thousands of tourists from home and abroad, the longest one is the Dongjiaominxiang Hutong, with a total length of 6.5 kilometers (4 miles), lying between Chang'an Avenue and East and West Qianmen Streets.

The shortest one is the Yichi Street, measuring about 25 meters (82 feet). The Jiuwan Hutong, with about 13 turns, is the most tortuous one and can easily make you lost. The narrowest is the Qianshi (Money Market) Hutong, measuring about 30 to 40 meters (32 to 44 yards), located in Zhubaoshi Street outside the Qianmen Gate. The narrowest part is merely 40 centimeters (16 inches) wide, so when two people meet, they must turn sideways to pass each other.

The widest one is the Lingjing Hutong in Xicheng District. The one with the longest history is the Sanmiaojie Hutong, whose construction can be traced back to the Liao Dynasty (907–1125). The lanes have their own layout and structure, and when viewed from the air the combination of the lanes and courtyards resemble a chessboard with delicate gardens, fine rockeries and ancient ruins this makes them a wonder in the world. Because of the cross interlacement of the lanes every houses connected to the other, making it easy for local people to keep in touch with their neighbors. Therefore, once one enters any of the lanes, one can feel the deep and warm relationships among people, which is rarely found in this modern world.

How to get around in Hutongs:

The best way to experience hutong life is to simply wander around the alleys, either on foot or by bicycle. Good places to start include the alleys around the Drum Tower, those branching off from the newly-gentrified bar-street alley called Nanluogu Xiang and those found directly southwest of Tiananmen Square in an area known as Dashilan.

For something more regal, try the imperial hutong courtyards, including those once lived in by royal eunuchs, in the area immediately northeast of Jingshan Park, just north of the Forbidden City. If you're keen on retail therapy, one must-see hutong is Nanluoguxiang in the Gulou, or Drum and Bell Tower, district, which has several kilometers of shops, galleries and cafés that range from the chic to the kitschy.

You'll find lots of cool T-shirts here (Plastered has a good line) featuring tricked-out images of everything from Mao Zedong to garden gnomes. You can go around those existent hutongs by richshaw too. You will visit local families, eat home cooked lunch and learn Beijing folk arts (Papercutting, Inside Painted Snuff Bottles, Shuttlecock and Yoyo), having an authentic picture of Beijing.

How to Get To the Best-known Hutongs:

Dongjiaomin Xiang or Beijing Legation Quarter (東交民巷)

1. Dongjiaomin Xiang or Beijing Legation Quarter (東交民巷) Location: on the east of Tiananmen Square Surrounding attractions: Tian’anmen Square, St. Michaels Church, and the Forbidden City Buses: 2, 20, 22, 120, 126, 203, 210, Special Line 1, or Special Line 2 to Tian’anmen Square East Subway: Line 2 to Qianmen, Exit A, or Line 2 or Line 5 to Chongwenmen, Exit A

2. Xijiaomin Xiang (西交民巷) Location: on the west of Tian’anmen Square Surrounding attractions: Tian’anmen Square, National Center for the Performing Arts, China Numismatic Museum, and the Forbidden City Buses: 2, 5, 20, 120, 126, 210, Special Line 1, or Special Line 2 to Tian’anmen West Subway: Line 2 to Qianmen, Exit A, or Hepingmen, Exit B1 or B2 3.

Guozijian Street (國子監(jiān)街) Location:east of Andingmen Inner Avenue and around the corner from Yonghegong Lama Temple, Dongcheng District Surrounding attractions: Yonghegong Lama Temple, Guozijian, Confucius Temple, and the Temple of Earth Getting there: bus No. 13 or 684 to Guozijian stop; Subway line 2 or line 5 to Yonghegong Lama Temple 4.

Tobacco Pouch Street (煙袋斜街) Location: west off Di’anmen Outer Avenue, Xicheng District Surrounding attractions: the Drum Tower Buses: 5, 82, 124, 210, or 635 to Gulou 5.

Nanluogu Xiang (南鑼鼓巷) Location: between Di'anmen East Avenue and Gulou East Avenue, Dongcheng District Surrounding attractions: Ju’er Hutong, Mao’er Hutong, and Sengge Rinchen Palace Buses: 13, 60, 118, 612, or 623 to Luogu Xiang, or 107, 124, or 204 to Xiaojingchang 6.

Mao’er Hutong (帽兒胡同) Location: running west to east from Di’anmen Outer Avenue to Nanluoguo Xiang, Dongcheng District Surrounding attractions: Nanluogu Xiang and Ju’er Hutong, the Drum Tower, and Keyuan Garden, Buses: 60, 82, 90, 107, 124, or 204 to Di’anmenwai 7.

Ju’er Hutong (菊兒胡同) Location: start from Jiaodaokou South Avenue to Nanluogu Xiang, Dongcheng District Surrounding attractions: Nanluogu Xiang and Mao’er Hutong Buses: 90, 104, 108, 113, 612, or 758 to Jiaodaokou South 8.

Liulichang Street (琉璃廠) Location: near Peace Gate (Hepingmen), running from west to east from Nanliu Xiang to Yanshou Street and intersecting South Xinhua Avenue, Xuanwu District Famous shops in Liulichang: Rongbaozhai and China Bookshop Buses: 7, 14, 15, 66, or 70 to Liulichang Subway: Line 2 to Hepingmen, Exit D1 or D2 9.

Jinyu Hutong (金魚胡同) Location: from Dongdan North Avenue to Wangfujing Street, Dongcheng District Surrounding attractions: Wangfujing Street and Wangfujing Church (St. Joseph's Wangfujing Cathedral) Buses: 106, 108, 110, 111, 116, 204, 614 684, or 685 to Mishi Street Subway: Line 5 to Dengshikou, Exit C 10.

The Eight Hutongs (八大胡同) Location: between West Zhushikou Street and Tieshu (Sago Palm) Street Surrounding attractions: Tian’anmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, and Liulichang Street Buses: 2, 20, 48, 59, 66, 69, 77, 120, 201, 203, 626, 729, Special Line 7, or Special Line 11to Dashanlan (near Dali Hutong and Xiaoli Hutong), or Bus 5 to Wanming Road (near Stone Hutong)

Wonderful Beijing Tours including Visit to Hutongs

Hotels surrounding Hutongs