Longtan Lake of Longtan Park is located in the Southeast of Beijing. Built in 1952, the park covers an area of 500 000 square meters, and 40% is water. Now it has become a famous scenic spot because of its beautiful park scene and abundant culture connotation.

Longtan Park, or Dragon Pool Park rarely features on lists of the "must-see" elements of Beijing, but a stroll around the well-tended shores of the lake is a relaxing antidote to the hustle and bustle of some of the more crowded attractions.

While Longtan is certainly neither the biggest nor the most glamorous of Beijing's parks, a visit offers a chance to enjoy some open space, greenery and water.

Longtan Park is a great place to take a leisurely stroll, bring a picnic, or to feed the inquisitive resident ducks (as opposed to eating them). It makes a refreshing break from what can occasionally become the tiring pursuit of ticking off the impressive list of major sights that Beijing has to offer.

Opened in 1952, the park covers nearly half a square kilometer of land, of which just less than one third is covered by the Dragon Pool Lake which occupies the central space. Benches dot the grassy shores of the lake, the perimeter of which is crisscrossed by a series of footbridges. The remainder of the park has been landscaped with trees and flowers, as well as providing pleasant recreational spaces that are sheltered from the wind.

Address: Number 8 Longtan Road, Dongcheng District

How to get there: Take Bus 6, 8, 12, 35, 41, 60, 116, 807 to Beijing Amusement Park station.