They rightly say the China World Trade Center, in the heart of Beijing’s Central Business District, is where China meets the world. The complex includes elite shopping, hotels, apartments, convention rooms and offices. Countless international trade shows and events have taken place in these enormous buildings. The richest of the rich come from around the globe to trade and flaunt their stuff. These towers are a center of the upper crust of the world. So, you may ask, what relevance does that have to the average expat living in or visiting Beijing?

There are plenty of reasons for us plain Joes (or Jos) to explore the China World Trade Center. For starters, you won’t be able to say you’ve seen Beijing if you miss two of the city’s famous buildings. Tower 3 is currently Beijing’s tallest building. And, while you’re exploring the Trade Center you will have a close-up view of the famed CCTV tower (pictured left).

The World Trade Center is one of the city’s easiest places to find. If you go by taxi, just say “Guomao.” Even if you don’t pronounce it quite right, drivers should know where to go. Traffic in the area is usually heavy, so allow plenty of time to get there. If you don’t mind standing in a crowd, I recommend avoiding traffic jams by taking the subway. The Trade Center is right at the intersection of lines 1 and 10.

The World Trade Center is an ideal destination for bad weather (or bad air) days. From the time you step out of the subway, you can go everywhere without going outside. The three towers and shopping mall are all connected underground. On a rainy day you can stay dry while you shop for groceries, go ice skating, hang out in a coffee shop and enjoy fine dining. There’s even a second floor bridge to the Kerry Center across the street to the north.

If you can afford it, there’s shopping at Tiffany’s and other upscale shops. The rest of us can enjoy Pizza Hut, Starbucks or Fat Burger while we gawk at people passing buy wearing $5,000 suits. Or if you so spent your last two Yuan for a subway ticket to the Trade Center, just enjoy the scenic walk going from tower to tower. There’s enough for everyone to enjoy.