Beijing’s Silk Street is a massive shopping centre found in the Chinese capital. It houses nearly two thousand vendors and is open daily from 9 am to 9 pm. The shopping centre receives nearly twenty thousand visitors daily with that number sometimes doubling and tripling during the weekend. The building contains seven floors, and roughly thirty five thousand square metres of retail space. It opened in 2005 to serve as an alternative to the Xiushui Silk Market.

The original Xiushui Silk Market was situated south of Ritan. It consisted of about four hundred shops, many of them selling clothes, especially products made from silk. It was highly popular among locals and tourists alike, as practically anything could be found here at a very affordable price. It operated for about twenty years before being demolished due to lax safety standards.

Currently Silk Street is the place to go to get all kind of clothes, electronics, household items and even souvenirs. Tourists should be wary though as some places do sell counterfeit goods. However, with stricter government regulations, the problem is not as prevalent as before. It is an excellent place for shopping and one can easily spend several hours at the market without noticing the time going by. There are also several restaurants and other eateries where one can grab a meal after a glorious day of shopping.

While Silk Street is easily one of the most popular shopping centres in the Chinese capital, there are plenty of lesser known areas that are also worth visiting. The Sanlitun area is slightly less upscale than Silk Street but still offers plenty of shopping options. The Yabaolu district is home to many Russian stalls. As for those looking to make bulk purchases the Wangfujing and Xidan regions are the best options.

Tourists looking for a luxury apartment in Beijing can try the Ascott Beijing. They offer conveniently located Beijing accommodation complete with all the best modern amenities that can be found. Attractions in the vicinity include the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square and the Xiushui Silk Market. One can also find plenty of restaurants in the area, making it a convenient place to stay.