Three districts in Beijing, China to savor & linger in

Afriend planning a trip to Beijing opened a map, pointed to a hotel and said, "I should be able to walk from there to the Forbidden City easily, right?"

Not easily. Maps don't convey the city's size, which together with traffic and construction makes walking hard and even unpleasant at times. The best way to reach such far-flung attractions as the Beijing Zoo and Lama Temple is by taxi or subway, a frustration for people who like to explore on foot.

But there are some districts where travelers can wander freely. My favorites were Dongcheng, Chaoyang and Haidian.

Los Angeles Times, CA