Nanluoguxiang / South Luogu Lane

More than 700 years old, Nanluoguxiang is one of the few well-preserved areas of the old city. It has been updated with hundreds of bars, cafes and boutiques run by creative youngsters.

Measuring 786 meters long, but just 8 meters wide, the street snakes through the neighborhood at the northern end of the Forbidden City. Some famous residences of old Chinese artists, politicians and social activists from the past are spread throughout the alley, or "hutong."

798 Art Zone

This would be on the top of my list! Named after the 798 factory that was built in the 1950s, the art zone situated in the northeast part of Beijing is home to various galleries, design studios, art exhibition spaces, fashionable shops and bars.

You could easily spend half your day wandering around the complex, feeling the contrast of the present and the past. Rusted industrial plants and crisscrossed pipelines create an intriguing backdrop to the elaborate graffiti-covered brick walls.

Galleries worth checking out include the Pyongyang-based Mansudae Art Studio, which exhibits the work of DPRK artists and sells DPRK collections, as well as art exhibitions from Japan's Teamlab. It frequently holds significant fashion events and international art festivals as well.