As the National Day holiday (October 1-7) approaches, Beijing is preparing to offer over 2,400 cultural events and a wide range of travel itineraries to make it easier for locals and tourists alike to experience the city's nighttime charm in bike tours and attractive suburban landscapes. 

[Photos via Beijing Daily]

Beijing's public cultural service organizations, spanning all levels, will host 843 cultural events in 933 sessions during the holiday, including lantern festivals, garden parties, theatrical productions, reading promotions, and experiences related to intangible cultural heritage. This year's Beijing Color Lantern Festival, the largest-ever lantern festival in Beijing, will continue to festoon the city during the holiday.

Ticket sales for 1,556 sessions of 307 commercial performances have been opened so far. The 27th Beijing Music Festival will take place during the holiday. Several international artistic masterpieces, including the musical "Anna Karenina", the dance drama "Carmen", and "Bollywood", an iconic song and dance show from India, will also add different kinds of excitement to the holiday.

 [Photo via VCG]

Autumn is the most beautiful season in Beijing. You can follow the 10 "Wandering in Beijing" routes for admiring the sunset and moonlight, the 12 golden autumn rural art roaming routes, and the "Beijing by Moonlight" night tour recommendation guide, among others. It is a good idea to take a sightseeing bus along the gorgeous Central Axis, Qianmen, Bird's Nest and Water Cube to discover the beauty of the Central Axis and its extensions. At the Badaling and Mutianyu sections of the Great Wall, you will be treated to starry skies, tremendous views and fancy shows. You can also stroll the streets at night to find the beauty of the 1,000-year-old "Ancient Camel Bell Road" amid the lights at Moshikou Historical and Cultural Block.

It is worth mentioning that Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism has specially designed a cycling route of which the shape resembles the Chinese characters "北京" (Beijing). The bustle and rich cultural legacy of Beijing may be experienced by riding through the streets and lanes and past well-known tourist attractions, including the Drum Tower, Nanluoguxiang (South Luogu Lane), Guijie Street, and the Imperial College (Guozijian).

(Source: The Beijing News)