The most visited hutong in Beijing, and polarising for exactly that reason. Nanluoguxiang is a 700-metre lane laid out on a Yuan-dynasty grid, its eight branching alleyways of traditional grey-brick courtyard houses still largely intact. The main street has been heavily commercialised — craft beer bars, snack stalls, souvenir shops — but the side alleys remain quiet enough to suggest what old Beijing felt like. Mao'er Hutong, branching west, contains the former residence of Wan Rong, the last empress of China.
The crowds are worst on weekend afternoons; a weekday morning is more rewarding. The subway station (Line 6/8) is at the southern end. Allow at least an hour for the main street and one or two side alleys.