Glimpse Old China as you ride a traditional rickshaw into the city’s ancient back lanes of hutong neighborhoods. Life is lived much as it has been for centuries in these protected pockets of Beijing. Here, narrow city alleys border courtyards around which local families have lived for generations. Most hutongs were built during the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, from 1279 to 1911. You will climb aboard a rickshaw and head into these fascinating corridors, where the sights and sounds of everyday life take over your senses, from the laughter of friends rising from a garden to the sweep of a broom on a front stoop to the waft of dumplings emanating from a kitchen window. Pause during your tour to visit a local family and witness daily life in this tight-knit community. Conclude your visit at the Bell and Drum Square, overlooked by a stunning red tower.