I am not recommending the Big Bell Tower for those in Beijing for a quick visit. Our quest for it one summer day seemed long and dusty - as it is not convenient to a metro stop & we could not figure out a bus that went that close either. I would describe it as more of an adventure or a quest than a pleasant tourist stop.
Photos online
Beijing, Beijing in 2004, Portraits of Beijing, Nine dragons, and "old" Beijing. Several different sections of the Great Wall are accessible from Beijing:
- Badaling (Wikipedia's entry, the “North Pass” of Juyongguan pass, known as the Badaling. see also Google Earth's Badaling),
- Mutianyu, and
- Simatai
If you are planning a trip. . . or love maps like we do:
"Best" online street map of Beijing or map of Beijing?
Downloadable subway map
Travel Map of Beijing
Tourist Maps of Beijing