Built in 1694 as the residence of the future Yongzheng Emperor, the site was later converted into a Tibetan Buddhist monastery and remains one of the most important of its kind outside Tibet. The complex is a series of richly decorated halls and courtyards filled with incense smoke and prayer wheels. Inside the Falun Dian stands a bronze statue of Tsongkhapa, founder of the Gelug (Yellow Hat) school. The highlight for many is the towering 18-metre-tall Maitreya Buddha carved from a single piece of sandalwood, housed in the Wanfu Pavilion.

Outer Island Expeditions offers everything visitors could want when it comes to the ocean. Outer Island Expeditions provides whale watching, fishing charters, kayaking, lighthouse tours and island tours.

Once a 1950s military factory complex, 798 has been converted into Beijing’s best-known contemporary art district. The old concrete workshops and warehouses now house galleries, studios, and design shops, featuring everything from major exhibitions to small, experimental shows. You’ll find photography, video art, installations, and plenty of one-off pieces that change all the time. The area has also filled up with cafés, bars, and restaurants, so it’s easy to spend a few hours wandering, eating, and people-watching. It’s in the Dashanzi area, northeast of the centre, and the mix of Mao-era industrial buildings and modern art is half the experience.

Olbia’s top sight is this medieval Pisan-Romanesque church, hewn out of Galluran granite. In the apse, there are two 13th-century frescoes — the left-hand one depicting San Simplicio, the patron saint of Olbia. The Festa di San Simplicio, Olbia’s biggest festival, is celebrated for three days in mid-May.