The newly designed, high-speed metro train service in the city help transport tourists to events and main attractions.

Among the must-see attractions are the famous Forbidden City - where visitors can stroll through the residences of China's former emperors - and the monolithic Great Wall of China.

The Beijing tourism authority has suggested a number of culinary and nightlife hotspots, too.

On the list are the happening Houhai Bar Street and famous restaurants Kaorou Ji and Dasanyuan. But tourists looking for a taste off the beaten track, should aim for restaurants recommended or thronged by locals, as food leads straight to the heart of Chinese culture.

With the Olympic celebrations, locals are surely ready to showcase their national culture; especially their unique cuisine. Be sure to try the famous Beijing - or as it was previously known, Peking Duck - a world-famous delicacy and dine on Dim Sum family-style with the local Chinese.

Other places to visit include the Drum Tower, Beijing's "Big Ben" and original time-keeper. Around the tower is an antique market worth exploring and the bustling Hutong fruit market.

Interesting parts of Beijing also include the Underground City near Tiananmen Square, a subterranean network built when the country feared Soviet invasion in the 1960s and the Ancient Observatory, an incredibly preserved Tibetan temple.

As for places to stay, Agoda, an online hotel bookings site (agoda.com) that specialises in Asia, offers some of the best hotel deals in town.

There are some great hotel rooms still available during the Olympics. For last minute reservations, rates are similar to those found during peak periods in New York or London. Luxury five-star properties like the Wangfujing Grand Hotel charges USD800 per night and other five-star properties like the Nikko New Century and Zhongyu Century Grand Hotel have been quoting USD530 and 465, respectively. However, if you know your way around Beijing or speak a bit of Mandarin, there are definitely some hidden jewels available in the lower categories.

Agoda's Best Beijing Hotel Deals include those offered by Hotel Star, Radegast Hotel CBD Beijing, Furamaxpress Hotel Yansha Beijing and Beijing Sentury Apartment Hotel