Valentine's Day: What to do in Beijing

Valentine's Day is upon us. Whether you're in a relationship, single or somewhere in between, there are plenty of things to do in Beijing to enjoy yourself.

Here we've picked some of the easiest ways to indulge in a little romance on this special day. Happy Valentine's Day!

A poster for La La Land. [Photo/mtime.com]

Movie:

La La Land, with romance in the air!

Mega hit movie La La Land, which has so far won over 120 awards across the world, will be released in theaters on the Chinese mainland on Valentine's Day.

The musical romance, starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, revolves around the bittersweet story of an aspiring actress and dedicated jazz musician in Los Angeles. The movie is director Damien Chazelle's salute to old-fashioned Hollywood and its classic musicals, such as Singin' in the Rain and The Sound of Music.

Theater:

Ghost the musical

Ghost is a timeless fantasy about the power of love. The musical Ghost, adapted from the popular movie with the same name, is being staged at Beijing's Poly Theater. Feb 14 will be its final day in Beijing.

With leading actors Liam Doyle and Lucy Jones, the musical made its debut in Chinese cities in 2015, including Beijing, Qingdao and Shanghai. The production took Chinese audiences for a stroll down memory lane, thanks to the movie of which it's based.

Learn more here.

If you go:

Time: 7:30 pm, Feb 14

Venue: Beijing Poly Theater, 14 Dongzhimen South street, Dongcheng district

Ticket: 180-980 yuan

Contact: 400-610-3721

Concert:

An Evening of Love and Soul

Grammy Award winning pop icon Jody Watley has the distinction of being named "one of the most prominent visionaries of her era" by Wax Poetics magazine and one of the Greatest Dance Club Artists of All Time by Billboard Magazine in 2016, with millions of albums sold around the world.

Classic hits include Don't You Want Me, Looking for a New Love, as well as the balladsEverything and If I'm Not In Love.

If you go:

Time: 8 pm, Feb 14

Venue: Blue Note Beijing

Ticket: 520-820 yuan

Contact: 400-610-3721

More than love

For instrumental music lovers, it can also be a romantic night out at the Beijing Concert Hall where a repertoire list of classics including More Than Love, Annie's Wonderland, Turkish March and Kiss the Rain will be staged.

If you go:

Time: 7:30 pm, Feb 14

Venue: Beijing Concert Hall, 1 North Xinhua Street, Xicheng district.

Ticket: 99-1,314 yuan

Contact: 400-650-5050

Solana Lights Festival

The annual Solana Lights Festival is one of the major light festivals around Beijing, held from late December to February.

The Solana Festival will light up the night of Valentine's Day for you, which features illuminating installations by different artists, in partnership with the Yang Art Museum.

If you go:

Time: 5pm - 10pm

Venue: Solana Lifestyle Shopping Park, 6 Chaoyang Park road, Chaoyang district.

Ticket: Free

[Photo/mtime.com]

Watch a classic movie

Can't be bothered to go out on a workday night? Well, another alternative may be cozying up at home to watch a romantic movie.

While the classic Roman Holiday may be a must-watch on every Valentine's Day for some, others may enjoy the 2003 Love Actually directed by Richard Curtis.

If you like Chinese movies, try the nostalgic 2000 Hong Kong movie In the Mood for Love,directed by Wong Kar-Wai. Last year, the movie earned second place on a BBC list of the 100 best movies of the 21st century.