But it's become popular with locals seeking refuge from a heat wave which has enveloped the city this week, with some areas experiencing temperatures of more than 40 degrees.

This year it's become so hot much earlier than Europe.

Coming here is a good way to escape the heat and get some relief.

Authorities have told people to reduce time spent outdoors.

Pregnant women and the elderly have been warned of the risk of heat stroke.

Pedestrians and cyclists are doing their best to protect themselves from the scorching sun.

The capital is not alone in experiencing this sweltering heat.

Soaring temperatures have struck all over the country's north, from the eastern province of Shandong to Xinjiang in the far west, breaking national records for the usual temperature at this time of year.

Authorities in Hebei and Henan provinces have issued a red and orange alert, the second and most severe warnings for high temperatures.

Outdoor cleaners are replaced by mist cannon trucks to cool down streets and control dust.

In Xinjiang, the 42-degree heat wave didn't deter tourists from visiting a site called Flaming Mountain.

A thermometer baking under the sun showed the temperature of this steel at 75 degrees Celsius.

I have never had this feeling before, like being roasted in a furnace.

It's an unforgettable experience.

China's National Climate Center has warned of more hotter-than-average days to come this summer, linking the trend to the El Niño weather pattern.

Scientists say climate change is also to blame.

China is the world's biggest emitter of greenhouse gases and has been experiencing months of extreme weather.

This unseasonably hot June follows China's hottest May on record and one of its coldest winters.

Katrina Yu, Al Jazeera, Beijing.