Gubei Water Town, a popular scenic spot in the suburban area of China's capital Beijing, is gearing up for the winter tourism season with holiday decorations and a Christmas market.

The tourist attraction, at the foot of the Simatai Great Wall in Beijing's Miyun District, is now celebrating the holiday season with traditional decorations and various festive activities.

One of the biggest attractions in Gubei is its Christmas market, decorated to the nines in the town's biggest square. Classic Christmas images of Santa and his reindeer are displayed in the background of the ancient town and on the Great Wall, creating a mix of Western and Chinese cultures.

For those who can't make the trip home overseas for Christmas because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the festive spirit in town offers a cure for their homesickness.

"We're from Italy, and we came here from Tianjin. And we're here for Christmas," said an Italian boy at the market.

"We miss the Christmas atmosphere from Europe. So here is feeling a bit like home," his father added.

The water town has also provided a family friendly environment where children can play games with staff members in costumes and make gingerbread houses with their parents.

The quaint water town of Gubei is famous for its ancient structures constructed in styles from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) to Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

The area features narrow canals and stone bridge-replicas of typical scenes usually found in the water towns of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River.