Summer Palace颐和园
The Qing imperial garden on Kunming Lake: the Long Corridor, the Marble Boat and Longevity Hill.
Photo: HoweyYuan · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Best time
- Spring and autumn; winter when the lake freezes is atmospheric.
- Nearest base
- Beijing
About Summer Palace
The Summer Palace was laid out in the 18th century, burned by Anglo-French forces in 1860 and rebuilt by the Empress Dowager Cixi in the 1880s. It is a vast landscape garden, with Longevity Hill rising above Kunming Lake.
Walk the 700-metre painted Long Corridor along the shore, climb to the Tower of Buddhist Incense, and take a boat across the lake to the Seventeen-Arch Bridge.
Tickets and getting there
- Booking
- Book online with your passport; the through ticket includes the main halls.
- How to get there
- Metro Line 4 to Beigongmen (North Palace Gate), or a DiDi from central Beijing (around 45 minutes).
Almost every major sight in China books by passport number. See what to set up before you fly.
Highlights
- Long Corridor — Thousands of painted scenes on the beams.
- Tower of Buddhist Incense — Views over the lake.
- Marble Boat — Cixi’s stone pavilion on the lake.
- Seventeen-Arch Bridge — Best at sunset in late autumn.
Field notes
- Enter by the North Palace Gate and walk downhill towards the lake to save energy.
Staying in Beijing
You might also like
The Great Wall near Beijing
Which section to choose — Mutianyu, Badaling, Jinshanling, Jiankou or Simatai — and how to get there without a tour bus.
Forbidden City (Palace Museum)
The palace of 24 Ming and Qing emperors: how to book, which route to take, and what most visitors miss.
Temple of Heaven
Where Ming and Qing emperors prayed for good harvests — and where Beijingers now come to dance, sing and play cards every morning.
FAQ
Is the Summer Palace worth visiting if I have seen the Forbidden City?
Yes — it is a garden landscape rather than a palace compound, and much more relaxed.
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