The Summer Palace
It was a hot summer day in Beijing, and the emperors of old are like, 'Not dealing with this heat in the Forbidden City.' So they built this massive getaway spot - The Summer Palace. It’s basically their version of a luxury vacation home, but on steroids. Think grand gardens, a huge lake, and these gorgeous pavilions where they’d chill, write poetry, and escape the heat & hustle. It’s history, art, and nature all in one.
Recommended sightseeing time: 0.5-1 day
Address: No. 19, Gongmeng Road, Haidian District, Beijing
The Summer Palace Ticket Prices & Promotions
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Summer Palace Ticket (Adult)
Forbidden City Admission Ticket for 1 adult, Age 11–59.
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Summer Palace Ticket (Child)
Child Age 4-10 years old
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Summer Palace Ticket + Guide
Incl main entrance ticket + 1-1.5 hours guided tour for Adult.
Best Hotels near Summer Palace, Beijing
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Aman Summer Palace
900m straight line from Summer Palace
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Truego Hotel
1.79km straight line from Summer Palace
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The Lakeview Hotel
3.5km straight line from Summer Palace
Reviews of Summer Palace Beijing
4.7/5
7416 reviews
4/5
"The pinnacle of landscape garden design, the Empress Dowager's backyard." Located in the northwestern suburbs of Beijing, the Summer Palace is the largest and best-preserved imperial garden in China. Its predecessor was the Qingyi Garden, built by Emperor Qianlong to honor his mother. It was later burned down by the Anglo-French allied forces. During the Guangxu era, Empress Dowager Cixi misappropriated naval funds for a large-scale reconstruction and renamed it "Summer Palace" as her retirement residence. It skillfully blends the gentle beauty of the Jiangnan water towns (such as West Lake in Hangzhou) with the grandeur of northern imperial architecture, earning it the reputation of a "museum of imperial gardens."
Garden Layout and Key Attractions: The Summer Palace covers an area of 2.9 square kilometers (approximately 40 times the size of Prince Gong's Mansion!), with water accounting for three-quarters of its area. The Summer Palace is primarily composed of two main areas: Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake.
• The Palace Area (Politics and Daily Life): Upon entering the palace gates, the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity (Renshou Hall) was where Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu received foreign dignitaries and handled state affairs. The Hall of Joyful Longevity (Leshou Hall) was Empress Dowager Cixi's former residence, its courtyard filled with magnolias and crabapple trees, exuding extravagance.
• Longevity Hill (Fragrance of Buddha Pavilion Landscape Axis): Longevity Hill is the visual center of the Summer Palace. The Pavilion of Fragrant Buddha, built against the hill, is the landmark of the entire garden, offering panoramic views of Kunming Lake. At the foot of the hill is the famous Long Corridor, 728 meters long, with tens of thousands of colorful paintings of Journey to the West, Dream of the Red Chamber, and other works on its transverse railings, making it the Guinness World Record holder for "the world's longest gallery."
• Kunming Lake (A Miniature of Jiangnan Water Towns): Designed in the style of West Lake in Hangzhou. The most eye-catching feature is the Seventeen-Arch Bridge, with a large bronze ox with a vivid design at its head; and a stone boat (Qingyan Boat) carved entirely from marble is moored on the lakeside, a unique architectural blend of Chinese and Western styles within the park.
5/5
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5/5
Incredible place and our guide was amazing too. I highly recommend this English-language tour.
5/5
If you enjoy active recreation and are interested in exploring the old palace, then I highly recommend it!!
5/5
Yes, it's a wonderful place, very beautiful and historically interesting. The audio guide is in Russian, but it's not very good; it's read by an AI, without any soul. Allow plenty of time for your walk to see everything interesting! The only downside is the crowds (maybe only on weekends).
892806 booked
