Beijing

Summer Palace

An imperial garden of lake, hill and long corridor

By EvanFacts reviewed 4 October 2026

Book it with usUSD 7 per person per sight, plus the ticket at face value.

Photo (cropped and resized): Regina800809, CC BY-SA 3.0

Why it's worth the trip

The Summer Palace brings a whole landscape of lake and hill inside the imperial walls. Kunming Lake fills three quarters of the grounds, a painted corridor runs along its shore, and the Tower of Buddhist Incense rises from Longevity Hill behind. On a summer day, with a breeze off the water and willows trailing in it, you understand why the Empress Dowager Cixi chose to spend long seasons here.

It is a beautiful place with a sad history. British and French troops burned it in 1860; Cixi rebuilt it, reputedly with money taken from the navy's budget; and after his reforms failed in 1898, the young Guangxu Emperor was held prisoner in a small courtyard by the lake. Walking the shore with that in mind changes how it feels.

Even the lake was shaped by hand. In 1749 and 1750 the Qianlong Emperor had the old lake here widened and deepened to twice its size. It became a reservoir for the imperial gardens west of the city, and he laid out a new garden around it, so every view here was planned. It is too big to see in one go, so choose a side. The front of Longevity Hill, with the corridor, the tower and the Marble Boat, is the classic walk and the busiest. Behind the hill, Suzhou Street is a rebuilt canal street where eunuchs and palace maids once played shopkeepers for the court. For the least climbing, follow the east shore to the Seventeen-Arch Bridge.

Don't miss

The Long Corridor
Walk the 728 metres of covered corridor along the lake and look up: more than 14,000 paintings on its beams, scene after scene from Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Journey to the West, like turning the pages of a picture book.
The Marble Boat
At the corridor's western end, a great boat of stone sits by the shore, going nowhere forever. The cabin on top looks like stone too, but it is wood painted to look like marble.
The Hall of Jade Ripples
A small courtyard by the lake, inside the East Palace Gate, where Guangxu was kept. Look into the side rooms: the brick walls built to shut him in are still there.

Fitting it in

Time to give it: Three to four hours to walk from one gate to another. A boat across the lake saves your legs, though there may be a queue. Add the Old Summer Palace and it is a full day.
When to go: Come in the morning and walk the lake shore while it is cool. Spring brings magnolias and peach blossom on the West Causeway, autumn turns the hill gold, and on a few clear evenings around the winter solstice the setting sun lights every arch of the Seventeen-Arch Bridge at once.
Pair it with: If you still have the legs, the Old Summer Palace is a stop or two south on Metro Line 4. The same army burned it in the same year, and only broken stone palaces remain. Standing among those ruins stays with you longer than any intact hall.
Who can skip it: It is in the north-western suburbs, so even a quick visit takes half a day. If time is tight, Beihai Park beside Jingshan is a smaller imperial lake garden right in the centre. And if Hangzhou is on your route, you will see the original there: the West Lake this garden copies.

Questions travellers ask

Is the Summer Palace worth visiting?

Yes, if you have half a day. It is Beijing's great lake garden: water covers about three quarters of the grounds, a 728-metre painted corridor follows the shore and a tower rises from the hill behind. On a fine day, with a breeze off the lake, it is the most relaxing of the imperial sights.

How long do you need at the Summer Palace?

Three to four hours to walk in at one gate and out at another. It lies about 15 kilometres north-west of the centre, so even a quick visit takes half a day. A boat across the lake saves your legs, and adding the Old Summer Palace makes it a full day.

What is the best time to visit the Summer Palace?

Morning, while the lake shore is cool. Spring, around April, brings magnolias and peach blossom, and autumn turns the hill gold. On a few clear evenings around the winter solstice in late December, the setting sun lights all 17 arches of the Seventeen-Arch Bridge at once.

What is the difference between the Summer Palace and the Old Summer Palace?

The Summer Palace is a complete garden; the Old Summer Palace is a ruin. British and French troops burned both in 1860, and only the Summer Palace was rebuilt, so its halls, corridor and lake are all there. At the Old Summer Palace, a stop or two south on Metro Line 4, you walk among the broken stone of its European-style palaces. Seeing both in one day tells the whole story.

Do I need to book Summer Palace tickets in advance?

Booking ahead is wise, especially at weekends and on holidays, and tickets are in each visitor's own name with a passport. The basic ticket covers the corridor, the lake shore and the bridges. A few places inside, such as the Tower of Buddhist Incense and Suzhou Street, have their own tickets, or you can buy the combined ticket that covers them all. We can check the rules for your date and book for you.

Sources: UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Summer Palace, an Imperial Garden in BeijingSummer Palace official siteBeijing government: Summer PalaceVisit Beijing: 颐和园长廊 (the Long Corridor)Beijing Municipal Forestry and Parks Bureau: 宜芸馆 and the Hall of Jade Ripples

Booking at a glance

From our attraction-booking rules.

Full guide

Summer Palace
Passport accepted
Yes
Real name
Yes
Confirmed when you enquire: when tickets open, ticket price
Admission or combined ticket; choose from the route you will walk. Carry the passport used for the booking.
Checked 12 Aug 2026
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