Visit the Summer Palace in Beijing: tickets, prices, schedules

A mixture of immensity, harmony, purity and demeasure, as only China knows how to do. Visit the Summer Palace in Beijing.

China has many wonders on UNESCO’s world heritage. Among them, the incredible Beijing Summer Palace. The place, however just a few kilometers from the megalopolis, seems to bathe out of time. It houses an imperial garden among the most beautiful and saved in the world. At the edge of these green expanses, the arched pavilions fill crystalline waters.

Everywhere, the temples melt into the landscape and touch the heavens with their delicate shapes and sparkling colours. The buildings follow each other, pay tribute to art, traditions, nature, religions and also bear witness to the resilience of the Chinese following the many devastations of the place.

If you are planning to visit the Summer Palace in Beijing, follow our mini guide. Discover its history, prices, schedules and tips.

History of the Summer Palace in Beijing

We're in 1750. A crystalline lake and its surroundings enamelled with temples, pavilions, palaces and lush vegetation becomes the mark of imperial families. The long history of the Beijing Summer Palace begins...

He knew his hour of glory under the reign of Qianlong 18th century. The latter decided to renovate and enlarge this enclosure, yet already sublime. He made it a true paradise on Earth.

This jewel, however, was first destroyed in the 19th century during the opium war. Then burned again a hundred years later. Meanwhile, Empress Cixi ordered his renovation. After a third renaissance, it was necessary to wait until the last century for the site to find the face it has today. Nevertheless, you should know that the real old Summer Palace is not quite in the same place. The looting and the ruins were right for him.

Inscribed to Unesco’s world heritage, the Summer Palace symbolizes to perfection the Chinese artistic expression, its harmonious curves, its extraordinary association between nature and artificial elements. Much more than an imperial garden, it represents Chinese philosophy and the art of horticulture in the country. Today it is also a real open-air museum. The temples, sketches, engravings, pavilions recount the history of the past centuries and the illustrious characters of the Chinese Empire.

Finally, it is a real place of fusion with nature and ode to tranquility. Moreover his other name is Yihe Yuan : Jardin de la Paix Tranquille.

Our tips to visit the Beijing Summer Palace

Prepare to walk for a long time

This haven of peace has nearly three hundred hectares (remember, Lake Kunming occupies three-quarters of the site) and three thousand buildings. As a result, it takes a half-day to fully enjoy the imperial garden and all its ornaments. Especially since you will necessarily let yourself be caught in the game of the stroller and ecstasy at any end of the field...

Discover the Summer Palace in Beijing... in summer

If you want to visit the Summer Palace in Beijing, enjoy its lake and a nature at the paroxysm of its beauty, the summer is undoubtedly the best season. Moreover, it was in this period that the imperial families came to find refuge there: when they were fleeing the Pekinian monarch. However, in winter, the frozen water of the lake can have its charm if you like snowy atmospheres and glacial landscapes. In this season, you can pick up rows of small boats for ice skates.

Buy tickets for the Beijing Summer Palace at the dawn

Put the awakening and pass the doors of the imperial garden to the dawn of the day. The tourists of the day will then have left room for the locals who come to do their exercises, walk around and sing under the trees. The light is soft and caresses the limpid lake: a happiness for photographers!

Let it happen during your walk

The best thing is to let yourself be carried and to discover, by chance and your desires, all the facets of the Summer Palace. Swim on the shores of the lake, swirl the waterways, canoe on the peaceful and tasty water. Take the timid slopes on the hillside, pass and iron on the bridges, admire the perfect reflection of their arcs in the lake. Cross the decorated corridors and dive into the wood, marble or stone decors.

Start on the opposite direction

To avoid the crowd if you don’t get to the first glimmers of the day, start your visit to the Beijing Summer Palace by the South Gate and Wenchang Gallery.

What to do during your visit to the Pekin Summer Palace?

The landscaped gardens and buildings of the Beijing Summer Palace are divided into several areas.

The Palace of the Bliss and Longevity

Pass the East Gate, majestic, and enter the Palace of the Bliss and Longevity. This complex was an administrative and political place, but also the main residence of the emperors. You will first enter a courtyard crowned with a dragon and a bronze phenix. In the middle of the enclosure the palace stands.

Then you will meet many imperial and sumptuous buildings:

• La salle des Vagues de Jade, which behind his poetic name was in reality the prison of the Empress;
• The Palace of Joy and Longevitywith bronze statues and climbing plants;
• La Galerie Couverte, seven hundred twenty-eight meters long, sprinkled with paintings and enamelled with religious and coloured kiosks;
• La Jardin de l’Harmonie Vertueuse, meeting place between poetry, theatre and imperial families. Today you can still attend traditional shows and dances.

Lake Kunming

Visiting the Summer Palace in Beijing is mainly taking the time of a break, facing the lake, a tea, in the shade of a century-old tree. Then continue your tour by discovering Beijing’s largest water point: Lake Kunming.

Embark on a short cruise and visit one of its confidential and legendary islands. Fly the marble boat of Cixi, also named boat of Clarity and Comfort. In the middle of the water and around this boat surrounded by small pontoons and adorable boats, you have the most beautiful view of the lake.

Once on Nanhu Island, you can return to the shore by taking the famous Shiqikong stone bridge. He holds his beauty of his almost five hundred and fifty lions that proudly rise along the balustrades.

The Longevity Hill

It overlooks the site and many palaces seem to have been suspended since eternity:

• The Buddhist Fragrances Pavilion, high in color and immense. You can even climb its vertiginous stairs and reach a phenomenal point of view;
• The Gold Cloud Pavilion, sheltering nine dragons;
• The Temple of the Mill, broadcasting prayers in the air;
• The temple of the Sea of the Perfect Wisdom and the view of the Great Good, sheltering traditional Chinese works;
• The Pavilion of Precious Clouds, enseveli of bronze;

On this side of the Summer Palace in Beijing, you can also wander in the Plaisir Harmonious garden or along street Suzhou . This shopping street, reconstituted as at the time of Emperor Quianlong, is ideal for making traditional shopping.

What to do after visiting the Summer Palace in Beijing?

If you want to explore the surroundings of the Summer Palace, the list is long:

• The botanical garden in Beijing;
• The Buddha temple lying in Beijing;
• The temple of the large bell;
• The perfumed hills park in Beijing;
• The Pagoda of the Zhenjue temple;
• The Pagoda of the Cishou temple;
• The Beijing Zoo;
• Badachu Park.

How much does a ticket cost to the Summer Palace in Beijing?

Tickets for the Beijing Summer Palace change prices according to the seasons:

• April to October: thirty yuan entrance to the park and 60 yuan for access to all buildings.
• From November to March: 20 yuan entrance to the park and fifty yuan for access to all buildings.

In addition, the boat ride on Lake Kunming costs 20 yuan .

How do I book an online ticket for the Beijing Summer Palace?

It is not possible to book his tickets online for the Beijing Summer Palace, for a traditional visit since the local agency does not provide guided tours.

It is nevertheless possible to book private tours offered by many specialised sites in tours and guided tours.

Are there guided tours of the Beijing Summer Palace?

Beijing Summer Palace does not offer guided tours . However, this is the case of private operators offering their own guided tours. The prices of these visits vary according to the operator and what the guided tour includes.

Are there visits combined with other monuments in Beijing?

No pass allowing access to several sites is provided by the municipality of Beijing.

However, it is possible to find Quite easily on the internet. These are offered by private operators and almost systematically include an English-speaking guide.

Opening hours of the Summer Palace in Beijing

There are two hourly beaches for the palace, which opens:

• During the high season, from April to October: 6:30 to 8:00 for the park and 8.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. For the palace.
• The rest of the year, the park opens 7h to 7h and the palace 9 a.m. to 6 p.m..

How to get to the Beijing Summer Palace?

Want to visit the Summer Palace in Beijing? In this case, you can go there:

• By metro: borrow it line 4 at Beigongmen or Xiyuan station. Then you're ready for the east door.
• With the bus: Take the lines leading to Yiheyuan, Yiheyuan West Gate, Yiheyuanlu Dongkou, Xin Jian Gong Men or Yiheyuan North Gate. The buses are: 303, 330, 331, 332, 346, 374, 375, 384, 394, 437, 437, 469, 481, 634, 704, 712, 716, 718, 726, 732, 737, 801, 808, 817, 826, 834, 952, 992.
• With a car: be it car rental or a taxi. The address of the palace is Haidian District.

Where to park near the Beijing Summer Palace?

It is not easy to park near the palace. Indeed, few parking spaces are located around the site. It is not a surprise since Beijing is one of the worst cities in the world in terms of parking. It is therefore best not to visit the Beijing Summer Palace with a car. Or choose a taxi.

If you still want to take the car, the two closest car parks are in Tongqing St, near Kunming Lake, and Tsinghua University.

Where to stay near the Beijing Summer Palace?

The Summer Palace is located in the Haidian District . Many hotels and Airbnb is located in the district, making Haidian the perfect solution to house near the palace.

The Olympic village , used at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games, is located just east of Hadian. There are also many housing units.

Whatever your choice, think about helping you with Compare hotels to find the offer that will match your criteria.

Just take your tickets for the Beijing Summer Palace and enter a monument out of time. Good visit!