Beijing – The Summer Palace – a UNESCO site

The Summer Palace in Beijing, China is not to be missed if you are in Beijing.  It’s farther out of town than most of the other necessary attractions (Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, etc), but is right near the end of one of the subway lines so it is still very easy to get to. And the Beijing subway system is amazing, so you should try it – but if you don’t want to, you can take a cab or uber.

The site is huge, so bring your good walking shoes.

It is a very large complex with a rather large lake, picturesque bridges, many buildings, and some truly spectacular sights.  Not surprisingly, it’s a UNESCO world heritage site. This was my favorite site in Beijing.

Pro-tip: Make sure to have a map printed from the internet, as you do not get one with your entrance fee.  Plan on spending most of your day here if you want to see even just most of it.

Also, note that the main entrance fee doesn’t cover many of the things you’ll want to see.  Do research first so you know which of the individual sites you want to pay for in addition.

The site is huge ( a little over a mile square).  I highly recommend getting there early to get to see some of it without hoards of people.  As with many sites in the area, the locals use this as living space; you can see groups gathering and eating or playing instruments or knitting or playing games. 

Check out each of the pavilions and go around the entire lake (it’s a walk but well worth it).  There are many interesting bridges along the edge of the lake and several small pavilions.   You also get great views of the 17-arch bridge and the island.  Make sure to stop by the Marble boat and Market Street.

You may want to plan on going in one entrance and out another because of the size of the park.

Pro-tip: Bring food with you. Most of the food options in the park are generally not healthy (lots of chips, ice cream, etc). Additionally, most are quite expensive as well.

Happy travels!