The Summer Palace’s landscaped gardens, temples, and pavilions were designed to achieve harmony with nature. During the hot summer time in Beijing, the imperial family preferred the beautiful gardens and airy pavilions of the Summer Palace. The Qing Empress Cixi was living there for quite some time, giving rise to some wonderful tales of extravagance and excess. The Summer Palace was listed as World Heritage in 1998 by UNESCO, which reported that “The Summer Palace is a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design”. The design of Summer Palace harmonizes plants and paths, water and land, architecture and horticulture, epitomizing the philosophy and practice of Chinese garden design. It is definitely worth a visit!
Ticket | Adult Price(High season / Low season) | Child Price(High season / Low season) |
All inclusive Ticket | $20.00 USD / $15.00 USD | $17.00 USD/ $12.00 USD |
Main Entrance Only Ticket | $13.00 USD / $8.00 USD | $10.00 USD/ $5.00 USD |
Three Visiting Routes starting from the three gates:
Starting from New Palace Gate ( South Gate): Walk north along East Dyke – the former Court Area (the East Palace Gate, the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity…) – Long Corridor – Longevity Hill – Marble Boat – Ferry Boat and back to New Palace Gate (loop line).
Starting from East Palace Gate ( Main Gate) Walk from East Palace Gate: the former Court Area (the East Palace Gate, the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity…) – Long Corridor – Longevity Hill – Marble Boat – Ferry Boat – New Palace Gate ( South Gate )
Starting from North Palace Gate ( North Gate): Walking from North Palace Gate: Suzhou Street – Marble Boat – Longevity Hill – Long Corridor – the former court area – East Palace Gate ( Main Gate).
How to get to Summer PalaceSummer Palace has three major entry gates:
By Subway Line 4: Take subway line 4 to the northwest direction and get off at the last but one station — Beigongmen Station ( or North Gate 北宫门) and exit from Exit D and walk to the west, soon you will see the north gate ( Beigongmen Gate )to Summer Palace 颐和园 on your left side.
Subway Line 10: Take subway line 10 to Bagou station at the end of Line 10, and then get a taxi from outside the station to the South Gate, or also known as New Palace Gate (新建宫门). Or you may just walk for about 1.5km from Bagou Station to the New Palace Gate.