Summer Palace (Yiheyuan)
7 expert reviews
“China's largest royal park was once called the Garden of Cultivated Harmony.”
– Afar Magazine
Fodor's
"The greenery provides a welcome relief from the loud, bustling city. It also teaches a fabulous history lesson." Full review
Concierge
"Once a warm-weather retreat for the Qing dynasty's imperial court, the Summer Palace... is a lovely place to escape the urban smog."
i
Arrive early to avoid crowds, or dodge them with a stroll around the water, as the Qing Empress Dowager Cixi might have done in the 19th century.
Travel + Leisure
"It must have been quite a schlep for emperors of old—who traveled in slow-moving palanquins along with hundreds of courtiers to get to this beautiful, serene lakeside palace." Full review
Michelin Guide
3 Stars
"This summer palace was restored at great expense at the end of the 19C by the empress Cixi."
i
This enchanting site... should not to be missed.
Travel + Leisure
"Considered a masterpiece of Chinese landscape design, visitors can avoid the crowds by packing a picnic, renting a boat, and exploring some of the lesser-known halls and pavilions." Full review
Lonely Planet
Top choice
"This former playground for emperors fleeing the suffocating summer torpor of the old imperial city easily merits an entire day’s exploration." Full review