Seven centuries of water and stone, where emperors walked
Hand-picked by our editors — only the best 4 experiences from 12 reviewed.
Verified partners for Summer Palace tours, free cancellation where available, and instant confirmation on every booking.
3 hr
Visit Beijing's imperial gardens independently or with expert-led group and private tour combinations
Reserve
8 hr
Skip the ticket line at two of Beijing's most revered imperial sites with flexible e-ticket access
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Skip the ticket queue at Beijing's legendary imperial retreat with advance digital entry
ReservePrices from verified partners. Availability updates in real time at checkout. Free cancellation policies apply where shown.
The landmarks, rooms, and views travelers on Summer Palace tours remember — all visible on a single visit.
The main landmark of the Summer Palace, providing panoramic views of Kunming Lake.
A 728-meter gallery adorned with over 14,000 paintings depicting Chinese legends and landscapes.
A scenic water-bound marketplace modeled after traditional southern Chinese streetscapes.
A magnificent stone bridge connecting the eastern shore to South Lake Island with 17 unique arches.
The central administrative hall where emperors conducted official business and met with foreign envoys.
Every Summer Palace tour side-by-side — duration, what's included, how you redeem.
| Experience | Duration | Rating | Transfers | Skip-the-line | Guide | Free cancel. | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Guided Experience Most popular
Summer Palace Access & Guided Tour Options
|
3 hr | ★ 4.7 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | €10 | Book → |
|
Standard Entry
Summer Palace or Temple of Heaven Entry
|
8 hr | ★ 4.6 | — | — | — | ✓ | €10 | Book → |
|
Standard Entry
Summer Palace Entry Ticket with Optional Add-Ons
|
Flexible (self-guided) | ★ 5.0 | — | — | — | ✓ | €7 | Book → |
All prices from verified partners. Availability and exact terms confirmed at checkout.
The Summer Palace offers a fully restored look at Qing Dynasty leisure, while the Old Summer Palace provides a contemplative experience of imperial history through its haunting, weathered ruins. Most visitors find these Beijing landmarks complement each other, but those limited on time often prioritize the complete architectural vistas found in our summer palace tickets tours.
| Feature | Top pick Summer Palace | Old Summer Palace |
|---|---|---|
Primary Feature |
Restored Qing architecture and Kunming Lake | |
Preservation State |
Intact and fully maintained structures | |
Required Time |
3–4 hours | |
Historical Context |
Rebuilt 19th-century royal retreat | |
Visitor Focus |
Traditional landscape design and artistry | |
Historical Impact |
Symbol of imperial continuity | |
Primary Feature |
Evocative stone ruins and garden foundations | |
Preservation State |
Ruined remnants after 1860 destruction | |
Required Time |
2–3 hours | |
Historical Context |
18th-century site of European-style palaces | |
Visitor Focus |
Reflection on historical destruction and loss | |
Historical Impact |
Symbol of 19th-century foreign conflict | |
| See tickets → |
Verdict: Choose the Summer Palace if you prefer finished, ornate cultural immersion, or opt for the Old Summer Palace if you seek a profound, somber visit through a famous Beijing attraction using these summer palace tickets tickets.
Choose your ticket, select your date, and reserve in under two minutes. Secure checkout handled by our verified partner.
Instant confirmation by email, with a mobile voucher you can save offline. No printing, no queuing at a collection desk.
Arrive at the entrance, show your voucher on your phone, and walk in. Most tickets include priority or skip-the-line access.
Practical details for Summer Palace tickets straight from our verified partners — hours, access, rules, and how to get there.
Dress comfortably for walking, as you will cover significant distances exploring the various gardens and pavilions of this Beijing landmark.
Standard security checks are in place for all visitors entering the Summer Palace grounds. Large luggage items should be stored at designated facility areas at the gates.
Personal photography is permitted throughout the grounds, capturing iconic scenes like the Tower of Buddhist Incense. Commercial photography equipment may require special permission.
The Summer Palace offers various paths, though the hilly terrain of Longevity Hill may be challenging. Paved routes are available along Kunming Lake for easier access.
Mobile phones are permitted. Keep ringer off inside exhibition spaces.
Strollers are permitted and helpful for navigating the extensive imperial garden grounds with young children.
Small snacks and water are available for purchase, but packing a light lunch for a picnic in permitted areas is a common way to enjoy summer palace tickets tours.
Pets are not allowed, with the exception of service animals with appropriate documentation.
Last entry is typically 1 hour before closing. Check the specific ticket for timing.
Best time to go, insider tips, nearby landmarks, and the cancellation fine print — flip through to skim what matters to you.
Flexible, no hidden fees.
Tickets for the Summer Palace in Beijing should be booked in advance as policies may vary by channel. Check specific booking platforms for refund eligibility regarding your summer palace tickets.
The Summer Palace occupies 290 hectares on the northwest edge of Beijing, three-quarters of it water. Kunming Lake was dug by hand in 1750 under the Qianlong Emperor, its excavated earth piled into Longevity Hill to create the garden's central prospect.
The complex served as the Qing court's retreat from the Forbidden City's summer heat, a role it held until 1900 when the Eight-Nation Alliance razed much of the site. Empress Dowager Cixi rebuilt it with funds earmarked for a modern navy, a decision that would later symbolize the dynasty's final miscalculations.
Today the Summer Palace remains the largest intact imperial garden in China, its 3,000 structures connected by the 728-meter Long Corridor, every beam painted with landscapes and opera scenes. The corridor runs along Kunming Lake's northern shore, linking the eastern palace halls to the western Marble Boat, a two-story pavilion built of stone and stained glass that Cixi commissioned as a monument to her repurposed naval budget. The Hall of Benevolence and Longevity, the garden's administrative heart, still holds its original throne and cloisonné incense burners. The Tower of Buddhist Incense rises 41 meters from Longevity Hill's southern face, visible from across the lake and requiring 200 steps to reach.
Architecturally, the Summer Palace synthesizes Han garden design with Tibetan temple forms and Suzhou water-town aesthetics. The Suzhou Street canal market, rebuilt in 1990, replicates the southern merchant quarters that once entertained the court. Seventeen-arch bridge spans 150 meters across the lake to South Lake Island, its marble balustrades carved with 544 distinct lions. The garden's UNESCO inscription cites its integration of natural topography with architectural intervention, a design philosophy that influenced later Chinese landscape work. Peak visitation now exceeds 70,000 daily during national holidays, though morning hours before 08:30 remain comparatively quiet. Winter access includes the frozen lake surface when ice reaches regulation thickness, typically January through early March. Summer Palace tickets grant entry to the main grounds; separate fees apply for the Suzhou Street area, the Tower of Buddhist Incense, and the Garden of Virtue and Harmony theatre complex, though bundled options consolidate these into a single through-ticket priced at 60 CNY during peak season.
"The excavated earth was piled into Longevity Hill to create the garden's central prospect."
A step-by-step walkthrough of Summer Palace tickets — what you'll see, how long each stage takes, and the details that matter.
You enter through Donggongmen, the East Palace Gate, where the ticket office opens at 06:00. The first courtyard reveals the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity, its bronze dragon and phoenix sculptures flanking the main steps.
You walk west along the Long Corridor, every overhead panel painted in mineral pigments that have survived a century of weather. The corridor frames Kunming Lake on your left, fishing boats visible in the distance. At 400 meters you reach the turning point where the corridor bends south, and here you can detour uphill to the Tower of Buddhist Incense. The climb takes twelve minutes, the stone stairs uneven and steep in the final section.
From the tower's terrace you see the entire lake, the seventeen-arch bridge a white line against the water. Descending, you continue west along the corridor to the Marble Boat, its paddle-wheel housings frozen in decorative stone. You cross the bridge to South Lake Island, the span long enough that the opposite shore seems to shift perspective as you walk. The island holds a single temple complex, quieter than the northern shore. You return via the western causeway, willows filtering the afternoon light. By 18:00 the grounds thin out, and the lake reflects the hill without interruption.
The Summer Palace is open daily from 06:00 to 20:00.
The entrance fee is 30 CNY per person during the peak season (April 1–October 31).
The best arrival window is 06:00–08:30 to avoid peak crowds and heat.
Prohibited items include drones, flammable materials, and large professional photography equipment.
Yes, the Summer Palace is family-friendly, and strollers are allowed to help navigate the large grounds.
You can take subway line 4 to Beigongmen station, which is near the North Palace Gate of the Summer Palace.
Yes, personal photography is allowed, though visitors should be mindful of other guests and refrain from using large tripods.
You can easily combine your trip with a visit to the Old Summer Palace or other Haidian District landmarks.
Please check the terms of your specific summer palace tickets purchase, as policies depend on the issuing vendor.
