The Summer Palace Ultimate Guide | One-Stop Guide to Unlocking the Beauty of the Royal Garden

| One-stop guide to unlocking the beauty of the royal garden. 👋 Dear friends, the Summer Palace, as the largest and most well-preserved royal garden in China, is really worth a visit! Today, I will share a super detailed travel guide to the Summer Palace, so you can easily explore this royal garden museum. 📅Opening Hours: Peak Season (Apr 1 – Oct 31): 06:30 – 18:00 (Garden closes at 20:00) Off-Season (Nov 1 – Mar 31 of the following year): 07:00 – 17:00 (Garden closes at 19:00) 🎫Ticket Information: Off-season ticket: CNY 20/person; peak season ticket: CNY 30/person; Combo ticket: CNY 50/person in the off-season, CNY 60/person in the peak season (including admission ticket, Garden of Virtue and Harmony, Fragrant Buddha Tower, and Suzhou Street). How to buy tickets: You can make a reservation and purchase tickets in advance on the "Changyou Park" or "The Summer Palace" official account. Enter the park by scanning your ID card, which is super convenient. 🚇Transportation Guide: Take subway Line 4 to Beigongmen Station and exit from Exit D to reach the North Palace Gate directly; Take subway Line 4/16 to Xiyuan Station and exit from Exit C1 to go to the East Palace Gate; Take bus No. 74, 374, or 437 to Xinjian Palace Gate. 🗺️Recommended Travel Routes: 1. Classic Route (5 – 6 hours): Enter the park from the North Palace Gate → Suzhou Street → Four Great Regions → Garden of Harmonious Interest → Garden of Virtue and Harmony → Hall of Benevolence and Longevity → Hall of Joyful Longevity → Knowing Spring Pavilion → Long Corridor → Fragrant Buddha Tower → Picture-in-a-Frame → Qingyan Boat → Take a boat to Nanhu Island → Seventeen-Arch Bridge → Bronze Bull → Exit from Xinjian Palace Gate This route covers most of the essential attractions of the Summer Palace. You can not only admire the magnificent royal architecture, but also enjoy the beautiful lake and mountains, and experience the fun of boating. It is very suitable for those who come to the Summer Palace for the first time. 2. Easy Route (3 – 4 hours): Beigongmen Station Exit D → North Palace Gate → Suzhou Street → Back Lake → Garden of Harmonious Interest → Invitation to the Moon Gate → Long Corridor → Fragrant Buddha Tower → Picture-in-a-Frame → Qingyan Boat → Exit from North Auspicious Gate → Beigongmen Station If you have limited time or don't want to be too tired, you can choose this route, which mainly visits the core area of the Summer Palace, avoiding some of the more distant attractions, but you can still enjoy the classic scenery. 3. No Boat Route (4 – 5 hours): Xiyuan Station Exit C1 → Changchun Hall (Shunshi Eryin) → East Palace Gate → The Summer Palace Museum → Garden of Harmonious Interest → Back Lake → Suzhou Street → Picture-in-a-Frame → Qingyan Boat → Fragrant Buddha Tower → Long Corridor → Invitation to the Moon Gate → East Palace Gate This route is suitable for those who do not plan to take a boat. Enter from the East Palace Gate, visit the various attractions in turn, and finally exit from the East Palace Gate without backtracking, which is very worry-free. 📸Photo Spots: 1. Seventeen-Arch Bridge: The golden light shining through the arches at sunset is really beautiful. Remember to check the sunset time in advance and grab the best shooting spot. 2. Fragrant Buddha Tower: The iconic building of the Summer Palace. Standing on the platform in front of the Fragrant Buddha Tower, you can overlook the entire Kunming Lake, which is very impressive for taking pictures. 3. Long Corridor: The longest gallery in the world, with exquisite murals painted on the corridor, which are great for taking pictures. 4. Picture-in-a-Frame: Built against the mountain, it has a wide view, as if you are in a painting. The architecture and scenery here are very suitable for taking pictures. 🍔Food Recommendations: 1. Snacks in the park: Pea Flour Cake, Rolling Donkey, and Aiwowo are all traditional Beijing snacks with a delicate and sweet taste. 2. Shunshi Eryin: I recommend their Almond Tofu Osmanthus Milk Tea, which tastes great and leaves a lingering fragrance on your lips and teeth after drinking. 3. Tingli Restaurant: A time-honored Chinese restaurant, where the imperial cuisine is very authentic. Those with a sufficient budget can come and experience it. ❗Precautions: 1. Make a reservation and purchase tickets in advance on the official account to avoid queuing on site and wasting time. 2. The Summer Palace is large, so it is recommended to wear comfortable shoes, otherwise your feet will be very sore after a day. 3. Some attractions in the park require additional ticket purchases, which can be purchased according to your interests. 4. If you want to photograph the golden light shining through the arches of the Seventeen-Arch Bridge, be sure to plan your time in advance and arrive at the shooting location in advance. 5. Do not bring pets, drones, kites, etc. into the park, and do not smoke, spit, or litter in the park. Okay, that's all for my Summer Palace travel guide. Hurry up and save it, and find some time to go to the Summer Palace to experience the charm of the royal garden! 💕