Summer Palace & Old Palace
Excursions in Beijing & Great Wall
Tour the magnificent lakeside summer residence of emperors, cross the lake by boat and see the Old Palace ruins.
The Summer Palace is set amid peaceful landscaped parkland that feels a long way from the noise of downtown Beijing. The park is dominated by the huge Kunming Lake, whilst the palace buildings themselves sit on Longevity Hill. A visit here gives you the chance to learn more about the infamous Empress Cixi, who restored the palaces in the 19th century and spent a lot of her time here. Some of the architectural highlights include the intricate Long Corridor, the Marble Boat and the Seventeen Arch Bridge.
You might like to combine a visit to the Summer Palace with a short visit to see the ruins of the original Summer Palace, just a short drive away. If you are taking an evening flight out of Beijing, you should consider visiting the Summer Palace in the morning of the flight, perhaps in conjunction with the 798 Art District, and then heading to the airport, as all of these are north of the city centre.
Some of our favourite places to visit and things to do in Beijing
What to do in Beijing
Choose your perfect holiday
Find inspiration from our selection of itinerary suggestions, a great starting point for your next trip
View More Tours
China
Yangtze Tour
15 Nights from £4,763
Beijing & Great Wall - Xi'an & Terracotta Army - Chengdu - Yangtze Cruise - Zhangjiajie National Forest Park - Shanghai
China
Emperor Tour
17 Nights from £3,891
Beijing - Xi'an - Chengdu - Longji Rice Terraces - Guilin & Yangshuo - Shanghai
China
Panda Family Tour
14 Nights from £5,244
Beijing - Xi'an - Chengdu - Shangri-La - Lijiang - Hong Kong
China
Dynasty Tour
14 Nights from £3,698
Beijing - Xi'an - Chengdu - Guilin - Hong Kong
China
Mandarin Tour
20 Nights from £5,151
Beijing - Xi'an - Lhasa - Chengdu - Longji Rice Terraces - Guilin & Yangshuo - Hong Kong
China
Yak Tour
15 Nights from £4,244
Beijing - Xining - Overnight train - Lhasa - Shigatse - Everest Base Camp - Shigatse - Chengdu
China
Shangri-la Tour
14 Nights from £4,562
Beijing & Great Wall - Kunming Stone Forest - Shangri'la - Tea Horse Road - Lijiang - Dali & Erhai Lake - Beijing
China
Ming Tour
14 Nights from £3,363
Shanghai - Suzhou - Hangzhou - Huangshan - Beijing
China
Beijing Tour
7 Nights from £2,176
Beijing - Great Wall - Hong Kong
Stay in touch
Infuse your travels, with inspiration from our monthly newsletter.
X
READY - 6 September 2024
LANDMARK TOURS - Multi-Country Itineraries
LIVE VIDEO REPORTS from our Local Country Guides
CHINA's People, Mysterious Culture & Ancient History
HONEYMOONS & CELEBRATIONS - "en Tete-a-Tete"
WINTER SUN - Get away from our dark Winter days
PERU & GALAPAGOS - Magical culture & wildlife
WEATHER TODAY - Check the weather worldwide
TRAVEL INSURANCE essential cover including COVID