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Summer Palace (Yiheyuan)vsBeihai Park (Beihai Gongyuan)
Summer Palace and Beihai Park are both recommended by expert writers. Overall, Summer Palace scores slightly higher than Beihai Park. Summer Palace ranks #1 in Beijing with recommendations from 7 reviews like Concierge, Afar Magazine and Michelin Guide.
Summer Palace (Yiheyuan)
Fodor's
Concierge
Travel + Leisure
Michelin Guide Travel + Leisure
Afar Magazine
Lonely Planet
19 Xin-jian-gong-men Rd, Haidian District, Beijing 100084
From $0/night
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
Afar Magazine "China's largest royal park was once called the Garden of Cultivated Harmony." Full review
Lonely PlanetTop 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
Beihai Park (Beihai Gongyuan) Michelin Guide Fodor's Travel + Leisure Afar Magazine
U.S. News & World Report
Frommer's
No.1 Wenjin Street, Xicheng District, Beijing 100000
From $0/night
Michelin Guide 1 Star
"A lake occupies half of the total area of the 70ha Beihai Park, which was once used by the emperors as a place of relaxation."
Fodor's "A white stupa is perched on a small island just north of the south gate of this park... The lake is Beijing's largest and most beautiful public waterway." Full review
Travel + Leisure "Alamy Once an imperial park, Beihai ("North Sea") was built to showcase the best in Chinese gardening traditions." Full review
Afar Magazine "You can also spend an entire morning just wandering the willow-lined avenues, but be sure to pass by the Five Dragon Pavilions, where locals often congregate to sing and dance. " Full review
U.S. News & World Report4.0
"Whether you're under a tree overlooking the lake or in an ancient pagoda, you'll see why this former imperial garden has been a preserved sanctuary since its creation in A.D. 1166. " Full review
i
Not-to-be-missed highlights include the Temple of Everlasting Peace, White Dagoba and the Circular City.
Frommer's "An imperial playground dating back to the Tartar Jin dynasty (1115-1234), Bei Hai lies to the north of Zhong Hai and Nan Hai, which were also opened to the public in 1925." Full review
