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Bell and Drum Towers vs Summer Palace (Yiheyuan)
Bell and Drum Towers and Summer Palace are both rated very highly by expert reviewers. On balance, Summer Palace is the choice of most writers compared to Bell and Drum Towers. Summer Palace ranks #1 in Beijing with endorsements from 7 publications like Lonely Planet, Michelin Guide and Afar Magazine.
Bell and Drum Towers
Fodor's
Concierge
Travel + Leisure
Michelin Guide
Afar Magazine
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9 Zhonglouwan, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100006
From $0 /night
Fodor's
"Kublai Khan built the first drum tower on this site in 1272. You can climb to the top of the present tower, which dates from the Ming Dynasty."
Full review
Concierge
"Separated by a rectangular courtyard filled with trees, small cafés, and rickshaws, these two majestic towers are often overlooked by visitors."
Travel + Leisure
"This tower and its counterpart, the Drum Tower, kept Beijing people up to date on the official time through three dynasties. Drums beat out at night, while the bells rang out during the day."
Full review
Michelin Guide
1 Star
"Once you've climbed the three floors and walked around the top level, you can enjoy a perfect 360° view of the rooftops of old Beijing."
Afar Magazine
"Located on the central axis of Beijing, the Drum and Bell Towers once kept time for locals, signaling when the heavy gates of the city wall would shut for the night."
Full review
Summer Palace (Yiheyuan)
Fodor's
Concierge
Travel + Leisure
Michelin Guide
Travel + Leisure
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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
