Once a summer retreat for emperors, this 290-acre park is still a retreat for the crowd-weary tourist, who can relax here or stroll around ancient pavilions, mansions, temples, bridges and huge lake, stopping occasionally at a shop or tea-house.
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The Summer Palace is not one of those sites that casual tourists visit -- though it does have its own metro stop, it is almost an hour from central Beijing. But it certainly is worth the effort. It's a series of buildings around a huge lake and is great for a casual stroll or, for the more ambitious, in-depth visit.
It will take off lots of energy
Mon-Su: 06:30-18:00