Summer Palace Maps 2025

The Summer Palace, known as the "Royal Garden Museum", is a vast imperial palace consisting of lakes, gardens, and pavilions. It used to be a temporary dwelling palace of the emperors or empresses when away from the capital. So the environment is quite pleasant and it is suitable to visit all year round. As it is a little far from downtown and covers a large area, here we have provided you with the location map and tourist map to better explore the Summer Palace.

4 Days Classic Beijing Tour Package (Leisure Paced)

Itinerary: Beijing
Highlights: Forbidden City, Mutianyu Great Wall, Summer Palace, Local Family Visit

Summer Palace Location Map

The Summer Palace is located in the western suburb of Beijing, about 20 kilometers away from Tiananmen Square. It will need about 40 minutes to drive there from central Beijing. You can also take subway Line 4 or public buses to get to the northern gate of the Summer Palace, which will need 1-1.5 hours.

Summer Palace Tourist Map

The Summer Palace is mainly dominated by Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill. It covers an area of about 290 hectares, 3/4 of which is water. There are six gates in total: the North Gate (北宫门), the East Gate (东宫门), Xinjiangongmen (新建宫门), the North Ruyi Gate (北如意门), the South Ruyi Gate (南如意门), and the West Gate (西门). The former three are the most recommended.

The North Gate is close to Longevity Hill. After passing through Suzhou Street (苏州街), you can climb up to the Tower of Buddhist Incense (佛香阁) to have a panorama view of the Palace. Then walk to the Long Corridor (长廊) and appreciate the view of mirror-like Kunming Lake. If you enter from the East Gate, it is easy to get to the Hall of Joy and Longevity (乐寿堂), where the Empress Dowager Cixi once lived. Here you can either go up to the hill or wander along the East Dyke (东堤). Xinjiangongmen will lead you direct to the famous 17-Arch Bridge (十七孔桥), a 150m bridge carved with more than 500 different stone lions on the railings. Taking a boat trip there will be very relaxing and save you much time. Check More About Summer Palace orSummer Palace Boat Ride Guide >>

How to Plan Your Travel in Beijing

To explore Beijing's highlights, such as the Forbidden City, the Great Wall (with Mutianyu as the top recommendation), the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace, and the Beijing Hutongs - plan for about 4 days, including arrival and departure.

☛ 4 Days Classic Beijing Tour Package

☛ 3 Days Beijing Essential Highlights Tour

If you have extra days, consider hiking the scenic Jinshanling Great Wall, enjoying the stunning night views of Simatai Great Wall, or visiting other sections like Huanghuacheng, Gubeikou, and Juyongguan.

☛ 4 Days Beijing Essence Tour with Simatai Great Wall Night Sightseeing

☛ 4 Days Classic Beijing Tour with Jinshanling Great Wall Hiking

Families with children should not miss Universal Beijing Resort, while museum enthusiasts should visit the National Museum of China, home to the nation's most valuable treasures.

☛ 5 Days Beijing Family-friendly Tour with Universal Studios Fun

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As a major transportation hub, Beijing offers easy access to other top destinations in China by flight or train, such as Xi'an, Shanghai, Guilin, Chengdu, and Tibet. China Discovery provides a variety of tour packages from Beijing, or we can customize an itinerary to suit your preferences.

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