When you consider that the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square are adjacent to each other, and that the Temple of Heaven is only a 30 minute walk from the two, it easy to see why the Summer Palace could be forgotten amongst the excitement. The ancient playground of the royal court was built so that the Emperor did not have to spend the hotter months of the year within the sprawl of the city. So perhaps surprisingly it is not the easiest place to get to. Without doubt though, it is worth the effort and I would even label it my favorite sight in Beijing.None of Beijing's subway lines go remotely close to the palace, meaning either a cab or a bus need to be involved. Organised tour buses can be expensive and are subject to the same sort of traffic congestion as the public ones, although are far more comfortable and exponentially less crowded. Both times I have visited the Summer Palace I took public bus 808 and on both occasions it took around 90 minutes to get there.Despite the bus being crowded and uncomfortable for much of the way, the destination was definitely worth the discomfort. The main structures are built on the banks of Kunming Lake and all look spectacularly over the water. The first of these is the theatre, which represents a truly wonderful piece of architecture. The stage is ornately drafted and delicately painted, and in a piece of classic imperial decadence is built opposite the bed chamber of the princess, allowing her to watch operas without even having to get up.From the theatre I climbed the tree covered Longevity Hill to the Tower of the Fragrant Buddha, which offered a stunning view of Kunming Lake. The tower and the Precious Clouds Pavilion behind it are again stunning, created in an ancient Chinese style one with high pagoda like roofs the other with classic Buddhist freezes. However, for me the best way to appreciate the Palace was from the lake below.Since I visited once in summer and once in winter my two experiences of the lake could not be more different. In the summer my friend Alana and I took a boat—built in the shape of a dragon—that coasted out along the water and on to the South Lake Island. I clearly remember that there was a dense summer haze which blurred the edges of the palace buildings leaving looking delightfully vague as they peaked out of the greenery of the hill. In the winter, when I returned with my buddy Oz, the haze had gone and the lake was frozen solid, allowing us to walk out to the island. Alas, on that occasion the view was spoiled by renovators scaffolding. To compound my disappointment I managed to fall spectacularly on the ice to the amusement of almost one hundred Chinese.

The Summer Palace is a good taxi drive (around 60 RMB on the meter) from the centre of Beijing, but better than attempting the journey by public transport.

We spent the whole day at The Summer Palace, and every turn or climb into the hills presents you with a cornucopia of fresh sights. It has been developed over the centuries, being enlarged by Emperor Quinling in the 1700s, rebuilt in the late 1800s, and restored after partial destruction in 1900 by invaders from 1949 to the present day.

The entrance seems fairly straightforward, with a dragon or two, a temple, and incense burners, but we took a right fork in the path and ended up in an enchanting and secluded park. A lake surrounded by a covered walkway and small resting areas was the focal point, and we were lucky enough to share our experience with a small group of musicians who serenaded our inspection of the grounds. The park had numerous bridges, hidden walkways, and loads of wildlife. Long-tailed birds consistently avoided my camera by hopping behind bushes or flying off at just the wrong moment, squirrels were braver, and fish leapt out of the water for non-seconds.

Meandering round the park, we found numerous pagodas, and a climb to the top of a hill revealed the full extent of the summer palace to us. It is massive! Spread before us from the topmost pagoda was a huge lake (apparently this takes up three-fourths of the park), some incredible buildings, and amazing-looking bridges. And the great thing was that they were shrouded in a light mist that gave the park a sense of mysticism. Perfect for the amateur photographer with a new camera!

We were following our instincts, as we didn’t have a map; below us was a superb residence, and we were stepping between the roofs of individual pagodas. Never before had we got this close to the ornate tiling and "status figures" that cling to the eaves. In fact, one very narrow staircase took us to within touching distance of the roofs of three pagodas.

A walk along Changlang, a 700m, ornate covered corridor on the north shore of the lake is a must, and we were enchanted by the beautiful ceiling paintings. In the distance was the appropriately named 17-arch bridge, whilst in the foreground a smaller bridge (which could have been taken from the Willow Pattern ceramic design). We strode purposefully to the bridges, passing through several temples on route, watching the lone boatman clearing the driftwood from the lake, mesmerised by the kite fliers on the bridge, and awestruck by the guy pavement painting calligraphy (two brushes at the same time!).

Beautiful buildings with dazzling decoration, sensational statues of mythical animals, fine frescoes, sensational scenery, and wonderful wildlife are all part of a visit to The Summer Palace. It’s an absolute must.

This is a large park with numerous buildings used to relax in the summer (no surprises from the name then). In the middle is a huge lake, which freezes in the winter. I went in early February and was very cold--the cold air coming in off the frozen lake didn't help, either. I would imagine that in the spring or autumn, when it's not baking hot, it would be very nice to spend a day wandering around and taking it all in.

We saw the key things in a couple of hours. I found it funny that every sign that explained the history read something like, "Built in 1800; burnt down by Anglo-French forces in 1850; rebuilt in 1890!" It's like they seriously don't like the English or French, which the American I was with thought was very funny (me being English and all that!).

The Summer Palace began as the Gold Mountain Traveling Palace in the 12th century. At that time, water was diverted from the Jade Spring to form the Gold Sea, which was the beginning of the lake that is now called Kunming Lake. When the lake was later enlarged, the palace was renamed Jug Mountain. These early beginnings of a palace were renamed Longevity Hill near the turn of the 20th century. At that time, most of what is now know as the Summer Palace was built.

The Summer Palace stopped being used by the imperial family in 1908, and it became a public park in 1924. The Summer Palace contains the Deheyuan (Court of Virtuous Harmony), which is the largest in China. The theater has trap doors in the floor and ceiling that were used for the entrances and exits of supernatural characters during shows.

The Summer Palace is a popular place for Chinese, as well as tourists. Many Chinese were enjoying a family picnic lunch in the park.

During my visit, we walked along the Long Corridor, which goes for about 800 feet along the lake. From here, you can see the seventeen-arch bridge that crosses the lake to reach South Lake Isle. The corridor is elaborately painted from top to bottom and end-to-end. Along the corridor there are paintings of scenes from Chinese legend, history, and literature. At the end of the corridor, you will see the Marble Boat. Although, for obvious reasons, the boat does not go anywhere, you can take short cruises on colorful boats that resemble the Marble Boat from one side of the lake to the other.

Open daily from 9am to 7pm.

The Summer Palace built in 1750 was originally a royal garden. It was destroyed during the 1860 Opium War and rebuilt in 1888 by the Empress who used money intended for the Chinese Navy. Her extravagance included the reconstruction of a marble boat, which is still intact today. In 1900 foreign troops torched the palace and major renovations didn’t begin again until 1949. Such an incredible place with such and incredible construction and destruction history.

The grounds are basically divided into 4 areas: court reception, residences, temples and finally the sightseeing grounds. The latter includes Kunning Lake, which comprises ¾ of the park and offers boat rides in the summer and ice-skating in the winter.

The court reception was the area in which administrative functions such as the state of affairs were conducted and where the officials met.

The residences consisted of the Hall of Jade Billows where the Emperor stayed, the Hall of Joyful Longevity where the Empress stayed and the Garden of Virtue and Harmony where operas were performed.

The sightseeing area including Kunning Lake is the crowing glory in my opinion. Covering an area of 220 hectares, it covers about 2/3 of the park with still waters, which the rulers believed to be a sign of longevity and stability. Bridges, dams, and pavilions are just the beginning to a leisurely stroll.

There are many major and minor sights to behold. Seventeen Arch Bridge, which connects an island to the banks of the lake, is a beautiful piece of architecture with the Bronze Ox in nearby proximity. Long Gallery is very colorful with some 8000 elaborate paintings and said to be one of the longest galleries in China.

A considerable amount of time can be spent at he Garden of Harmonious Interests with its bridges, pavilions and a lotus garden. The waterfall and bamboo grove are always a favorite of mine creating a peaceful feeling to me.

Probably one of Kunning Lake’s most well known sights is the Marble Boat. The main body of the boat was built with huge stones while the rest of it was made of wood and painted white resembling marble. Colored bricks and inlaid glass adorn the vessel along with four dragonheads, which are actually for rainwater runoff.

Kunning Lake cover’s the most area of Summer Palace and can easily consume the most of your time. The beauty and serenity just makes you slow your pace and sit back to enjoy the feeling that comes over you. You can walk around the lake and there are also boat cruises, which I opted for with my tiring feet.