In Beijing there are countless attractions to see and one of them is the Summer Palace or Yiheyuan. Seeing it is one of the things you can do in this country and you will certainly not regret it.
Beijing it surprises us with its parks and the countless palaces where the emperors spent the seasons of their government. The Summer Palace is Yiheyuan, it recalls the hottest, carefree and sunniest season of all and opens with the extraordinary view of Lake Kunming crossed by many characteristic Chinese dragon-shaped boats. Barges commute between the mainland and the South Island, which is home to the Dragon King temple.
The summer palace is therefore not a single palace, but a residence which strikes more than anything else for its size, for its refinement and for the richness of green and water that alternate around it. Long open-air corridors, painted in brightly colored wood and studied geometric figures, protected the emperors and their families from the rain during their walks on the lake.
Enjoy a walk under them too and don't forget to climb the hill of longevity where the first palace was built and to get to the Buddhist Perfume Pagoda, from which you will enjoy another splendid view, which widely covers the area of the Summer Palace.
Arm yourself with good shoes because the visit is very long, especially if you want to walk along all the gardens and their white bridges over the water, which reflect their perfect arches in the lakes below, to be admired with tranquility. Strolling south you cannot fail to come across the Marble Boat, a boat that seems to be built entirely of marble, but which is actually made of painted wood, with only a marble hull.
The south island is connected with the mainland with the Bridge of the 17 Arches, a wonder of white and decorations, where you will see many Chinese resting while letting their huge kites fly in the air. The coils of thread are very large and held by a metal reel, so that the colorful kites can fly very high and stay in the sky for a long time.
Between gardens with harmonious names and decorated rooms, flowered and perfumed peonies and benches in the green, the Summer Palace offers peace and tranquility in the chaotic and smoky Beijing and almost seems to be somewhere else, outside the metropolis, light years away from chaos.
Getting to the Summer Palace on the other hand is very easy, and even if the Taxis in Beijing are economical and reliable, however, it is possible to reach the Summer Palace also with the By public transport. For a truly low cost transfer, in fact, just take the metro line 10 to Bagou.
From there, as soon as you come out you will find a bus stop, in front of a McDonald's. just take the 74 for 3 stops and get off right at the East gate of the Summer Palace, from where the visit begins. For the return the bus stop is a bit hidden, looking from the east door in fact you will have to go straight and then turn left, to find it just around the curve and not as we are used to seeing, opposite the stop in the opposite direction . After 3 stops, the 74 will take you back to metro line 10, don't worry if it won't be the same one you came from, you can in fact continue from there to any of your destinations. In this way you will have reached the Summer Palace and you will be back, with just under 1 euro.
The entrance to the Summer Palace costs 30 yuen, the other attractions are apart. It is advisable to buy the ticket which also includes the Pagoda of the Buddhist Perfume and its splendid view. It comes only 10 yuen more (about 1 euro). The cost of a boat ride to the south island or other points of the park is 15 yuen one way per person (1 euro and 50 cents approximately).
For a break and a snack there are several refreshment points next to the long wooden corridors on the lake. For sale, fried chicken legs in a bag or steamed dumplings, the average cost of a portion is 10 yuen (about 1 euro). If you want something more substantial but also more expensive, there are restaurants in the gardens and near the buildings, where you can sit and eat Chinese and more or less Western food.
