颐和园

Why this place

The Summer Palace is the largest imperial garden in China, built around Kunming Lake with Longevity Hill behind it — a designed landscape of 300 hectares combining natural water, artificial hills, temples and a 728-metre painted corridor. It was the court's summer retreat and, in a sense, its idea of the world.

What to see

• The Long Corridor, with its 14,000 painted scenes on 728 metres of beams
• Longevity Hill and the Tower of Buddhist Incense
• Kunming Lake by boat, and the Seventeen-Arch Bridge
• The Suzhou Street, built by the Qianlong emperor to recreate a city outside the walls

What to eat

• Tea houses in the park, and the surrounding Haidian district's restaurants
• Beijing-style snacks near the north gate

How to plan

Half a day, or a full one if you include the boat and the hill.

Best time

April–May and September–October; the lake is best in summer