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A Summer Palace Beijing Map: Where Is Summer Palace Located in China (Plus the Best Subway Route)
Where is Summer Palace located? We made this location map for you. As you can see, it sits in the northwest of Beijing, about 20 km from the city center (see the Forbidden City on map). That is roughly a 30–40 minute drive or about 1.5 hours by subway.
So plan at least half a day to a full day for your visit. The nearest high-speed rail station is Beijing North Station (北京北站).
The subway stations you are most likely to use are Beigongmen (北宫门站) and Xiyuan (西苑站), both on Line 4. If you visit in spring for the flower season, Yiheyuan West Gate Station (颐和园西门站) on the Xijiao Line is your best starting point.
Take Exit D (D西南口) at Beigongmen Station on Line 4, and you will be right at the North Gate. Take Exit C2 at Xiyuan Station, and you can walk to the East Gate, which is the main entrance.
You can locate the Summer Palace on Google Maps using the coordinates 39°59'58.6"N 116°16'30.6"E. For Amap (高德) or Baidu Maps, simply search "颐和园" and it will come right up.
How to Visit Forbidden City | Ultimate Beijing Forbidden City Guide
The Summer Palace Overview Map: Your Big-Picture Guide
Now let's zoom in! Unlike other maps you'll find online, this one splits the Summer Palace into four zones based on history and purpose.
To help you explore, think of this place as a massive royal "theme park" with an ancient government office. It was built by Emperor Qianlong for his mother's birthday. It covers 3 square kilometers, which is about four times the size of the Forbidden City!
- Kunming Lake Area (the biggest part) — The emperor wanted his own version of Hangzhou's West Lake, so he built one. Look for the 17-Arch Bridge, tiny islands, and long causeways.
- Front Hill & Court Area: This is where the emperor lived, worked, and hosted foreign guests. Empress Dowager Cixi even ran the country from here in the late 1800s.
- You can walk through the famous Long Corridor, see the Hall of Joyful Longevity, and climb up to the Tower of Buddhist Incense and the Sea of Wisdom for a great view.
- Back Hill Leisure Area: This area features a mix of different cultures. You can visit Suzhou Street, a traditional water-market, and the Four Great Regions, which are grand Tibetan-style temples.
- Garden of Harmonious Interests: Tucked in the northeast corner, this is a quiet "garden within a garden." It is a perfect copy of a famous private garden from Southern China.
There are 6 main gates: North Palace Gate, North Ruyi Gate, East Palace Gate, New Palace Gate, South Ruyi Gate, and West Gate.
The "Hill" shown on the map is Longevity Hill (万寿山). Put simply, the Summer Palace is a combination of Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake.
The Summer Palace Attractions Map: 12 Spots You Shouldn't Miss
We mentioned a few highlights above, but that is not enough. Use this Summer Palace attractions map to see all 12 must-visit spots at a glance, along with photos of each one. We also keep this map updated with the latest information on every attraction.
Front Hill Palace Area: Royal Highlights
Long Corridor (长廊): A Guinness World Record holder: 728 meters long with over 14,000 paintings. The longest outdoor art gallery in the world.
Tower of Buddhist Incense (佛香阁): The park's iconic landmark. Perched high on the hill, it dominates the sky. Climb up here to look down upon the lake and feel the true power of the empire.
Sea of Wisdom (智慧海): The glazed-tile temple crowning Longevity Hill, covered in hundreds of tiny Buddha sculptures.
Leshou Hall (仁寿殿): The political heart of late Qing China. Empress Dowager Cixi ran the empire and received foreign diplomats right here. Notice the fierce bronze dragons and phoenixes standing guard outside.
Renshou Hall (乐寿堂): Cixi's private bedroom, still preserved with her original furniture and belongings. This was actually the very first place in China to use electric lights.
Huazhongyou (画中游): The architects here were geniuses. They designed these cliffside pavilions so that every window perfectly frames the lake. A hidden gem for photographers.
Kunming Lake Area: Boat, Bridge & More
17-Arch Bridge (十七孔桥): The park's most photographed spot. It's guarded by 544 stone lions. A masterpiece of stone and light. During the winter solstice, the setting sun perfectly illuminates the inside of all 17 arches, making the bridge glow like pure gold.
The Marble Boat (清晏舫): A gorgeous, scandalous irony. This massive, unsinkable stone ship was famously funded by the Empress Dowager—using money taken from the imperial navy!
Kunming Lake (昆明湖): 3/4 of the whole park! Rent a boat, walk the lakeside path, or just chill by the water.
Zhichun Pavilion (知春亭): The most romantic spot to watch the seasons change. It is always the very first place in the palace where the winter ice melts and the willow leaves turn green.
Back Hill Leisure Area
Four Great Regions (四大部洲): Unique Tibetan-style Buddhist temples on the back hill. Totally different vibe from the rest of the park.
Suzhou Street (苏州街): The ultimate royal "cosplay." The isolated emperors craved normal city life, so palace eunuchs dressed up as shopkeepers here to pretend they were in a bustling riverside market.
Suzhou Street is currently under renovation until September 2026. This information comes from the official Summer Palace website.
3 Summer Palace Route Maps: From 2-Hour to Full Day Plan
Now that you know what to see, here's how to see it. I've put together three routes based on how much time you have. Each route below comes with its own map above for easy reference.
Route 1: The Quick Visit (1–2.5 hours)
Perfect for: Travelers on a tight schedule or combining the Summer Palace with other Beijing sights.
North Gate → Pine Hall → Marble Boat → Long Corridor → Renshou Hall → 17-Arch Bridge → Nanhu Island → Xinjian Gate
It's a straight shot from north to south with no backtracking and skips the climb up Longevity Hill but still captures the park's most iconic views — the painted Long Corridor, the Marble Boat, and the postcard-worthy 17-Arch Bridge.
You only need to buy the basic regular entrance ticket (20-30 RMB) to finish your whole visiting route in the Summer Palace. The combo ticket is unnecessary for your journey.
Route 2: The Classic Route (3–4 hours)
Perfect for: Families, seniors, kids, and first-time visitors.
East Gate → Renshou Hall → Leshou Hall → Long Corridor → Marble Boat → Boat Ride → Nanhu Island → 17-Arch Bridge → Xinjian Gate
This is the most popular route — and for good reason. You'll start at the political heart of the palace (Renshou Hall), peek into Empress Cixi's private bedroom (Leshou Hall), stroll the world's longest painted corridor, and then cross Kunming Lake by dragon boat — a relaxing break that doubles as the best photo opportunity of the day.
- Take the Marble Boat → Nanhu Island ferry (one-way ¥40 per person).
- Buy tickets on-site at the Marble Boat dock (cash/WeChat/Alipay accepted).
- Boats run 8:30–17:30 (last ticket 16:30)
Route 3: The Full Experience (5–6 hours)
This route covers all four zones — hills, lake, palace, and gardens — in one unforgettable loop.
Enter through the North Gate and start with Suzhou Street, the emperor's private "water town". Continue up to the Tibetan-style Four Great Regions.
Then cross over the summit of Longevity Hill — passing the Sea of Wisdom, climbing the iconic Tower of Buddhist Incense, and pausing at the Pavilion of Painted Views.
Descend into the Long Corridor, reach the Marble Boat, and break for lunch at Tingli Restaurant.
In the afternoon, take a boat across the lake to Nanhu Island and the 17-Arch Bridge, then return north to discover the lakeside Zhichun Pavilion and the hidden Garden of Harmonious Interests.
Finish through Leshou Hall and Renshou Hall, exiting at the East Gate.
For this route, you need a combo ticket, because it includes Suzhou Street and Tower of Buddhist Incense, which require extra fees.
- Peak (Apr–Oct): ¥60 combo ticket (includes entrance, Suzhou Street, Tower of Buddhist Incense, Dehe Garden, and the museum).
- Off-peak (Nov–Mar): ¥50 combo ticket.
A Foodie's Map of the Summer Palace
Exploring a 300-hectare imperial garden is hungry work. You will need to refuel. Here's your complete map of where to eat, drink, and rest inside the park.
Pine Hall Snack Bar (松堂快餐厅): Conveniently placed near the North Gate. Simple Chinese fare, quick service.
Zhichun Pavilion Tea Bar (知春亭茶饮): Located at one of the best lake view spots in the entire park. Grab a drink here and watch Kunming Lake sparkle. This is peak Summer Palace atmosphere.
Tingli Restaurant (听鹂馆饭庄) serves imperial-style cuisine, where you can enjoy authentic palace dishes and herbal medicinal meals.
The afternoon tea at Guishou Hall (贵寿厅) is also very popular — you can experience the Empress Dowager's afternoon tea, available as a set or individual meal (98 yuan per person).
For coffee, head to Yanqing Shanglou (延清赏楼), where you can grab a cold drink and head upstairs to relax with a view of the Summer Palace — sipping coffee while taking in the scenery.
Restrooms & Docks Maps for the Summer Palace
Every travel blog tells you about the beautiful pavilions and the stunning lake views at the Summer Palace. But nobody tells you where the bathroom is when you've been walking for three hours. Welcome to the most underrated map in this entire guide.
Restroom Map - Where to Go
The Summer Palace has roughly 15+ public restrooms scattered throughout the park.
We strongly recommend using the "颐和园" (Summer Palace) WeChat Mini Program. Tap the English version, switch to "Services," then select "Map Guide."
From there you can see the locations of all restrooms in the park, along with details for each one. Tap the restroom icon nearest to you, hit "Go here," and it will even navigate you right to it.
Boat Dock Map — Where to Take the Boat
Here is some extra information to help you understand the Kunming Lake boat system. There are over 20 docks along the lake, so you can choose where to board based on your route. The most common option is the shuttle boat (30–40 yuan per person).
These carry more passengers and follow fixed routes. The three most popular shuttle boat docks are Front Hill Dock (前山码头), Nanhu Island Dock (南湖岛码头), and Wenchang Gallery Dock (文昌阁码头).
If you prefer to paddle on your own and follow your own route, you can rent an electric boat. These are available at only three docks — Yulan Hall Dock (玉澜堂码头), Wenchang Gallery Dock (文昌阁码头), and Bafang Pavilion Dock (八方亭码头). Each boat fits up to 6 people, costs 200 yuan per hour, and requires a 600 yuan deposit.
How to buy tickets:
Tickets can only be purchased on-site at the docks.
A Beijing & Summer Palace Map: 4 Days Classic Itinerary Map
By now, you've mastered the Summer Palace — the routes, the food spots, the hidden restrooms. But you're not flying to Beijing just for one park.
You'll want to walk through the Forbidden City, stand on the Great Wall, and wander a hutong at sunset. The question is: how do you connect it all without burning out?
Below is a classic 4-day Beijing itinerary that links the Summer Palace seamlessly with the city's other must-see treasures — designed for first-time visitors who want maximum experience with minimum stress.
life.
| Day | Theme | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beijing Arrival | Hotel check-in |
| 2 | Beijing City Tour | Tian'anmen Square, Forbidden City, Jingshan Park, Summer Palace |
| 3 | Great Wall Tour | Mutianyu Great Wall, Bird's Nest & Water Cube |
| 4 | Beijing Departure | Temple of Heaven, Hutong Rickshaw Tour, hotel check-out |
Want this trip planned for you?
Our Beijing team handles everything — private guides, skip-the-line tickets, comfortable transfers, and flexible itineraries. Contact Asia Odyssey Travel to start customizing your dream Beijing adventure.
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