One-Day Tour: Summer Palace, Old Summer Palace & Bird’s Nest (Exterior)

Apr 17,2026

One-Day Tour: Summer Palace, Old Summer Palace & Bird’s Nest (Exterior)(pic1)

1. Morning: Summer Palace (Yiheyuan) – The "Garden of Nurturing Harmony"
The Summer Palace (UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998) is China’s largest and best-preserved imperial garden. Spanning 290 hectares (three-quarters water), it blends Kunming Lake, Longevity Hill, and classical architecture into a masterpiece of Chinese landscape design. Built in 1750 (renovated 1886), it served as the Qing court’s summer retreat.
Key Attractions (Detailed)
East Palace Gate & Hall of Benevolence and Longevity (Renshou Dian)
The main entrance and political core of the palace. Built with yellow-glazed tiles (imperial exclusive), it features a bronze dragon and phoenix—symbols of imperial authority.
Long Corridor (Chang Lang)
A 728m covered walkway, the world’s longest painted corridor. It holds over 14,000 intricate murals: landscapes, floral patterns, and scenes from classic Chinese novels (e.g., Journey to the West, Romance of the Three Kingdoms).
Tower of Buddhist Incense (Foxiang Ge)
A 41m octagonal pagoda dominating Longevity Hill. Climb to the top for a panoramic view of Kunming Lake and the entire garden.
Seventeen-Arch Bridge
A 150m stone bridge with 17 arches, spanning Kunming Lake. Its railings are adorned with 544 unique stone lions—no two are identical.
A 36m stone boat symbolizing the "stability of the Qing dynasty." Even the windows and railings are carved from stone, showcasing exquisite craftsmanship.

2. Afternoon: Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan) – The "Garden of Gardens"

Known as the "Garden of Gardens," Yuanmingyuan was a vast 350-hectare complex of gardens, palaces, and lakes built over 150 years (1707–1860). It fused Chinese classical style, Jiangnan water town elegance, and European Baroque architecture. In 1860, it was looted and burned down by Anglo-French forces, leaving haunting ruins.
Key Attractions (Detailed)
European Palaces (Xiyang Lou) Ruins
The most iconic site: scattered marble pillars and carvings of the former Western-style palaces (e.g., Dashuifa (Great Fountain) and Haiyantang (Hall of National Peace)). The twisted stone fragments stand as a solemn reminder of history.
Haiyantang (Clock Fountain)
Once featured bronze statues of the 12 Chinese Zodiac Animals that spouted water in rotation every 2 hours. The heads were looted; some have been recovered and displayed in museums.
Fu Lake (Fu Hai)
The largest lake in the garden. In summer, lotus flowers blanket the water, creating a serene contrast to the nearby ruins.
Panorama Model Hall
A scale model showing Yuanmingyuan’s original splendor—over 1,000 buildings across 3 interconnected gardens (Yuanmingyuan, Changchunyuan, Qichunyuan).

3. Evening: Bird’s Nest (National Stadium) – Exterior View
The Beijing National Stadium, nicknamed the "Bird’s Nest," is the centerpiece of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Designed by Herzog & de Meuron and Li Xinggang, its revolutionary steel structure resembles a giant bird’s nest woven from 42,000 tons of steel beams. It’s a global symbol of modern China’s architectural prowess.