Beijing Yuanmingyuan

There is no better place to discover and visit than most famous gardens and packs in Beijing. Visiting Yuanmingyuan which is also known as the Old summer palace is like getting an unexpected gift.

Yuanmingyuan, once the most amazing royal garden in China for the five Qing emperors in the 18th Century.Nevertheless, what you may see now, are just broken pillar and collapsed buildings that were burnt during the 1860 second Opium war and in 1900 by the Eight-Power Allied Forces.

The garden is separated into three, the earliest Garden of Perfection and Brightness (Yuanmingyuan), Garden of Eternal Spring (ChuangChunyuan) and the third one Garden of Superb Spring ( Qichunyuan) which was later renamed Garden of 10,000 Springs (WanChun yuan). The centre of the Garden is a huge manmade lake, known as Lake of Happiness; to the north of the garden external spring are dilapidated European-style Renaissance structures.From the ruins you can visualize how remarkable the garden looked in the heyday.

Location: East of the Summer Palace

How to get there

Bus Route

• Take bus 365, 432, 562, 656, 664, 681, 717, 814, 957(快2), 963, 982, 特4, Yuntong 105 or Yuntong 205 and get off at Yuanmingyuan Dongmen (East Gate) Station.
• Take bus 432, 562, 664, 681, 814, 957(快2), 982, 特4, Yuntong 105 or Yuntong 205 and get off at Yuanmingyuan Dong Lu Station.
• Take bus 319, 320, 331, 432, 438, 498, 628, 664, 690, 696, 697, 801, 826 or 特6 and get off at Yuanmingyuan Nanmen (South Gate).

Subway: Subway Line 4: get off at Yuanmingyuan Station and get out of the station from Exit B (northeast exit).

Opening Hours: Summer-07:00-18:00

                              Winter-07:00-17:00

Weather/Best Time to Go

Amazing Beijing enjoys different features for its clear distinction of four seasons, characterized by a long hot summer, long chilly winter, and shorter spring and autumn. The hottest month in Beijing is July and coldest is January. Considering the frequent sandstorms in spring, September and October with their pleasant weather are considered the best visiting times.

You can go to the Yuanmingyuan any time of the year. You can feel the clear air, blossoming flowers and the full lease of life in the spring; relax and cool down in the summer; enjoy the leaf falling in the autumn; and skiing on the lake in the winter. However, the sunny day is much better, so you can check out the Beijing weather forecast here.

Tips

Leave by the east gate of the garden and you will see a parking lot, beside is a café, MIMA, they serves coffee and western food at RMB 50/person