Visiting the Summer Palace during the Spring Festival 20210217

Time: February
Average cost: 50 yuan
With whom: husband and wife
Tour kinds: Self-driving, free travel
The author went to these places： Summer Palace Beijing Temple of Heaven Beihai Park Zhongshan Park Jingshan Park Fragrant Hills Park Taoranting Park Purple Bamboo Courtyard Park Yuyuantan Park Kunming Lake Longevity Hill Beigongmen Suzhou Street Shifang Buddhist Incense Pavilion Paiyun Hall
Updated: 2021.03.13

Spring Festival Tour to the Summer Palace (202102017)

On February 17, 2021, at 12:50, we set out from Huilongguan, Changping, Beijing, and drove to the Summer Palace. Today is the last day of the Spring Festival holiday and the last day of the free highway, so there are not many vehicles on the highway. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic this year, many migrant workers spent the Lunar New Year in Beijing. To ensure migrant workers can enjoy the Spring Festival holiday in Beijing, the Beijing government has announced that all parks under Beijing's jurisdiction will be open to visitors free of charge during the holiday. Municipal parks include: the Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, Beihai Park, Zhongshan Park, Jingshan Park, Fragrant Hills Park, Beijing Zoo, Beijing Botanical Garden, Taoranting Park, Zizhuyuan Park, and Yuyuantan Park. Reservations are required for visiting parks during the Spring Festival holiday; entry is not permitted without a reservation. A health code is also required upon entry. The Summer Palace, a Qing Dynasty imperial garden located in the western suburbs of Beijing, is a 5A-rated national scenic area. Built on the site of Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill, and modeled after West Lake in Hangzhou, the Summer Palace draws on the design techniques of Jiangnan gardens. It is the best-preserved imperial palace and garden, earning it the nickname "Royal Garden Museum." We entered the Summer Palace through the North Palace Gate.

This is the Beigong Gate.

This is the long bridge of the Beigong Gate.

After entering the park, we wandered north along Kunming Lake, passing the Stone Bridge and Jiehu Bridge, reaching the other side of the lake. After snapping a few photos, we returned, heading east along Kunming Lake from the North Palace Gate to the East Palace Gate. The main attractions of the Summer Palace can be reached along this road.

Suzhou Street,
Suyun Zhanchengguan,

Passing the stone bridge

Qingyan Fang (Stone Boat),

Yunyan Paifang

荇 Bridge

In the summer, you can take a boat tour

A long corridor of more than 700 meters,

My legs are not good, so I didn’t go up the mountain to the Buddha Incense Pavilion.

The picture above is the Buddha Incense Pavilion

A few thoughts:

1. Although the Summer Palace is free to enter during the Spring Festival, all the attractions that normally charge admission are closed.

2. It is not recommended to visit the Summer Palace in winter; it is not as beautiful as the summer with its blooming flowers and green willows.

3. This is my third visit to the Summer Palace. The first time was in February 1985, when I was on a business trip from Qiqihar, Heilongjiang Province, to Beijing. At that time, the entrance fee was 10 cents, and there were basically no paid attractions. The second time was on New Year's Day 2015. I just took a simple walk and the weather was quite cold.

4. In the summer, you can take a cruise to the Summer Palace.

5. I am a senior citizen over 60 years old. There is no charge for visiting the Summer Palace at any time.

6. There are still relatively few tourists in winter.

7. It is recommended to spend 4-5 hours in the Summer Palace.

Written in Beijing on February 20, 2021.