Depending on the start time selected at checkout, meet your guide outside of your hotel lobby in the morning or afternoon. From here, make your way to the nearest metro station for the short and easy journey to the Summer Palace (Yiheyuan), a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
During your journey, your guide provides a historical overview of the landmark, which was built in 1750 as a royal residence and is widely considered a masterpiece of Chinese landscape design.
On arrival at the palace, feast your eyes on an intricately painted wooden promenade known as Long Corridor, admire the 17-arch marble bridge that connects South Lake Island to Kunming Lake, and remark at the frivolity of a marble boat dedicated to Empress Dowager Cixi.
See, too, gorgeous examples of Chinese landscaping at the Hall of Dispelling Clouds and Longevity Hill before either continuing to explore the grounds independently or accompanying your guide back to your Beijing accommodation.