Once the summer home for the emperor and his court, the palace consists of a series of less-formal buildings nestled in a hilly, wooded setting on a splendid lake, with gardens, bridges, pavilions, halls and towers. Though its contents were plundered, the Summer Palace recalls the opulent lifestyle of the privileged few during Qing times. Look for the marble replica of a boat, which was built by an empress using funds meant to modernize the navy. The Long Corridor, a covered 2,275-ft/700-m wooden walkway along the lake, is painted in extraordinary detail. It takes you from one great photo opportunity to the next—most tour groups walk through far too quickly. You can also take a dragon-boat ride on the lake, but it's a pretty slow ride and usually is jammed with tourists. In winter, visitors often ignore official warnings and use the frozen lake as a shortcut walkway through the palace grounds. Don't miss the trilevel opera stage favored by the Empress Dowager near the east gate (it's worth the extra 10 yuan to see it). Daily 7 am-5 pm. 35 yuan (April-October), 25 yuan (November-March). Yiheyuan Lu, Haidian District, Beijing. Phone 6288-1144.
