• Brief description: spectacular complex filled with gardens, lakes, islets and palaces which once served as the summer residence for Chinese imperial families. The park is enormous, so make sure not to miss the Front-Hill Area, where we recommend visiting: the Hall of Dispelling Clouds, the Hall of Moral Glory, the Tower of Buddhist Incense, the Hall of the Sea of Wisdom, the Wenchang Tower and the Long Corridor. To return to the eastern gate, you can take the boat bus that departs from a marble stop in the shape of a boat (2CNY).
• Duration of visit: 3-4 hrs.
• Hours: 7:00 to 17:00h.
• Cost: 50CNY (from November to March) y 60CNY (from April to October) for combined ticket that gives you access to all the rooms of the palace (it's worth it). 
• How to get there: we recommend renting a bike. It's a pleasant hour or hour-an-half ride. We recommend heading towards the zoo and sticking close to it until Zizhuyuan Park (you can't cross the park with a bicycle). After the park, follow the riverbank until you come to two beautiful bridges one right after the other (the first is a flattened bridge; the second goes up). Leaving the river, you'll see the south entrance to the palace; keep going until you come to the east entrance (bikes are not permitted inside the park). If you'd rather go by metro, take Line 4 and get off at Beigongmen Station (enxit from D and walk 3 min to the Northern Gate of the palace).