Summer Palace

Erected in 1750 by a Qing emperor, the Summer Palace, even if partly destroyed during the Second Opium War in the 19th Century, has lost nothing of its haughtiness. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this treasure of the art of Chinese landscaped gardens perfectly illustrates the philosophy of harmony between man and nature that is dear to the Middle Kingdom. Its islands, dotted around Lake Kunming, its temples seemingly mounting an assault on Longevity Hill, its pavilions and its towers submerged in the greenery offer sublime views, like an ode to tranquillity.