Built in the 12C, but sacked on several occasions, this summer palace was restored at great expense at the end of the 19C by the empress Cixi, whose megalomania remains legendary even to this day. Situated 12km northwest of Beijing, this enchanting site, which should not to be missed, provides an opportunity for visitors to enjoy a pleasant and cooling stroll along the sloped banks of the Kunming Lake. The complex includes splendid gardens, pavilions, temples, bridges and an extraordinary long corridor exquisitely painted with frescoes relating the history of China.