Summer Palace, Beijing    Step through the gates of the Summer Palace and you will be transported to a royal playground fit for an emperor. This UNESCO World Heritage Site sits on Longevity Hill overlooking Kunming Lake just northwest of Beijing’s center in China. The original palace was started in the Jin Dynasty (1100’s), with editions by Qianlong Emperor of the   Qing dynasty in 1749. Empress Dowager Cixi, who used it as a summer resort, ordered the enlargement and reconstruction of the palace and grounds in the early 20thcentury. Plan a day to explore, and bring your walking shoes to climb to the Tower of Buddhist Incense and across the Seventeen-Arch Bridge.