Norbulingka

Norbulingka, the jewel park, was laid out from the 1750s as a summer residence, and successive occupants added palaces, chapels and pavilions among willows, poplars and pools, so it is a garden with buildings rather than a single palace. It covers around thirty-six hectares behind a wall, and it is inscribed by UNESCO as part of the historic ensemble of the Potala Palace. Interiors include murals, thrones and, in the newest palace, mid-twentieth century furnishings. During Shoton, the yoghurt festival in summer, the grounds fill with families picnicking in tents and Tibetan opera is performed for days.

What you actually see

• The summer palaces - several buildings from different periods in the garden.
• The murals and interiors - painted halls, thrones and furnishings.
• The gardens - willows, poplars, pools and pavilions across the grounds.
• The Shoton festival - opera and family picnicking in the park in summer.

When to go

April to October, with the garden greenest in summer; Shoton falls in late summer and is the liveliest time. Winter is bare and cold. Foreign visitors travel with a permit and guide.

Honest expectations

The garden is large and the palaces spread out, with a lot of walking at 3,650 metres. Photography inside is restricted. Outside festival days the grounds can feel quiet and empty.

Nearby

The Potala lies east; the Jokhang is in the old town.