Best time to go: Year round

Norbu Lingka, which means "precious garden" in Tibetan, was the summer residence of many generations of Dalai Lamas, while Potala Palace was their winter residence. It lies one kilometer to the west of the Potala.

Among the green trees stands a two-story building with carved beams, painted pillars, traditional upturned eaves, and corbel brackets. This is the house where Dalai Lamas stayed during the summer. The building is surrounded by trees, with ponds, terraces, and towers nearby. Thhis elegant palace contains many valuable objects, including gold, silver, jade, antiques, Buddhist artifacts, murals, and Luxury furniture.

When the trees turn green, families come here to celebrate Dzamling Chisang Festival. Setting up tents and camps in the woods or by the river, they sing and dance and drink Qingke barley wine and buttered tea until midnight.