For most travellers the best time to visit the Chinese capital is either late April through mid-May or mid-September through October. Both seasons offer mild temperatures, low rainfall, and the kind of clear skies that make outdoor sightseeing genuinely pleasant. Spring brings flowering trees through the city parks and around the Summer Palace; autumn brings the golden ginkgo trees that line the streets near the Temple of Confucius. Summer in Beijing can be punishing — temperatures regularly exceed 35°C and the humidity makes long walks at the Forbidden City exhausting. July and August also bring the heaviest rainfall, often as short but intense afternoon storms. Winter is cold and dry, with daytime temperatures hovering around freezing, but it also brings the lowest tourist numbers and a different kind of beauty: snow-dusted palace roofs and frozen lakes you can skate on at Houhai.