A seaside city of red-roofed German-era houses, beaches and fresh draft beer, with a granite mountain on the coast 30 km away.
A seaside city of red-roofed German-era houses, beaches and fresh draft beer, with a granite mountain on the coast 30 km away.
A 440 m pier from 1891 at the foot of Zhongshan Road, with the octagonal Huilan Pavilion at its end. Free, and about 10 minutes' walk from Qingdao Railway Station; go early to beat the crowds.
The streets above the pier keep many red-roofed houses from the German period before 1914. The twin-spired Catholic cathedral stands on a sloping square a short walk up from Zhongshan Road.
The museum fills the original 1903 brewery buildings on Dengzhou Road, with old equipment and a working production line. Standard entry is about ¥60 and includes a tasting of fresh draft beer; Metro Line 2 to Lijin Road, then about 700 m on foot.
A district of villas on streets named after old mountain passes, each lined with a single kind of tree, between No. 1 and No. 3 beaches. The streets are free to walk; the stone Huashi Lou villa sits at the end of No. 2 Beach.
No. 1 Bathing Beach lies just west of Badaguan, and the city beaches continue east from there. May Fourth Square, with its tall red sculpture on Fushan Bay, is free and open all day (Metro Lines 2 and 3).
China's highest coastal mountain, 1,132.7 m, about 30 km northeast of downtown, with Taoist temples such as Taiqing Palace near the shore. For a first visit, take Metro Line 4 to Dahedong and the park shuttle to the Taiqing and Jufeng areas.
Chopped spoon worm stir-fried with chives in a savory sauce and poured over rice.
Boiled dumplings filled with mackerel, or with cuttlefish, shrimp or sea urchin.
Pan-fried dumplings, crisp underneath, filled with pork, shrimp and vegetables.
Unfiltered, unpasteurized Tsingtao served fresh; locals buy draft beer in plastic bags from neighborhood beer shops.
Qingdao is a port city on the Shandong coast, between Beijing and Shanghai. Germany held it from 1897 to 1914, and the old town above the pier still has the red roofs, churches and villas of that period, along with the brewery that began making Tsingtao beer in 1903. Add sandy city beaches, seafood and a granite mountain on the coast, and it makes a relaxed break from the big cities.
It suits travelers who like walking, sea air and food more than museums. It sits about 3.5 hours by high-speed train from Beijing, and a short flight from Shanghai, so it fits between the two.
Start at Zhanqiao Pier early, then walk up through the old town to St. Michael’s Cathedral and eat lunch nearby. In the afternoon, take Metro Line 2 to the Tsingtao Beer Museum on a slot you booked ahead, and stay for seafood and draft beer on Dengzhou Road outside.
Give the second day to the coast. Walk the Badaguan villa streets in the morning, spend time on the beaches, and end at May Fourth Square as the lights come on.
On the third day, go to Mount Lao. Book a timed ticket a few days ahead, take Metro Line 4 to Dahedong early, and use the park shuttles to reach Taiqing Palace by the sea and the trails toward Jufeng. Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay before you arrive; the paying in China guide explains how.
Checked on 29 October 2026. Opening times and ticket rules change; confirm on the official site before you go.
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