Qingdao

Best time to visit

1. Jan
2. Feb
3. Mar
4. Apr
5. May
6. Jun
7. Jul
8. Aug
9. Sep
10. Oct
11. Nov
12. Dec

From the airport or station to the city

Where you land, the ways into the city centre, how long each takes and what it costs.

Getting around

Qingdao stretches along the coast. The old German town (Zhanqiao, the Catholic Cathedral, Signal Hill) sits by Qingdao Railway Station; Badaguan and the beaches are a few kilometres east, and May Fourth Square is further east again. Metro Lines 2 and 3 connect them all, and the seafront promenade is a lovely long walk. DiDi and taxis are easy. Laoshan is about an hour away by car and takes a full day.

Book these before you fly

These sights need a reservation with your passport. Walk-ups are usually turned away.

• Laoshan MountainReal-name tickets on the official “崂山风景区” WeChat account or Trip.com, up to 7 days ahead, with a daily cap per area. Summer weekends and holidays sell out: book 1–2 days before. Use your passport number and bring the passport.
• Tianhou Temple (Qingdao Folk Museum)Free timed real-name booking, only via Meituan (search 青岛天后宫) or the QR code at the gate; ask staff if your passport is not accepted online.
• PLA Navy MuseumFree timed booking up to 7 days ahead on the museum’s WeChat account or mini-program or at hjbwg.com; passports are accepted. Enter by Gate 1 (Laiyang Road), 3 or 4.

Top sights

栈桥Zhanqiao PierA 440-metre pier from 1892 ending in the octagonal Huilan Pavilion, the symbol on every Tsingtao beer label.45 minutes天主教堂St Michael’s CathedralA 1930s twin-spired Gothic cathedral at the top of the old German town, surrounded by red-roofed streets.30–45 minutes八大关BadaguanA leafy seaside villa district where each street is lined with a different tree and houses in dozens of European styles.2 hours青岛啤酒博物馆Tsingtao Beer MuseumThe original 1903 German brewery, now a museum with old brewhouses, a working bottling line and fresh beer to taste.Booking recommended1.5–2 hours崂山Laoshan MountainGranite peaks rising straight from the sea, with old Taoist temples and trails. The source of the spring water in Tsingtao beer.Booking requiredFull day小鱼山公园Xiaoyushan ParkA small hilltop park with a pavilion giving the classic view of red roofs, green trees, blue sea and the curve of the bay.45 minutes信号山公园Signal Hill ParkA hill in the old town topped by three red mushroom-shaped towers, with a revolving viewing deck over the German quarter.1 hour五四广场May Fourth SquareThe modern waterfront with the red “May Wind” sculpture, next to the 2008 Olympic Sailing Center and a nightly skyline light show.1–1.5 hours青岛德国总督楼旧址博物馆Former German Governor’s ResidenceA 1907 hillside mansion built for the German governor, mixing Wilhelmine castle style with Jugendstil interiors; later a state guesthouse and now a museum with period rooms.1–1.5 hours江苏路基督教堂Qingdao Protestant ChurchA German church from 1910 with a green-roofed clock tower whose original mechanical clock still keeps time; you can climb the tower for views over the red roofs.30–45 minutes小青岛Little Qingdao IslandA small wooded island joined to the shore by a causeway, with a white German lighthouse from 1900 and the “Qin Nü” lute-player statue; the island that gave the city its name.45 minutes–1 hour湛山寺Zhanshan TempleThe only Buddhist temple in central Qingdao, built in the 1930s on the slope of Taiping Hill, with a seven-storey stone pagoda and quiet courtyards.45 minutes–1 hour青岛市博物馆Qingdao MuseumThe large city museum in the new east side, covering Qingdao’s history from prehistory to the German and Japanese periods, plus Buddhist statues, paintings and porcelain; free.Booking recommended1.5–2 hours中山公园Zhongshan ParkQingdao’s largest park, below Taiping Hill near Huiquan Bay, famous for the city’s cherry blossom festival in April, with magnolia and tulip gardens.1–2 hours奥帆中心Olympic Sailing CenterThe 2008 Olympic sailing venue on Fushan Bay, now a marina with yachts, a breakwater lined with bars and cafés, and the best view of the lit-up skyline at night.1–2 hours青岛天后宫Tianhou Temple (Qingdao Folk Museum)The oldest building complex in central Qingdao, a Ming-era temple to Mazu, goddess of the sea, facing the bay near Zhanqiao Pier and now a small folk museum.Booking required45 minutes金沙滩Golden Beach (Jinshatan)A 3.5-km crescent of fine golden sand on the West Coast across Jiaozhou Bay, the biggest beach in Qingdao and main venue of the Qingdao International Beer Festival.Half a day中国人民解放军海军博物馆PLA Navy MuseumChina’s national navy museum on the seafront by Lu Xun Park, with real warships, a submarine and aircraft outdoors and a large modern exhibition hall.Booking required2–3 hours台东步行街Taidong Pedestrian Street and Night MarketA busy local shopping street, over a century old, with painted building walls and the Hexing Road night market of about 300 stalls selling seafood skewers and snacks.1–2 hours

Map

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