Qingdao 青岛
German-built seaside city, and the beer that carries its name worldwide.
- Region
- Shandong
- Best months
- May, Jun, Sep, Oct
- Nights to budget
- 2
- Airport
- Jiaodong International (TAO)
Why visit Qingdao
- Red-roofed Bavarian architecture on a Chinese coast
- Tsingtao Brewery is a working museum you can drink in
- Best summer beach escape in the north
What to see
- • Badaguan red-roofed quarter
- • Tsingtao Brewery Museum
- • Zhanqiao Pier
- • Mount Lao
- • St. Michael’s Cathedral
- • May Fourth Square
What to eat
- Tsingtao beer
- Clams in broth
- Sea cucumber
- Grilled squid
- Shandong pancakes
Getting there
Qingdao to Jinan 1h40, to Beijing 3h30 on the coastal high-speed line.
Qingdao has a metro, so most journeys inside the city cost ¥2–10 and avoid traffic entirely.
Practical guides for Qingdao
City-specific topic pages are being written city by city. In the meantime these national guides apply everywhere.
- Visa & entry
Whether you need a visa for China, and the three routes that get most travellers in without one.
- Payment & money apps
Alipay and WeChat Pay now accept foreign cards.
- eSIM & connectivity
How to get online in China without losing access to Google, WhatsApp and Instagram.
- Safety
China is statistically one of the safest countries for travellers.
- Getting around
Metro, taxi, ride-hailing and buses — how each works and which to use when.
- High-speed rail
The world’s largest high-speed network — how to book, board and not miss your train.
- Food & eating
How to order, what the regional specialities actually are, and how to handle dietary needs.
- Hotels & booking
Which sites actually work for foreigners, and what to check before you pay.
- Attraction tickets
Almost every major attraction now requires a timed online reservation, often days ahead.
- Money & costs
What a day actually costs, where the money goes, and how to budget by tier.
- Language & communication
How far English gets you, and the handful of Chinese that changes the trip.
- Apps you need
The short list of apps that make the trip work, and what each one replaces.