辣炒蛤蜊
Spicy clams
Small clams in chili and garlic. Hear the price before they hit the wok. Shellfish is the allergen, obviously.
青岛 · 2 to 3 days
Qingdao
Qingdao is red roofs, a pier, and the sea in a temperate mood. The old town is the walk. Laoshan is the day you leave town. The beer is a museum and a drink, not the whole city. Eat seafood you can ask the price of.
The sky
Today and the next few days
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Stay near
The old town, or Badaguan if you want quiet
Give it
Two or three days
Book first
Laoshan, if that day is yours
Watch for
A seafood restaurant without prices
Walk Zhanqiao and the cathedral in the old town, then Badaguan for the villas. The beer museum is optional and central enough to add. Laoshan is east, a mountain day with trails and a bus.
The airport is north. The metro and a taxi both work. Jiaozhou Bay means the rail station you want may not be the romantic one by the old town. Read the ticket.
Spicy clams, dumplings, and beer are the local habit. Point at a tank only after you have heard a price per jin. A missing price is the warning.
Getting around
How you actually move.
Metro and buses cover the old town, Zhanqiao, the cathedral, and the beer museum. Badaguan is a walk or a short ride along the coast. Laoshan is a bus or taxi east, a full morning to reach the trail you chose.
The beaches are in town and fine for a hour. They are not the reason to skip the old town.
Where to sleep
A neighborhood, not a booking ad.
The old town puts the pier, the cathedral, and dinner in walking distance. It is the default.
Badaguan is quieter, greener, and a little removed from the noodle shops. Laoshan only if you are hiking at dawn. Do not sleep at the airport.
Eat this, not a poster of it
What Qingdao actually tastes like
海鲜水饺
Seafood dumplings
Wheat wrappers, shrimp or mixed seafood. A breakfast queue is a better sign than a view of the bay.
青岛啤酒
Tsingtao beer
The local lager, fresh if the place has it. It is a drink, not a meal. The museum is optional.
The sights
Where to go, and whether you can just show up.
Small pier ticket
Zhanqiao Pier
Historic sites 历史古迹
The pier that is Qingdao’s symbol. A short walk into the bay.
Free to walk
Badaguan
Cultural landscapes 人文风光
The villa district. Shaded streets, old houses, no ticket.
Mountain ticket
Laoshan
Natural scenery 自然风景Hiking and trails 徒步越野
The Taoist mountain east of the city. Trails, temples, and a bus if you would rather not climb.
Church ticket when open
St Michael’s Cathedral
Historic sites 历史古迹
The twin-spired Catholic church in the old town.
Museum ticket
Tsingtao Beer Museum
Museums 博物馆
The brewery museum. Industrial history, and a tasting if you want one.