Visiting Qingdao China
Travel to the German-Influenced Home of Tsing Tao Beer
The German influence in the Chinese city Qingdao isn't only reflected in the presence of popular Tsingtao brewery, but also in the German architecture that pervades the area.
Exploring the History of Qingdao, China
Qingdao was ceded to Germany in 1898 as a repayment to Kaiser Wilhelm II for the murder of two German missionaries. The German administrators opened Tsingtao brewery in 1903 and spent the next couple of decades building German-style buildings throughout the town until the Japanese took it over in 1914, when it was passed back and forth between Japan and China until Japan's final defeat in 1945.
Many buildings constructed during the German occupation still stand today, and many buildings built after the Germans left town still maintain a European aesthetic. Some of the best sites to visit in Qingdao include:
- St. Michaels Catholic Church, built in 1934, is a popular site for wedding photos. Brides love to pose here with the twin spires behind them and the square is often filled with white-gowned women and their photographers waiting their turn.
- Qingdao Ying Binguan, once the German governor's home, is now a luxury hotel. It also holds a fair amount of Chinese history within its walls, as Chairman Mao and his wife stayed at the mansion during a 1957 visit to Qingdao.
- Taiping Shan park is the place to go to get a true measure of the size and scope of Qingdao. At the center of the park is the TV tower with an observation deck overlooking the vast sprawl between the sea and mountains that is Qingdao.
- The beaches are a favorite destination for Chinese vacationers in Qingdao, and access to the sea is sometimes difficult through the crowds of beachgoers and vendors selling everything from pictures with a scenic seaside background to boiled ears of corn to live turtles in a range of sizes. A pier leads out to Huilan pavilion, the icon on the label of Tsingdao beer.
- Tsingtao Beer is popular worldwide, and fans who visit Qingdao shouldn't miss a trip to the Tsingdao Brewery. Tours are available through local operators, such as CITS.
Where to Eat in Qingdao, China
Numerous restaurants line the roads surrounding the beaches of Qingdao, and the proprietors entice visitors inside with tanks of live seafood visible in front of the shops.
For the more adventurous, vendors on the beach and street side hawk fresh fruits, grilled squid, fried shrimp on a stick, grilled meat kebabs, flatbreads and spicy crepe-like creations.
Visitors should be aware that most menus in Qingdao are only available in Chinese, but pointing at pictures or what other diners are having is an acceptable way to indicate preferences.
Hotels in Qingdao, China
Qingdao has a wide range of sleeping options, from guesthouses catering to backpackers and local travelers to high-end hotels. Many hotels only have Chinese-speaking staff, but some higher-end hotels may have one or two English speakers on staff.
At the lower price end, a simple Chinese phrase book should be sufficient to acquire a room at places like the Zhanying Hotel or the Dawei Guesthouse, both near the train station. These kind of mostly family-run places are exceptionally friendly and helpful despite the language barrier.
In the luxury range, the Shangri-la is extremely popular and gets rave reviews from visitors.
Qingdao, China is a fascinating Chinese city with a unique mix of Asian and European influences that shouldn't be missed by any visitor to China
The Beaches of Qingdao China and the TsingTao Pier
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German Architecture in Qingdao China
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