Qingdao, in China’s eastern Shandong province, is a port city of skyscrapers, parks and beaches bordering the Yellow Sea. It's known for its beer, a legacy of the German occupation (1898-1914). The Tsingtao Beer Museum celebrates the namesake brewery, founded here by Germans in 1903, and the Qingdao International Beer Festival is major event. There's also German-style architecture in the old city center.

Notable sites in the Shinan District include Protestant and Catholic churches, plus Huashi Lou and Qingdao Guest House, mansions built in the style of German castles. Nearby, the iconic Zhan Qiao pier juts into the bay for 440m, ending at an octagonal pavilion that’s a popular gathering spot offering sweeping bay views. Along the coast to the east are several beaches for sunbathing and swimming. Further to the east rises Lao Shan, a sacred Taoist mountain with hiking trails, waterfalls and Taiqing Palace, a temple founded during the Song dynasty.

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