Qingdao 青岛

Qingdao, China
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Qingdao_Zhan_Qiao.jpg
Author: M. Weitzel


Qingdao (青岛) is the biggest city in Shandong Province, in eastern China. Formerly written as Tsingtao, it is a sub-provincial city in Shinan District bordered by Yantai to the northeast, Weifang to the west, and Rizhao to the southwest. Qingdao is a coastal city facing the Yellow Sea to the east. Due to its location, Qingdao is today a major harbor, naval base and industrial center for eastern China.

The sub-provincial area of Qingdao covers 10,654 sq km (4,113 sq mi) and has a population of 7.5 million people. The urban center of Qingtao covers 1,102 sq km (425.5 sq mi) and has a population of 2.8 million people (2011 estimate).

The older part of Qingdao has many historical buildings that reflect German architectural style. This is because the city was seized and occupied by German troops from 1898 until 1914. Under German administration, Qingdao was developed with European-style streets. The Germans built schools, government buildings, and residential houses. They also developed the economy, building the Tsingtao Brewery that produces the famous Tsingtao beer. Protestant and Roman Catholic missionaries established their respective faiths and built churches.

German occupation was replaced by Japanese occupation in 1914. Qingdao returned to Chinese rule in 1922, under the Republic of China, only to be re-occupied by Japan during the Second World War, from 1938 until 1945, when it returned to the hands of the Kuomintang. The Red Army entered Qingdao in 1949, establishing Communist rule that remains until today.

Qingdao is today a modern city. As with other major cities in China, it has its share of skyscrapers. The city is famous for a number of seafood delicacies including sea cucumbers, abalones, shark's fin, prawns, squid, shrimps, and others. The famous Tsingdao beer continues to be celebrated with the annual Qingdao International Beer Festival, held every August/September.

Qingdao Railway Station
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Qingdao_Railway_Station.jpg
Author: kanegen

Planning your trip to Qingdao

The Qingdao International Airport is the gateway to the city. It is the home base of Shandong Airlines, and a major hub for China Eastern Airlines. You can fly directly to Qingdao from Busan, Hong Kong, Nagoya, Osaka, Seoul, Taipei and Tokyo. The airport is 32 km from downtown. You can reach the city by taxi. The fare is around ¥140.

Exploring Qingdao

Until the subway in ready (expected completion of the first line is in 2014), the most practical way is to take the taxi. Regular taxis charge ¥9 at the start, and then charge by the meter. There are also limousine taxis charging a flag fall of ¥12 plus ¥1 petrol surcharge.

Qingdao at night
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Night_Qingdao.JPG
Author: Castelfranco

Places of Interest in Qingdao

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