Qingdao Things to Do

If you look at other entries, you'll find directions on how to get to the brewery. However, what few of those entries show is that after you tip a few down, you can visit the water temple that is iconalized on the top of the beer bottle label. If you don't believe me, grab a beer and wander the old city beach and look at the temple first hand.

C-trip.com "At full tide, the billowy surf rolls against the beach, the breakers sending up a fountain of spray. With the ebbing of the tide, appear the brown reefs and yellowish sand, a time for tourists and locals to gather conches and other seashells"

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The Governor House is located at the foot of Signal Hill, and is known locally as "Guest House". It is one of the many impressive villas in the Qingdao area. At the time of German colonization, it served as the Governor's official residence, and the building is accordingly built with flamboyant ornaments, graceful lines and bold colors aping its counterparts back in the Kaisers' Germany.
In one of the rooms one can also see a bed in which Mao slept when he was visiting the city - quiet amazing is that the bed had to be extended - since Mao was so tall!

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Tsintao Beer is the best-known Chinese Beer in the world and at home. It has become one of the major exports of Qingdao internationally. The local residents are proud of their brewery, and have constructed a museum that offers samples of their beer. The museum chronicles the brewery's century-old history through interactive and entertaining displays.

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The Granite Mansion, another stately residence, was built for the German governors. Its Chinese name is Huashilou, the architecture a blend of the neo-classical and Gothic . This granite architecture, once the symbol of authority, was built in 1906 as the German Governor’s office building. The building became the seat of Qingdao Municipal Government after the liberation of the city.

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Zhanqiao Pier is the symbol of Qingdao, originally completed in 1891 as a naval pier and expanded by the Germans in 1897. It is accompanied by a two-story Chinese pavilion and the impressive Zhan Bridge. The pavilion stands in contrast to the European architecture in the background. The bay, islands and lighthouse make it an enchanting location and a hub of activity.

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Built in 1934, this authentic Gothic style cathedral with twin spires and stained glass windows is testament to the strong German influence in Qingdao many decades ago. Thousands of Chinese Catholics still attend mass there.

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The longest and most popular beach in Qingdao. However it is usually packed with people and you probably don't want to stay too long unless you like to jostle for space. It could be a good place to people watch though, especially if you're planning to visit the nearby Lu Xun park or Navy Museum. Equipment rentals are available.
I was there in winter - hence the promenade was busy - yet the beach not...

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The brewery was founded in 1903 as the Germania-Brauerei to brew beer in the German tradition mainly for Germans and other Westerners in China.
In 1915 the brewery was taken over from the cooperation of Chinese and German owners and their hired managers and until 1945 was under Japanese management.
After the defeat of Japan in World War II the Tsingtao Brewery was turned into a Chinese brewery under ownership of the Tsui family and supervision of the Nationalist government in Nanjing. However, this period of ownership only lasted until 1949 when the People's Republic of China was founded and the company became a state-owned enterprise.
The company was privatized in the early '90s and in 1993 merged with three other breweries in Qingdao and was finally renamed Tsingtao Brewery Company Limited. Today one can find Tsingtao Beer all over the world - I even found a picture inside the brewery of Pretoria / South Africa.