One coastal line from the German concession to the old brewery, with a harbour cruise and a glass of unfiltered beer
A walking city day: the pier, the cathedral square, the German governor’s villa and the hill above the red roofs. Eight and a half hours, mostly at street level.
Beach seekers — this stays inside the old town, and the swimming is 40 minutes away.
Qingdao’s hills are steep and the old town is a grid of steps. It is a walking day, not a coach day.
Hotel pick-up in downtown Qingdao, private or business vehicle
Local time (GMT+8). Summer traffic along the coast can reorder the stops and push the finish later.
Hotels in Shinan and Shibei, along the waterfront
The city’s oldest landmark, 440 m out into the bay. Walk to the end and look back at the old shoreline. Gulls are thickest from November to March
Gothic twin towers; the stone steps in front are the classic photograph. No interior visit, about 20 minutes
A 1907 castle of a house with its wooden staircase and stained glass intact; the back garden looks over the bay. Ticket included
Sixty metres up, and the easiest place to see the whole of the old town and Huiquan Bay at once
Included, cooked the local way, with a glass of unfiltered Tsingtao
The 1903 brewhouse: Hall A for the history, Hall B for the line. Two tastings are included with the ticket
A grid of villas, one species of tree or flower per street. Huashilou and the Princess House are exteriors only; ginkgo and plane trees are at their best in autumn
The 2008 sailing venue. The boat rounds Fushan Bay for the skyline and May Fourth Square seen from the water
Return to your hotel, or step off at the sailing centre — 15 minutes’ walk from May Fourth Square
The tour starts and ends in Qingdao. Most travellers arrive at Qingdao North Railway Station — the pick-up loop is a short taxi or metro ride from the exits, and the tour returns you in time for an evening train. If you are coming from another city, check the direct high-speed trains and their first and last departures.
Best for a first visit to Qingdao when you want the old town and the coastline in a single day. With small children, note the steps in the old town — pushchairs are awkward.
$82 per person on the group tour, or from $256 per vehicle for a private car with driver and guide. The group price includes the driver, guide and admission; the private price is for the whole vehicle, whatever the party size.
It runs 08:30 to 17:30 — about 9 hours from pick-up to drop-off, including the drive. If you are catching a train or flight the same evening, book it for after 19:00.
Hotels in downtown Qingdao. Your driver and guide meet you there; the exact spot is confirmed the day before travel.
Private car or business vehicle with hotel pick-up; Former German Governor’s Residence admission; Tsingtao Beer Museum admission, with two tastings.
Admission inside Huashilou and the Princess House at Badaguan; Interior visit to St Michael’s Cathedral.
Two days. We do not accept same-day or next-day bookings because the car, guide and admission have to be arranged in advance. Cancellation is free up to 7 days before the tour; inside that it steps to 20% (6–3 days) and 60% (2–1 days), and nothing is refunded on the day itself.
First time in Qingdao and it made a good impression: clean air, handsome streets, and this tour covered a lot of ground. The sea breeze at Golden Sand Beach was lovely and the sand is soft. Our guide was warm and thought of everything.
第一次来青岛，感觉很不错，空气清新，环境优美。跟着这个团玩了好多青岛的景点，金沙滩那边的海风吹得很舒服，沙子很软。导游很热情，考虑得也周全。
Very happy with it — Mr Miao was extremely helpful. We were lucky: only the two of us signed up that day, so for a small supplement it became a private car trip. Joining a group like this made the day easy and convenient. Highly recommended.
非常满意，苗先生很热情！我们运气好，那天只有我们两个人报名，加了一点钱就改成了小车游。多亏这种团，旅行不太辛苦，而且非常方便，很推荐。
