Half-City Mountains and Rivers ~ A Perfect One-Day Tour of Jinan's Old City

⛱️Must-see attractions: Baotu Spring, Liberation Pavilion, Daming Lake
Jinan's old city attractions are quite concentrated. If you're a walking enthusiast, you can cover the entire old city on foot in a day. I'm the type who gets tired easily, so here's a lazy person's guide.

I recommend starting your day in Jinan's old city at Liberation Pavilion. Black Tiger Spring is right next to it, and you can see both in about half an hour. Across from Liberation Pavilion is Kuanhouli, a street with various snacks, similar to those found throughout China. If you're not interested, you can walk west along the moat for about 10 minutes to reach Quancheng Square. On the west side of the square is Baotu Spring Park, the only attraction in the old city that requires a ticket, and a key stop on any one-day tour. I highly recommend visiting.

Baotu Spring Park is famous for Baotu Spring, but the park itself is quite large, with picturesque scenery at every turn, blending natural landscapes and historical sites. It's worth exploring in depth, so plan for at least 3 hours here, as the other attractions in the old city are more for quick visits.

Exiting through the north gate of Baotu Spring Park, you'll find Wulongtan Park. It's similar to Baotu Spring Park, but with less historical content. If you have time, take a look; otherwise, hop on a rickshaw to QuShuiTing Street. Rickshaws usually start at CNY 20. You can also walk there in about 20 minutes.

The main street of QuShuiTing Street is a canal lined with tea houses, where a pot of tea typically costs around CNY 200. It would be atmospheric without the crowds, but it's usually packed with tourists, making it less enjoyable. Instead, explore the side alleys for a more authentic experience.

At the north end of QuShuiTing Street is Daming Lake. When we visited, the Xia Yuhe display was still there, and the lanterns were beautiful, definitely worth seeing. Daming Lake is an open park surrounding the lake, with varied scenery. However, there are many willow trees, and in April, the lake is covered in willow catkins, which detracts from the view. (PS: Baotu Spring has the clearest water, with almost no catkins, probably because there are fewer willow trees there.) The most famous sight at Daming Lake is the Chaoran Tower, which is spectacularly lit up at night. The lights came on at 7pm when we were there, and most tourists came for that, snapping photos and then leaving. For a better viewing experience, go after 7pm.

🍜Food Guide: We didn't try many local specialties this time, but before visiting Baotu Spring, we had a simple breakfast at a bun shop west of the park, and it was amazing. It seemed like a long-established local shop, with delicious and affordable buns, and excellent service. The elderly waitress gave our child a small bowl of millet porridge when she saw we hadn't ordered any. My six-year-old daughter ate two large beef buns. Customers were buying buns by the dozen, so it must be a popular spot.

🏨Accommodation Guide: We initially booked a family room at the Orange Hotel near Daming Lake, but the description said it was only a little over 20 square meters, so we stayed at the Grand Skylight Hotel near the Shandong Museum instead. If you're only spending a day in the old city, I wouldn't recommend staying there. Although it's not large, walking back to the hotel after touring the attractions would be tiring, and taxis can get stuck in traffic. If you're staying for two days, consider staying near Daming Lake for morning strolls by the lake.

🚄Transportation Guide: Rickshaws are a good option within the old city, as they avoid traffic. Remember to negotiate the price beforehand.

💗Other tips: Jinan usually has a lot of willow catkins in April. Because of strong winds earlier and rain the night we arrived, the air quality was decent. If you have allergies, it's best to visit in May.

Post by MellifluousQuintessenceNebula | Apr 20, 2025