Well, the feeling of travelling across the world is always inspiring! Who doesn’t love checking out the new and vibrant international cities? The more you wander, the better you understand the world. Asia, in particular, is very diverse – be it the languages, food, history or geography, there is simply loads to see and do over here. Moreover, if you are living in a big country like China, there is always something new to explore.
I work in China and have been trying my best to travel in this beautiful country as much as my schedule permits (I’ve a full-time job). As such, so far I have travelled to 23 Chinese cities (from Harbin to Guangzhou – always solo). In June 2018 I travelled from Suzhou to Shandong province and visited three provincial cities- Qufu, Jinan and Qingdao. Jinan was my 21st Chinese city. My most recent trip was in July 2018 to Huangshan (the Yellow Mountain).
In this post I’d share my travelling experiences from Jinan city (the capital of China’s Shandong province). Initially, I’d go through some of the general observations about travelling to Jinan. Then I’d share more about the travel attractions and the top things to do in Jinan.
Jinan city brief
The literal meaning of the name Jinan (济南, Jǐnán) is “south of the river Ji”. The name comes from the fact that Jinan was once located south of the Ji river that existed only until 1852. In fact, the Ji river disappeared in 1852 due to a massive flood in the Yellow River. The river got merged with the Yellow River (when Ji river changed its course due to floods) as the Yellow River overtook the bed of the Ji river.
As such, Jinan has more than 4000 years old socioeconomic history. The city has witnessed several dynasties. During the Han dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE), Jinan was the capital of the Kingdom of Jibei.
Around 5 century CE, Buddhism witnessed the increased influence in Jinan. The currant Langgong Temple used to be a very important Buddhist site during the early days of Buddhism in China.
During the Song dynasty (960 – 1279 CE), the city was promoted as the cultural center.
The Shandong province was established by the Ming dynasty and subsequently Jinan was designated as the provincial capital city.
As of now, Jinan is the political and administrative capital of Shandong province of China. The city is also known as the “Spring City” owing to the presence of numerous artesian springs.
Jinan china map
Here is a simple Baidu travel Map of Jinan city.
You should pay attention to the locations of the top things to do in Jinan (such as the Black Tiger Spring). The Jinan Railway Station is located on the western part of the city.
Jinan weather – Best time to visit Jinan?
Well, I was travelling to Jinan in June and let me tell you – the weather conditions were extremely unpleasant! The midday temperature hovered around 35’C. TOOOO HOT! Coming out of the hotel was a very painful experience. I’d often come out and soon go back to the hotel for taking showers. Frankly, if you are not fine with the summer season, please skip travelling to Shandong in the summer (mid-June to mid-Aug).
The best time to travel to Shandong province would be around March, April, October and November.
How do you get to Jinan?
Getting to Jinan is not at all difficult! There are so many high-speed trains running between Shanghai and Beijing that stop in both Qufu and Jinan.
As such, finding a train between Beijing/Shanghai and Jinan should be rather easy.
Well, I came to Jinan from Qufu – it was just a 30 minutes high-speed morning train ride.
Jinan Railway Station to Downtown – from the Jinan Railway station there are so many buses running in different directions – so getting to the downtown (and elsewhere) by a public bus is not at all a problem (RMB 1). Don’t forget to use the Baidu Map.
Jinan accommodations and hotels
Finding a good accommodation in Jinan is pretty much simple – just search in the booking.com. Make sure to not book a hotel that says, “Mainland Chinese citizens only”. Apart from that, I’d recommend you to try Hanting Express chain of hotels – so far, they have always been great to me. Home Inn is also a good option.
Get around
Jinan is a big city and if you don’t drive, local bus and taxis are your best bet. Unfortunately, there is no operational MRT/subway line in Jinan (June, 2018). I think the subway construction is under progress, and maybe in a year or so, we’d be able to enjoy a subway ride in Jinan.
Not an expensive city
Well, from a tourist point of view, Jinan is not an expensive city (compared to Suzhou or Shanghai). For example, most of the parks in Jinan offer a free entry. Some of the springs also allow free admission, some for a nominal fee of RMB 5.
In fact, out of the three cities that I visited in Shandong province, maybe Qufu is the least expensive. Jinan may be a bit more expensive than Qufu and Qingdao maybe the most expensive city (but still much cheaper than Suzhou/Shanghai).
Top things to do in Jinan city
Well, Jinan is not a highly touristic city. The travel attractions are probably not as inspiring as you’d often feel in other provincial capital cities, such as Harbin or Shenyang. But that doesn’t mean there is nothing to do in Jinan! You can, of course, spend at least a couple of days appreciating the beauty of Jinan.
So, let me quickly go through some of the top travel attractions in Jinan. Don’t miss any one of them!
Daming Lake Park
I can’t describe how beautiful is the Daming lake (大明湖, Dà Míng Hú)! This is a massive lake. There is no entry fee to the lake.
There are nine islands (e.g. Cuiliuping Island, Huxin Island, etc.) in the lake. You’ll need to take a ferry ride to explore the islands.
The lake premise is huge and there are optional sightseeing buses to take you around (RMB 20).
The lake is surrounded by the lush green vegetation. There are many historical buildings located just by the side of the lake. Some of the sites are located on the lake’s islands. You should not miss the Lixia Pavilion, Lake Center Pavilion, Ancestral Hall of Lord Tie, Beiji Temple, etc. The Beiji Temple is very close to the main entrance gate to the lake.
A visit to the lake in the night time is a must! The lake is illuminated till late. Just walk around and you’d love the Jinan’s natural beauty. The view of the Jinan tower looks amazing from the lake in the night.
If you are running out of time, and feel unsure which place to visit Jinan, just stop by Daming lake. Day or night, you’d love it all over here!
Hero Mountain
Jinan’s Hero Mountain (英雄山风景区, Yingxiongshan) is a small hill that could be climbed within 10-15 minutes. It’s a great place for a quick stroll. Free entry. There is a huge pillar on the hilltop that’s famous for clicking photos. The mountain is crowded on weekends.
Hero Mountain is very close to the Culture Square – a very famous shopping market in Jinan city.
Hua Hill & Huayang Palace
The Hua Hill (华山, Huà Shān) is situated along the Yellow River in the northeastern part of Jinan. The Huayang Palace (华阳宫, Huá yáng gōng) is located on the southern part of the Hua Hill. The hill also contains tourist resting places and some small forts. The Hill is famous for the Battle of An (589 BC).
The Huayang Palace, founded around 1220, is mainly a Taoist temple located on the Hua Hill. However, the Palace also includes worshiping sites for Buddhism and Confucianism.
Baotu Springs
Well, since the ancient times Jinan is famous for its 72 artesian springs. However, now many of them don’t have enough water except in the rainy season. If you wish to see Jinan’s famous springs, you are recommended to visit at least Baotu Springs (Bàotū Quán, 趵突泉), Black Tiger Spring (Hēihǔ Quán, 黑虎泉), and Five Dragon Pool (Wǔ Lóng Tán, 五龙潭). You can also take a boat ride that connects multiple springs (~RMB 100).
I loved visiting Baotu Springs – there are so many pavilions, temples, etc. During noon time, you’d often see local having meal below the pavilions. Some of them put their feet in the water while enjoying their meal. RMB 40.
Black Tiger Spring
Here you’ll literally see the black tiger statues. The water coming out of the tiger heads attracts tourist to click photos. The area is also well decorated in the night and the lighting is amazing. You should spend at least one fine evening here. Allow 1 hour. Free entry.
There has been a night market just across the spring where you can eat authenticate Chinese food.
Five Dragon Pool
I visited the Five Dragon Pool in the morning and absolutely loved being here. The five dragon statues are present at the entrance to the park. You’d see many tourist taking pics of the dragons. The park contains so many pavilions. The lush green ambiance and Chinese architecture look very inspiring. The whole atmosphere is highly laid-back. RMB 5.
Shandong Provincial Museum
The provincial museum (山东省博物馆, Shāndōng shěng bówùguǎn) is located a bit out of the city. But the museum is absolutely worth visiting. There are often exhibitions displaying ancient artifacts. You can also see calendars from the Shang dynasty. Admission is free (you’ll need to show a valid ID card). You should spend at least a half-day exploring the museum.
Shandong Art Museum
The art museum (山东省美术馆) is located just by the side of the Shandong Provincial Museum. There are numerous paintings on display. Allow 1 hrs. Free entry.
Thousand-Buddha Hill
You should head to the Thousand-Buddha Hill (千佛山, Qiān fúshān) to get beautiful views of Jinan city. This is rather a small hill and you can get to the peak within 30-40 minutes of slow walk. RMB 30. The mountain has caves, Buddhist temples, pavilions, pagodas etc. There are lifts available to get to the top. You can also opt for a bus ride to get to the top of the mountain.
The Shandong Revolutionary Martyrs Cemetery for Revolution of 1911 (located on the Thousand-Buddha Hill) is also worth checking out.
Spring City Square
Well, the Spring City Square (泉城广场, Quánchéng guǎngchǎng) is the main downtown area of Jinan. I’d recommend you to stop by here in the night. You’ll see the locals doing various recreational activities. There are multiple dance groups dancing of different tunes and you’d realize why most of the Chinese look slim and fit.
The fountains located at the square front are also worth checking out. I suppose there are at least one thousand people present on the square in the evening time. Free to stroll around. So many eateries here – including the McDonald’s.
Food and shopping Markets in Jinan
China is a food paradise. You’ll find delicious Chinese food omnipresent in any Chinese cities. In Jinan, you should stop by the Black Tiger Spring North Road (黑虎泉北路) – just next to the Black Tiger Spring. This a typical Chinese pedestrian street famous for the authentic Shandong food.
You should also visit the Culture market (文化市场), and the Technology Market (技术市场). The food prices are usually fixed. But if you are buying some artifacts, don’t forget to bargain!
Jinan nightlife
I loved the nightlife scene in Jinan – just stop by come to the Daming Lake Park! The scenery along the lake was so great that I kept coming here again and again. The entry to the park is closed after 10pm. But you can still walk on the park’s outskirt. The outer parts are also well organized. Bring along a good camera for night photography. The illuminated views of the Jinan tower from the lake look really nice.
Jinan bars– Jinan do have some bars – just search Jiǔbā (酒吧) in Baidu and you’d find the one nearby.
However, I feel Suzhou has a much better scene for pickup bars than Jinan.
How much time you need for Jinan city?
Well, I think a couple of days should be just fine. Again, don’t forget to visit the Daming lake in the night.
Stay safe
Jinan is a safe city. I was travelling solo to Jinan and didn’t see any safety problems. The locals are very friendly and helping. However, if you are travelling to Jinan in the summer season, do carry a water bottle all the time.
In summary, I had quite an okay time travelling to Jinan. The weather indeed created problems, but there wasn’t much I could have done about the temperature. Now back in Suzhou, I miss the Daming lake very much. And would love to visit the city again, preferably in a non-summer season. 🙂
That’s all in this Shandong, China Travel Guide & Review blog-post about the Jinan city.
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Wish you a great time travelling to Jinan!
Cheers!
Last updated: Wednesday, September 26, 2018