Concerts have become another calling card for urban cultural tourism

How long has it been since we found an excuse to travel far? It feels wonderful to indulge oneself even in middle age—to let loose once more by chasing a concert! Get to know a city through its concert—a city with two types of bubbles 🫧—Qingdao (one bubble from the sea, the other from beer). The concert is on Saturday, so we arrived in Qingdao on Friday evening. 📅 Itinerary **Day 1**: Arrived in Qingdao and checked into the Qingdao Word Cloudview Hotel, a distinctive red-brick building full of local character. Dinner was a must—"drink beer, eat clams" (hālā). Just across from the hotel was Jinhaixian Seafood & Beer House, where we ordered some fresh seafood and downed a few pints of draft beer, instantly shaking off the fatigue from the journey. **Day 2**: Woke up to a light drizzle and strolled through the nostalgic, historic, and lively streets of Dabaodao, where the blend of historical architecture and modern life felt utterly natural. For breakfast, we fueled up with "yellow croaker wontons" at Xiao Qianqian Wonton. A 10-minute walk later, we reached our first attraction: Zhanqiao Pier. After about an hour there, we walked another 10 minutes to the second stop: St. Michael's Cathedral, Qingdao's Catholic church, and explored nearby spots like Anna Villa. Next, we took Metro Line 3 to our third destination: Badaguan Scenic Area, home to architectural styles from over 20 countries. After some sightseeing and photos, hunger struck. Lunch was at the Halal Old Ma Family Seafood & Beer House (Taidong 8th Road Branch)—another feast of seafood and beer, accidentally spending over 200 RMB per person, but the flavors made it worth it. A 15-minute walk after lunch brought us to the fourth stop: Tsingtao Beer Museum, the birthplace of Tsingtao Beer at No. 56 Dengzhou Road. We explored the history and brewing process, enjoying two free beers and a snack pack along the way. Afterward, we returned to the hotel to freshen up before heading to the "Phoenix Legend Concert" by metro. Post-concert, another round of beer and seafood was inevitable—0532 Beer House got our patronage tonight! **Day 3**: Return trip 🏨 **Hotel Recommendation**: Word Cloudview Hotel 🍴 **Food Recommendations**: Xiao Qianqian Wonton, 0532 Beer House, Old Ma Family Seafood & Beer House (Taidong 8th Road Branch) And just like that, our Qingdao concert "special forces" trip came to an end. Time to return to the daily grind—but next time we have the chance, we’ll definitely be back. If nothing else, the food and drinks here are simply irresistible.