Red roofs tumbling toward a green sea, steeples above the plane trees, a whiff of hops near the old breweries: Qingdao looks like no other major Chinese city. On the south coast of the Shandong Peninsula, this seaside metropolis still bears the imprint of the German concession that shaped it at the turn of the 20th century. The ship docks at the international cruise terminal, in the Shibei district, three or four kilometres from the old quarter. No tenders to worry about: you disembark directly onto the pier, then shuttle buses and taxis take you downtown in a few minutes.

Zhanqiao Pier, the city's emblem

Start with the waterfront. Zhanqiao Pier reaches 440 metres out into the bay, to the octagonal Huilan Pavilion, so famous here that it appears on the Tsingtao beer label. Locals stroll there with their families, photograph the gulls and watch the freighters gliding along the horizon. The walk continues along the city beaches, where swimmers brave the cool water as soon as the first fine days arrive.

The German quarter and its cathedral

Heading up into the hills, the cobblestone streets reveal the German heritage: old villas, slate roofs, governors' residences. St. Michael's Cathedral, completed in 1932, raises its twin towers at the top of a sloping street; newlyweds often come here to be photographed. Nearby, Xiaoyushan Park offers one of the best views of the mosaic of red roofs and the bay, a scene that alone explains the city's reputation.

A beer born in 1903

You can't cross Qingdao without running into its best-known export. The Tsingtao Beer Museum occupies the original buildings of the brewery founded in 1903 by German settlers. You follow the evolution from copper vats to modern bottling lines, before a tasting drawn straight from the equipment. The surrounding neighbourhood lines up taverns and terraces where locals raise a glass at all hours.

Badaguan, open-air architecture

Farther east, the Badaguan area stretches its shaded lanes between hundreds of villas built in Russian, British, French or Spanish styles. Each street is named after a fortified pass on the Great Wall and is planted with a different species of tree. You wander with no set route, between flowering hedges and century-old homes, a few steps from rocky coves. May Fourth Square and its glass towers then remind you that the modern metropolis is never far away: the swirling red sculpture that dominates the esplanade has become the city's second emblem. The sailing events of the 2008 Olympic Games were held at the nearby marina, and regattas continue to liven up the waters in the warm season, applauded by strollers leaning on the railings.

A few practical pointers

Mount Laoshan, a sacred Taoist massif, also draws organized excursions, but it requires a good hour's drive each way: save it for longer port calls, and keep your energy for the hills of old Qingdao if time is short.

Before heading back on board

At the end of the day, the low light skims across the bay and gilds the façades of the historic centre. It's the moment to try grilled seafood in a market lane, a plate of stir-fried clams with the local brew, as locals do, seated on plastic stools. Qingdao leaves a singular memory: a Chinese city with a European face, between two worlds, where every street tells of an encounter. You leave wanting to explore the other surprises hidden along the Shandong coast.