Things To Do in Ji nan

Ji'nan is known for its 72 famous springs around town, which are really only worth visiting during the rainy season (July-Aug) when water levels are actually high enough to produce any activity. The most famous and also the first of the 72 springs is Baotu Quan (Baotu Spring), located in the center of town at Baotu Quan Nan Lu 1; admission is ¥15 in the evening and ¥20 during the daytime. The Qing Qianlong emperor drank from the spring waters and declared it the "First Spring Under Heaven" (Tianxia Diyi Quan). The park is open from 7am to 10pm. The best time to visit is in the evening, under a starlit sky. You can enjoy tea in the pavilion by the spring.

More interesting is a walk around the western part of town near the railway station. This area was the old German Concession, which came into being when Ji'nan was opened to foreign trade in 1906. There are still a number of German-style buildings around, but you'll have to look for them under webs of telephone poles and wires, and years of grime and soot.