Most visitors to China land in Shanghai or Beijing, both exciting cities full of history, culture and nearly endless things to see and do.
But if your itinerary allows for some extra time to step off the beaten path, this amazing country holds a wealth of hidden charms that will show you a side of China that you may not have suspected. Here are three amazing weekend trips that can be easily taken from the popular and busy city of Shanghai.
The Chinese are now the largest consumers of wine, and the are is the world’s 7th largest producer of grape wines. Yantai’s wine region is known as Nava Valley. There are several large vineyards open for visitors, with cellar tours and tasting rooms; some also offer accommodation, five-star dining, golf courses and spa services.
Check out Chateau Junding, clearly modeled after the French tradition and employing a combination of Old World methods – with French Oak aging barrels – and New World – with the stainless steel vats used to crush the grapes. In a gorgeous setting they produce four varieties of red wine and two of white, as well as brandy and their newest endeavor, champagne.
Nearby is Changyu Winery, the first Asian vineyard to make it onto the Top Ten Global Wineries list, in 2007. It was also the first winery in China, established in 1892 and winning gold medals by the 1915 World Expo for their red rosewine and reisling. Their Great Cellar building, the largest wine cellar in Asia, was completed in 1905 and makes for an interesting tour, not just for the winemaking, but the historic value as well. Some of the original barrels, over one hundred years old, are still used in Changyu’s production, which puts out a million and a half bottles of wine annually.
A great time to visit Yantai is in September for the International Wine Festival; but there are so many other things to enjoy in this coastal region as well, with its thousands of kilometers of sandy beaches ringed by cliffs and mountains. Confucious, who called Yantai home, said, “It’s a great pleasure to have friends from afar.” The warm and hospitable people of Yantai clearly take the great philosopher’s words to heart.
all photos by Shelley Seale and may not be used without permission
