Mingshui Ancient City Photo Guide to Avoid Pitfalls! Locals' Secret Photo Spots + Fireworks Music Festival Tips

💣Pitfall Warnings 1️⃣ Transportation Tips: At Zhangqiu Station exit, unlicensed taxi drivers shout "10 yuan to the ancient city," but the meter fare is only 7 yuan! It’s recommended to take a taxi directly or take Zhangqiu Bus No. 11, which costs 3 yuan and goes straight to the West Gate of the ancient city, running every 30 minutes—super cost-effective. If driving, choose the P3 parking lot, which has many free spaces and avoids the congestion of P1/P2. 2️⃣ Ticket Tips: Non-students are advised to buy the "ticket + boat ride" combo, which saves 20 yuan compared to buying separately! Wearing Hanfu gets you a 30 yuan discount on admission. The makeup and photo package at Baijintang Hanfu Shop (2nd floor of the Visitor Center) inside the scenic area is very cost-effective, with exquisite flower hairpin makeup. Show your Jinan Airport boarding pass for free admission—don’t miss this if you’ve recently flown to Jinan! 3️⃣ Photo Tips: Half the boat ride is enough for photos; the scenery repeats throughout the trip. When taking photos at the bow, hold your phone tight as waves may splash. The popular bamboo tube tea at 38 yuan a cup is pure rip-off, don’t buy it! Avoid peak hours from 10 AM to 4 PM; early morning and evening have fewer tourists, perfect for casual shooting. 📸Must-Visit Photo Spots 🌞Daytime Highlights 1. City Wall Corridor: Go at 7 AM! Few people and soft light, with blue tiles and white walls as the background, perfect for Hanfu photos that look like time travel. In the afternoon, enjoy Zhangqiu Bangzi opera performances while taking photos for a richer experience. 2. Hongsheng Cloth Workshop: Hundreds of indigo-dyed fabrics fluttering in the wind. Stand on the second floor and shoot downward for a perfect magazine cover shot! 3. Meng Family Courtyard: Shoot the ancient buildings from the second floor of the opera house, with flying eaves, dougong brackets, and red lanterns creating a full atmosphere. 4. Moquan Spring: The spring water gushes like ink. Bring a transparent cup to catch water and shoot “holding spring water” against the light for a poetic effect. 5. Space Folding Art Exhibition: The west city wall instantly transforms into a cyber-Song dynasty poetry check-in spot, with 12 giant 6-meter-high paintings dominating the screen. The clash of cyber blue light and traditional dark tiles creates sci-fi Chinese style masterpieces with every shot. 🌙Nighttime Highlights 1. City Tower: When the lights turn on, shoot the “City Tower in the night sky.” The drone and fountain in the same frame are stunning! 2. Lotus Alley: The reflection on the stone slab road is amazing. Walk through holding an oil-paper umbrella and instantly become a movie heroine. 3. Quanxiu Performance: VIP viewing area (exclusive for lodging guests) avoids crowds, the golden spot for shooting drone phoenixes. 4. Fireworks Music Festival: Every Saturday at 8:00 PM, the Beima Bay water area turns into a youthful energy field. Famous musicians sing for the Spring City, with custom fireworks reflecting on the rippling spring waves, showering the sky with golden light and a thousand-year poetic atmosphere! The Qixi Festival special is even more romantic. 🌞Day 1: Ancient Style Immersion Day - 08:30 Arrive at the ancient city and head straight to Baijintang to change into Hanfu (early bird price saves 20 yuan). - 10:00 City Wall Corridor → Hongsheng Cloth Workshop → Meng Family Courtyard (watch Zhangqiu Bangzi opera along the way). - 12:00 Eat spring water lamb soup + oven-baked sesame flatbread at Zaojiuji (20 yuan per person, very filling). - 18:00 Return to the inn to change into regular clothes, stroll Ming Shui Street to buy Zhangqiu green onion souvenirs. - 20:00 Quanxiu performance → lantern night tour (take night photos near Zhengdu Milk Tea shop) → Fireworks Music Festival (every Saturday). 🌙Day 2: Spring Water Source Exploration Day - 07:00 Get up early to shoot the empty city wall → catch water at Moquan Spring (bring an empty bottle! The five-branch spring gushes impressively). - 11:00 Intangible cultural heritage handicraft experience (pottery recommended, you can take the finished product home). - 13:00 Eat iron pot stew at Yefang Restaurant (reserve in advance, expect at least a 1-hour wait). - 15:00 Before leaving, buy Zhangqiu iron pots (more expensive inside the scenic area, better to buy in the city) → check in at the “Space Folding” art exhibition → water gun battle at Huxianju (cool off in summer). 🏨Accommodation Tips - Stay inside the scenic area: Yi’an Yue Hotel, Fuli Inn, etc., include multiple entries, electric cart rides, and VIP seats for Quanxiu performances. Enjoy empty scenes in the early morning and evening! - Avoid staying outside the scenic area: Morning rush hour taxis to the scenic area can take half an hour, missing the best photo times. 🍴Food Map - Zaojiuji: Spring water lamb soup, oven-baked sesame flatbread, spring water fried tofu, 20 yuan per person, very filling. - Yefang Restaurant: Iron pot stew + spring water tofu, 60 yuan per person. - Dongmawan Food Market: Craft beer, crayfish, barbecue, a must for summer night parties. 💡Useful Tips 1. Wearing Hanfu saves on tickets and looks great in photos; avoid high heels (stone slab roads are hard to walk on). 2. Bring sunscreen! The midday sun is strong and can overexpose portraits. 3. Download the “Mingshui Ancient City” mini program in advance to check showtimes and maps. 4. Bring a small fan! Summer is hot and humid, and wearing Hanfu can make you sweat. 5. There are many spots for drinking spring water directly; bring a water cup to enjoy “spring water freedom”! The tea stall by Moquan Spring brewing tea around a stove is very atmospheric, 20 yuan per pot is enough for two people. 🎁Real Bonuses 1. Free admission with Jinan Airport boarding pass (valid until December 31, 2025). 2. Free admission for national high school and college students in Jinan (valid until August 31, 2025). 3. Jidong travel package for just over 100 yuan includes unlimited access to Mingshui Ancient City and seven other major scenic spots, plus a Zhangqiu iron pot (valid for 365 days). Mingshui Ancient City is truly an underrated treasure! Avoid the crowds and sincerely experience the fusion of spring water and ancient city—you can also shoot stunning photos that will blow up your social media! Remember to save this guide and rush there for the May Day holiday! ✨