烟台市

Why this place

Yantai is the centre of China's wine industry — a hundred-year-old winemaking tradition started by overseas Chinese returning from Europe. Its Penglai coast is where the legend of the eight immortals crossing the sea comes from, and where sea mirages are occasionally seen.

What to see

• Penglai Pavilion, the Taoist temple on the sea cliff where the mirages are seen
• Changyu Wine City and the old winery — genuinely interesting if you like wine
• The beaches and islands of the coast, and Changdao island offshore
• The old port street of Yantai's original treaty-port quarter

What to eat

• Yantai apples and cherries — the region's famous fruit
• Shandong coastal seafood; sea cucumber and abalone are the local luxury
• Yantai wine, which is genuinely worth trying

Best time

May–June and September–October