Not far from the old part of Jinan, almost in the heart of the city, there are the famous Baotu hot springs which are part of the large park of the same name — a favorite vacation spot for locals and tourists.

Baotu Park's history is not that very long. The first park buildings appeared there in 1949. The official opening took place in 1956. At first, it was a fairly small oasis which gradually grew to an area of more than 2000 square meters.

Now on the territory of the park, there are restored old buildings, stone gardens, flowerbeds, improved lawns, and small pools with strange fish.

Bright and colorful pavilions for recreation, beautiful bridges, and benches reflected in the water create an atmosphere of calm and serenity. In other words, everything there is done for the enjoyment of a leisurely and quiet holiday.

However, the main attraction of the park is its springs. There are 72 of them. In contrast to the park, the springs in this area were always there. The first mention of healing water in the city of Jinan was recorded more than 3,500 years ago.

The largest pool with healing water is a beautiful lake that is 30 meters long and 18 meters wide. Mineralized water enters there continuously from a limestone cave the temperature of which does not exceed 18 degrees at any time of the year.

The water in these springs has a rich set of useful substances, and it tastes a little sweet. Therefore, tea brewed with water from Baotu is very different from what tourists who come to this park are used to drink.

A few years ago, Baotu Park started to host the lantern festival. It is a colorful event that attracts more and more guests. Moreover, Baotu Spring is the main venue of the international chrysanthemum exhibition which is well-known all over China.