Gulangyu Island, just a quick five-minute ferry ride from Xiamen, is a living museum of 19th-century trade and culture. Once a hub for merchants and diplomats, it became home to grand mansions built by Chinese and foreign traders taking advantage of Xiamen’s open port status. The island’s car-free streets are a joy to wander, weaving through colonial-style villas, leafy gardens, and striking architecture that blends European and Chinese influences. Ferries can get busy, especially on weekends and holidays, so booking your ticket two to three days in advance is a smart move. Once you’re there, take your time exploring the quieter corners, enjoying the local seafood, or visiting attractions like the Piano Museum or Sunlight Rock for panoramic views.

Home to a remarkable collection of over 70 pianos, this museum showcases everything from the oldest surviving quadrangular piano to the largest and most ancient vertical piano. The exhibition shows the entire development of the piano, and even the decorative candlesticks have more than one hundred years of history. Free performances are available during open time.

South of Hannover, nature and culture abound in and around the largely beech-covered slopes of the Deister reaching up to 405 metres above sea level, and it is filled with birdsong, rustling leaves, and delightful hiking tracks. The hillside paths offer many glimpses of the Calenberger Land stretching out into the distance below, so this is a paradise for hikers, walkers and cyclists.