The old city spring district — the area bounded by Quancheng Road to the north, Heihu Spring to the east, and the moat to the west — is the oldest and most atmospheric part of Jinan. The streets here follow a pre-modern grid that the city's expansion has largely bypassed: narrow lanes between courtyard houses, spring channels running alongside low stone walls, and the sound of flowing water audible from most corners.
This is where Baotu Spring, Furong Street, the Confucius Temple, and several of the smaller named spring clusters sit. A morning spent wandering without a fixed route through the lanes south of Baotu Spring, following the water channels and the alleys, is one of the more rewarding things to do in Jinan. The district has been substantially gentrified in places but retains enough authentic fabric to justify the exploration.