Almost everyone here is on their way up Mount Tai, the most revered of the Five Sacred Mountains and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The traditional pilgrimage begins at Dai Temple in the centre of town, follows the long ceremonial avenue north, and continues up the staircase past Red Gate, the Doumu Palace, and the Middle Heavenly Gate to the Jade Emperor Peak at the summit.
The classic route is to start before dawn and walk up overnight for sunrise from the peak — the experience that has drawn pilgrims and poets for two thousand years. A bus to the midway gate and the cable car from there to the summit is the modern alternative. Either way, allow most of a day and bring something warm: the summit is several degrees colder than the base, and the wind can be fierce.
In town, the Sutra Stone Valley and the Pumen Temple are worth a half-day, and the lively Tongtian Street tourist strip between Dai Temple and the mountain is the easiest place to eat and shop after the climb.