China – a wonderful journey to the Middle Kingdom!

Since Air China launched a regular Warsaw-Beijing flight, China has never been so close. A dream vacation is less than 9 hours away! All you need is to want it, and wanting it is worth it because the Middle Kingdom is a dream destination for travel.

China is the 3rd largest country in the world in terms of area and 1st in terms of population. In 2017, it was inhabited by over 1,3 billion people. The vastness of the country means that its individual parts differ not only in terms of climate, but also in terms of culture, language (different dialects) and culinary preferences. However, everywhere you can meet smiling locals who, despite their lack of English, try their best to help tourists. If there is even one blonde in your group, you can be sure that when visiting China's tourist attractions, you will become one of them - for the natives, of course.

We started our tour in Beijing. The first target of our exotic eyes was the National Stadium, which hosted the world's best athletes at the 2008 Summer Olympics. The construction of the "bird's nest" took 4 years, and the building itself is now one of the most characteristic buildings in China and the world.

Bird's Nest - Olympic Stadium

When in China, you can't help but visit the Great Wall of China. There are several locations near Beijing where you can admire this UNESCO World Heritage Site. The closest and most popular among tourists is Badaling. The entire wall is over 6200 km long and took its current form during the Ming Dynasty in the XNUMXth century.

The Great Wall of China is over 6200 km long!

During the holidays, the Great Wall is literally besieged by the Chinese.

One of the most important and magnificent monuments in Beijing itself is the Forbidden City. The huge complex, over 1 km long and 700 m wide, was built by the Yongle Emperor of the Ming Dynasty in the XNUMXth century. The building has been rebuilt many times and is now open to visitors as a museum.

The Forbidden City is hard to capture in one photo – one of the best places to try this art is Jingshan Park located on its northern side

Jingshan Park – the focal point of Beijing

You can easily spend a few hours in the Forbidden City

Chinese lions (also called Fo dogs) are a symbol of dignity and power. A pair of lions can be found at the gates of most Chinese monuments. The lion is holding a ball with the image of the flower of life in its paw, while the lioness has a young lion under her paw

Near the Forbidden City is Beihai Park with the White Pagoda

The Summer Palace in Beijing is the resting place of the Chinese emperors from the Qing dynasty. The complex covers 70 thousand m² and is another sure point on the map of travelers in China! Walking through the huge park you can travel back in time to the 17th century.

The Summer Palace – a complex located on Lake Kunming

The summer residence of the emperors is an extremely picturesque place

Of course, you can't visit the most beautiful parts of the world on an empty stomach?. Fortunately, Chinese cuisine is very rich in flavors, and is also one of the most famous in the world. Because what major city in the world doesn't have at least one Chinese restaurant!?

Many Chinese dishes are based on noodle or rice soups.

The Chinese often sit down to meals together, order many different dishes and share them.

Rice wine is also worth trying.

Peking Duck – a must-have in every culinary guide

At the stalls on Wangfujing Street in Beijing you can try many Chinese specialties. A paradise for foodies!

After exploring Beijing and its surroundings, we headed south to one of the most picturesque parts of the Middle Kingdom – Guilin (Kunagsi Autonomous Region). The city is home to about 750 people and is known primarily for its picturesque areas located near the Li River that flows there.

The Li River near Yangshuo - a town located approximately 70 km from Guilin

Guilin Sun and Moon Pagodas

The rock called "Elephant's Trunk" - Guilin

About 80 km northwest of Guilin is the town of Longsheng, famous for its beautiful rice terraces.

Longsheng Rice Terraces

When going to Guilin, there is a high probability that you will find yourself in Guangzhou – or Canton – for a while. It is worth setting aside a day and walking around this city.

Guangzhou (Canton) is one of the largest cities in China and the world

China is a huge country and there is no way to visit everything in 2 weeks. Fortunately, after your first visit you will definitely want to go again to this place where everyone smiles at each other and is willing to help, especially when they see European faces. We will definitely go back there!