Flight Destinations
Flights to Beijing
Destinations in China
Flights to Africa
Flights to Asia
Flights to Australia
Flights to Caribbean
Flights to Central America
Flights to Europe
Flights to Indian Ocean
Flights to Middle East
Flights to North America
Flights to Pacific Islands
Flights to South America
Beijing is the capital city, and second largest city in China. Located in the north east of China, this ancient city was known as Peking in the English language for many years, and still is known this way by some people today. There are a great many fantastic things to see in Beijing, and the city offers visitors a good introduction to China.
International flights to Beijing from the UK are welcomed in the Beijing Capital International Airport (airport code: BJS). Beijing’s airport is located 16 miles (26 kilometres) from the city center and is accessible through various trains and shuttle buses. Flights to Beijing from the UK are direct and indirect. British Airways offers travellers direct flights to Beijing from the UK. Choose from other airlines such as China Southern Airlines, Qatar Airways, Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, Emirates, Air France, KLM, Air New Zealand, Aeroflot, and Korean Airlines to fly with one connection.
The Tourist Attractions of Beijing
Beijing or Peking means ‘northern capital’. The city was known as Peking in English for many hundreds of years as this was the way French missionaries pronounced it and it therefore stuck this way in Europe. Now the city is more officially recognised as being called Beijing, although Peking is still used and understood by some.Beijing was famously the venue for the 2008 Summer Olympics, making it the first time China has hosted this event. In the lead up to the Olympics many of the city’s most famous sites were renovated. This means now is a good time to go as the sites will look their best! Beijing is a huge city, and there are many attractions to see. Here are the ones you shouldn’t miss…
The Forbidden City
The Forbidden City is a huge place, covering 720,000 square metres and consisting of 980 surviving buildings. It was built as the Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties between the years of 1406 and 1420. It has served as the Palace Museum since 1924, and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
As you can probably imagine, the Forbidden City is very popular and can get extremely crowded. The best time to visit therefore is in the morning before it gets too hot and before the crowds arrive! The gates open at 8.30am.
Tiananmen Square
Just outside and to the south of the Forbidden City, right at the heart of Beijing is Tiananmen Square. The square is the largest of its kind in the world as it measures 800 metres by 500 metres and was built by Mao in response to the Forbidden City.
Tiananmen Square was named after the gate which stands at the northern end of the square. This ‘gate’ is the Gate of Heavenly Peace.
Temple of Heaven
If you feel like getting away from all the hustle and bustle of Beijing, visit the Temple of Heaven and the park surrounded it. This is like on oasis in the city centre and is the greenest place in Beijing. The temple itself is where the emperor used to come and pray every day.
Other Things to See in Beijing
Amongst the other top attractions are the Summer Palace with its ruins and extensive grounds. To see more traditional homes and architecture of Peking visit a Hutongs area. Hutongs is the name of the ancient city alleyways which were built between 1266 and 1368.
Finally, about 1.5 hours from Beijing you can see a section of the Great Wall of China. These sections have been recently restored so look great, although the crowds of people can be irritating.