Fly to China, Guangzhou with Air Austral

Guangzhou, also known as Canton, is the capital of Guangdong in southern China. With nearly 12.7 million inhabitants, it is the third most populous city in the country, behind Shanghai and Beijing, and number one in southern China. With the cities of Shenzhen, Foshan, Dongguan, Zhongshan and Jiangmen, it forms the Chinese megalopolis of the Pearl River Delta, a large metropolitan area stretching over 20,000 km² with more than 50 million inhabitants.

According to legend, Canton is the city of the goats which came down from heaven with the Immortals - it is for this reason that it is called the city of the Five Rams. The city was originally called Panyu, from the name of the two mountains around it, Pan and Yu. Guangzhou’s history is extremely rich and is matched only by the diversity of its landscapes and the strength of its traditions and its culture. To really get into the Cantonese rhythm, there are certain sites not to be missed. The Temple of the Six Banyan Trees is one of them. Founded in 537, during the period of the Liang Dynasty, the building was originally called the Baozhuangyan Temple. It was under the Song Dynasty that it was given its present name by the famous poet Su Shi.

During his visit, the poet was struck by the beauty of the banyan trees that shaded the site. The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus stands out from the traditional

skyline, but is nevertheless worth the detour. On January 25th 1861, when an agreement was signed with the Qing government, French Catholics were granted the plot of land where the cathedral is located. Emperor Napoleon III and the French Government went on to allocate funds for the construction of the building. French architect Léon Vautrin drew up plans based on the Basilica of Saint Clotilde. Despite some local opposition and communication difficulties, the Chinese builders, specialists in working with granite, took 25 years to complete this masterpiece. The Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall is a magnificent octagonal building, and one of the city’s most symbolic buildings. It also remains an emblem of the Chinese revolution and an important place for meetings and performances. The nightlife of Guangzhou is also worth checking out, notably the Canton Opera House which is a magical spot to visit at night. Due to its futuristic architecture and avant-garde technology, it is ranked among the three most important theatres in China along with the Beijing National Grand Theatre and the Grand Theatre of Shanghai. Guangzhou has a thousand faces to offer and will charm everyone who ventures there.