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Zhengzhou 郑州

China Southern
From 25th June 2019

Heathrow gets non-stop flights to its 13th Chinese city in June, as China Southern begins operations to Zhengzhou – aka “iPhone City” – in the central Henan Province. It will be the first direct service between Europe and Zhengzhou.

You won’t be surprised to hear that Foxconn’s giant factory in Zhengzhou can build half a million Apple phones a day – nor that the city has a population slightly larger than London’s. Yet this area is also known as the birthplace of Chinese civilisation, and another local nickname for Zhengzhou is the Green City.

The remains of the city’s 3,500-year-old Shang Dynasty walls are a must-see, while nearby is the Dengfeng Shaolin Temple where kung-fu has been practised for over 1,500 years.

The city stands on the Yellow River, and if you feel the need to escape urban life you’ll find the Yellow River Scenic Area has more than enough rugged mountains, river views, pavilions, ancient sculptures and beautiful gardens.

Zhengzhou city has its share of temples, too, standing beside more modern attractions including the 388-metre Zhongyuan Tower (it has an observation deck and revolving restaurant on top).

The ferris wheel in Renmin Park is another great way to look down on the city, while an evening spent wandering the night market is an essential Zhengzhou pastime.

There’s a bewildering array of street food to choose from there – everything from slow-cooked chicken to Kaifeng dumplings to “stinky” tofu – and a buzzing atmosphere.

China Southern flights to Zhengzhou from Heathrow Terminal 4 begin on Tuesday 25th June. The route is operated by 266-seat Boeing 787-8 wide-body aircraft, with departures on Tuesdays and Saturdays at 22:10.