Xi'an: Where History Comes Alive
The starting point of the Silk Road and home to the Terracotta Army. Xi'an is one of China's oldest cities with over 3,000 years of history.
Best Season
Mar-May, Sep-Nov
Daily Budget
$50-100/day
Language
Chinese
Recommended Stay
2-3 days
Top Attractions
Terracotta Warriors 兵马俑
8,000 life-sized warriors buried with China's first emperor
Hire an English guide at the entrance
Ancient City Wall 古城墙
China's best-preserved city wall, 13.7km around
Rent a bike and cycle at sunset!
Muslim Quarter 回民街
500-year-old food street with over 200 stalls
Try lamb skewers, paomo (bread soup) & persimmon cakes
Big Wild Goose Pagoda 大雁塔
Tang Dynasty Buddhist pagoda with 1,300-year history
Great night fountain show at the north square
Shaanxi History Museum 陕博
World-class museum of ancient Chinese history
Free entry with passport, book ahead online
Hua Mountain 华山
One of China's sacred Taoist mountains, famous for plank walk
Not for the faint-hearted — the plank walk is thrilling!
Suggested Itineraries
Pick the pace that suits your travel style
Compact
2 Days · $200-400
Fast-paced, covers the essentials
- Day 1 Terracotta Warriors → City Wall bike
- Day 2 Muslim Quarter → Big Goose Pagoda → depart
Standard
3 Days · $350-600
Well-rounded itinerary
- Day 1 Terracotta Warriors
- Day 2 City Wall bike → Muslim Quarter
- Day 3 Shaanxi Museum → Pagoda → depart
Relaxed
4 Days · $500-800
Slow pace, immersive
- Day 1 Terracotta Warriors
- Day 2 City Wall → Muslim Quarter food tour
- Day 3 Hua Mountain day trip OR Museum
- Day 4 Pagoda → shopping → depart
Recommended Hotels
Foreigner-friendly hotels with English service
5-Star
Sofitel Xi'an
西安索菲特
French luxury near city wall
$120-200/night
Hilton Xi'an
西安希尔顿
International standard near city wall
$100-180/night
4-Star
Grand Noble Hotel
西安宏府
Great value near Muslim Quarter
$40-70/night
Hantang Inn
汉唐客栈
Boutique inn near South Gate
$20-40/night
Where to Eat
From street eats to fine dining
️ Fine Dining
Tang Dynasty Restaurant
Imperial cuisine in a Tang-era setting
Defachang 德发长
Famous dumpling banquet with 100+ types
Street Food
Yang Rou Paomo 羊肉泡馍
Xi'an's signature lamb & bread soup
Biang Biang Noodles 裤带面
Hand-pulled belt noodles, Xi'an specialty
Local
Liang Pi 凉皮
Cold noodles with spicy sauce
Persimmon Cakes 柿子饼
Sweet fried persimmon pastry
Getting Around
Getting around the city
Airport to City
️ Xi'an Xianyang XIY
- Metro Line 14: 60min ¥8 to city
- Airport Bus: 70min ¥25 to city center
- Taxi: 40min ¥100-150
High-Speed Rail
- Beijing → Xi'an: 3.5h ¥520
- Shanghai → Xi'an: 6h ¥670
City Transport
Metro
8 lines, ¥2-8/ride. Easy to use with Alipay.
Didi
Cheap! Most rides around ¥10-20.
Bike
Cycle the City Wall — ¥45 bike rental.
Bus
Tourist bus to Terracotta Warriors from train station ¥7.
Local Tips
Insider knowledge for a smooth trip
Save Money
- • Museum is free with passport
- • Muslim Quarter food is cheap & delicious
- • City wall bike ¥45, great value
Apps
- • Didi for rides
- • Alipay
- • Trip.com for trains
️ Scams
- • Terracotta Warriors fake ticket touts
- • Use official ticket counters only
Internet
- • SIM at airport: ¥70/7d/10GB
- • VPN needed for Google/IG
Emergency
110
Police
120
Ambulance
First Hospital Xi'an
Hospital
Xi'an PSB
Lost Passport
Local Culture
Rich cultural heritage
️ Terracotta Legacy
One of the greatest archaeological finds of the 20th century
Muslim Heritage
Xi'an was the Silk Road's eastern endpoint
️ Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty capital — China's golden age
Noodle Culture
Home of biang biang noodles and paomo