Xi’an 西安

An ancient capital with city walls, the Terracotta Army, temples and busy food streets.

How long: 2–3 days
Best time: Apr–May · Sep–Oct
This week

Top sights

The 8 places most first visits are built on

All Xi’an places →

Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum

Terracotta Army

Ranks of clay soldiers still standing in their excavation pits.

Half a day
Book ahead

Our takeLook for individual faces as well as the full ranks; the excavation setting is part of the visit.

Xi'an City Wall

Ramparts and a moat outlining the old city's rectangle.

2–3 hours
No booking

Our takeChoose one section on foot or by bicycle instead of making a full circuit compulsory.

Muslim Quarter

Food lanes behind the Drum Tower with Hui shopfronts and street life.

1–2 hours
No booking

Our takeWander beyond the first busy lane and let the changing stalls guide a short food walk.

Giant Wild Goose Pagoda

A Tang landmark linked to Xuanzang and Buddhist texts brought from India.

1–2 hours
No booking

Our takeRead a little about Xuanzang first so the tower connects to a human journey.

Yongxingfang

A compact visitor district for trying several Shaanxi food styles.

1.5–2.5 hours

Our takeStart with one savoury dish and one small snack to share before ordering more.

Forest of Steles

Stone inscriptions and calligraphy in a museum setting.

2–3 hours
Book ahead

Our takePair it with Shuyuanmen so old stone texts connect with today's brushes and seals.

Small Wild Goose Pagoda

A smaller pagoda and museum setting for a slower historical visit.

2–3 hours
Book ahead

Our takeEnjoy the building from the grounds and keep museum galleries optional; don't assume tower climbing.

Daming Palace Heritage Park

Open spaces tracing the scale and layout of a Tang imperial palace.

2–4 hours

Our takeChoose a manageable walking section and use interpretation to picture the former palace.

Things to do

2.5–3.5 hoursRide above the old city on Xi’an’s wall

2 hoursDine inside a Tang-inspired performance

70 minutesWatch The Song of Everlasting Sorrow at Huaqing Palace

4 hoursHanyangling: miniature figures from the Han tombs

4.5 hoursTerracotta Warriors: a half-day tour with hotel transfers

8–9 hoursMount Hua: cable cars and a full day on the ridges

Itineraries

Ways to spend your days

All 8 itineraries →

In Xi’anOnly this city

3 days · 1 full days hereXi’an: walls, warriors and a proper food wanderThree days that let the Terracotta Army be the main event without losing the old city.

Xi’an + moreItineraries that include Xi’an

6 days · 2 citiesBeijing → Xi’anBeijing and Xi’an: emperors in six days 8 days · 3 citiesBeijing → Xi’an → ChengduBeijing, Xi’an and Chengdu in eight days 10 days · 3 citiesBeijing → Xi’an → ShanghaiPalaces to Shanghai’s skyline in ten days 13 days · 4 citiesBeijing → Xi’an → Guilin & Yangshuo → ShanghaiPalaces, warriors and river country in thirteen days 14 days · 5 citiesBeijing → Xi’an → Chengdu → Chongqing → ShanghaiTwo weeks west: palaces, pandas and Chongqing nights 14 days · 4 citiesBeijing → Xi’an → Chengdu → ShanghaiPalaces, pandas and Shanghai in two weeks 16 days · 5 citiesBeijing → Xi’an → Chengdu → Guilin & Yangshuo → ShanghaiThe grand loop: palaces, pandas and the Li River

Where to stay

3 areas, 3 different trips

Map of the 3 areas to stay in Xi’an, with the Forbidden City and other landmarks

The first-visit pick

Bell Tower / Drum Tower

Metro: Zhonglou 2 · 6

Short visits, central sights and food walks

Historic towers
Food streets nearby
Central metro connections

Trade-off: Crowded junctions and tourist streets; quiet rooms need a careful choice.

The wall pick

South Gate / Yongningmen

Metro: Yongningmen 2

City-wall walks and evenings inside the old city

City wall nearby
Old-city lanes
South-side cafés and bars

Trade-off: Traffic around the gate and nightlife in some lanes can be noisy.

The comfort pick

Giant Wild Goose Pagoda / Qujiang

Metro: Dayanta 3 · 4

Modern hotels and Tang-era sights

Pagoda surroundings
Tang-themed evening walks
Modern hotel choices

Trade-off: Farther from the old-city food streets; popular night attractions are crowded.

Our takeOne check before you book: Choose a base for your city evenings; the Terracotta Army visit is a separate out-of-town day.

Getting there & around

Landing in Xi’an, and moving around

Routes from Xi’an's airports into the city centre

Xianyang Airport (XIY)

Metro Line 14 to Xi’an North (about 40 minutes), then Line 2 south to the Bell Tower: about 80–90 minutes in total.

Airport bus to the Bell Tower: about ¥25 and 90 minutes; reaches the walled centre without a transfer.

Xi’an North (西安北)

High-speed trains arrive at Xi’an North, well outside the walls. Line 2 runs direct to the Bell Tower in about 27 minutes.

Use Xi’an’s Alipay metro ride code, or a WeChat ride code if your account can activate it; a cash-topped Chang’an Tong card is a backup. Plan on these methods rather than foreign-card tapping.
Metro fares ¥2–9; trains stop around 23:00, before the evening food streets wind down.

Our takeOne move after you land: keep your hotel's address in Chinese to show the driver. Make an address card →

Xi’an practical card →

When to go

Best: Apr–May · Sep–Oct

Check your exact dates →

Spring and autumn are milder than summer for walking, though autumn can still be rainy.

Jan5°-3°6% wet

Feb9°0°9% wet

Mar15°5°18% wet

Apr21°10°22% wet

May26°15°27% wet

Jun30°20°31% wet

Jul32°22°38% wet

Aug30°21°35% wet

Sep25°16°38% wet

Oct19°11°30% wet

Nov12°4°18% wet

Dec6°-2°5% wet

Typical daytime high, night low and share of wet days (1991–2020 averages, not a forecast). Golden Week (1–7 Oct 2026): expect crowds; check the official dates for other years.

What’s on