Xi’an, China | Travel Guide
Before our trip to Xian, we associated the city with the Terracotta Army – a vast, ancient tableau of life-sized warriors that have stood guard for over two millennia. While this UNESCO World Heritage site is undoubtedly astounding and a must-visit attraction, Xi’an has much more to offer the intrepid traveler. As China’s ancient imperial capital and the starting point of the Silk Road, Xi’an is steeped in history, culture, and flavor. Armed with big appetites, maps, and a translator app, we were determined to delve deeper and bring you more things to do in Xi’an beyond the Terracotta Warriors. Read on to find out what to expect from one of the best cities to visit in China.
Best Things to Do in Xi’an
Terracotta Warriors
No Xi’an travel guide is complete without a mention of the Terracotta Warriors. While this guide aims to go beyond this top-rated tourist attraction, it’s requisite on every China itinerary. This army of 8000 life-sized figures, built approximately 2,200 years ago for China’s first emperor Qin Shi Huang, must be seen to comprehend the magnitude of work involved. Every single one features a different facial expression, hairstyle, and uniform. The army is part of a massive Mausoleum, nearly double the size of Macau, meant to safeguard and serve emperor Qin in the afterlife. Despite being accidentally discovered by farmers in 1974, excavation and restoration work still continue today.
Visiting Terracotta Warriors is a half-day affair because getting there takes nearly an hour, and there are three pits to discover in the Museum of Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses. Pit one is the largest, with over 2,000 figures in battle formation. Pit two has warriors encased in glass to see up close, and pit three is the command post with a chariot. We recommend being among the first at the entrance to avoid crowds that will inevitably gather as the day progresses. Though Qin’s Terracotta Army had been a secret for two millennia, today, its visitors are capped at 65,000 per day. Don't expect a tranquil experience!
Xi'an City Wall
While the Terracotta Army is a monumental tribute to China’s first emperor, the city itself is a museum enclosed in ancient walls and with spectacular park grounds around. Built in 1370 during the Ming dynasty, the Fortifications of Xi’an is known as one of the oldest and best-preserved in China. Spanning 8.7 miles and towering 40 feet over the city, it offers spectacular views, which you can take in as you circumnavigate the wall on foot or by bike. Most places to visit in Xi’an are located within the old walls or just outside, but the modern city stretches far and wide beyond them. As for the park grounds, they are a popular congregation place for recreational activities among residents, ideal for people-watching.
Bell Tower and Drum Tower
Built seven years apart in the late 1300s, the two towers stand tall across from each other inside old city walls. The Bell Tower was used to mark the city center, the start of the day, and make announcements to the public, and the Drum Tower marked the end of the day. Today, you can climb atop both towers to admire the views or take in their beautiful evening lights from the square located between.
The Great Mosque
In the heart of Xi’an Muslim Quarter, you’ll find one of China's largest mosques. The route from the Bell Tower to the Great Mosque will take you through old neighborhoods studded with traditional architecture and exquisite stonework. But the unique blend of Chinese and Islamic architecture of the Great Mosque isn’t like anything we’ve seen before. At first glance, it’s a Chinese temple with a flying swallowtail roof and the absence of a minaret. But upon closer inspection, you notice the qibla and Sini inscriptions (Chinese-influenced Arabic writing). And the biggest giveaway is the call to prayer.
Gao Family Mansion
For art and culture, head to the Gao Family Mansion, built during the Ming Dynasty, operating as a museum and cultural center today. As one of Xi’an’s best-preserved traditional residences with antique furniture and staff dressed to the nines, the experience feels like stepping into an ancient household amidst festival celebrations. This is also the place to witness traditional Chinese shadow puppetry performed with intricate cow skin figurines.
Big Wild Goose Pagoda
Not far from the city walls lies the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, a UNESCO enlisted symbol of Xi’an’s Buddhist heritage, and its younger sister, Small Wild Goose nearby. Big Wild Goose was built in 652 AD to house Buddhist scriptures and artifacts brought to China from India. These relics can be admired as you climb to the top for a panoramic view of Xi’an and try to imagine what life would have looked like during the Tang Dynasty. After, head to Dayan Pagoda Northern Square surrounding Wild Goose, a popular meeting point for soaking in the evening musical fountain show and lights.
Tang Paradise
In China, top destinations are categorized by a rating system ranging from 1A to 5A. According to that scale, Tang Paradise is a 5-star attraction. This complex, located right in the city center, is China’s first royal garden theme park that aims to fully immerse visitors into the imperial culture of the Tang Dynasty through all five senses. Although the complex is a modern reconstruction of an ancient site, it’s admirable that the core attraction is China’s history, where visitors can learn a thing or two about one of the world’s oldest civilizations. The site sprawls over 165 acres, offering cultural performances, costumes, spectacular architecture, manicured gardens, and a willow-lined lake that comes alive at night with video projections and fountains.
Han Yang Ling Museum
For something a little off the beaten track, venture out to Han Yang Ling Museum – a Mausoleum of Emperor Jing and Empress Wang of the Han Dynasty which followed Qin. Built around 200 years after the Terracotta Army, it spans a humble 7.7 sq miles housing over 50,000 mini terracotta figurines visible through glass floors over excavation pits. Although a slightly less popular attraction in Xi’an, hence smaller crowds, it’s not any less fascinating.
Huashan Mountain
Only a two-hour drive away, a visit to Huashan Mountain makes for the perfect day trip from Xi’an. Known as one of China’s five great mountains, it offers challenging trails up steep cliffs and rewards with breathtaking views. Like most national parks in China, Huashan is well-outfitted with pit stops offering food and other comforts. The adventure starts with a scenic cable car ride, followed by some uphill stair climbing and hikes along stone ridges. And for those missing some peril in their life, Huashan Mountain is home to the most dangerous hike in the world. Huashan Plank Walk will test your limits with a harnessed crossing on wooden planks and down chiseled steps big enough to barely fit one foot. The perfect recipe to be called one of the best tourist attractions in China.
Xi’an Food
As the noodle capital of China, Xi’an offers an incredible variety to sample. The most common to look out for are liang pi- steamed cold noodles with sesame paste, you po mian hot oil noodles, and biang biang mian – thick long noodles coated in chili made by banging the dough against the table. You’ll hear them before you spot them.
Xi’an’s positioning on the Silk Road brought Arabic influence to its local flavors, cultivating a unique culinary scene. Muslim Quarter, also known as Huimin Street, is the place to explore this amalgamation and confuse your senses. The first thing that throws you off is the call to prayer and Sino-Arabic inscriptions. The next is wafting aromas of sizzling meats, bread, and spices. If not for the thick crowds of Chinese tourists, we would have forgotten we were in Xi'an.
Sure, the Muslim Quarter is one of the top tourist attractions in Xi’an, but venture into a side alley, and you’ll find lesser-visited food stands. On your hit list, you should have meat skewers, roujiamo – beef stuffed bun with a crispy shell or pork as the non-halal version, yangrou paomo – hearty lamb soup on a bed of crumbled flatbread, and sesame halva. We especially loved the ritual of eating yangrou paomo. It involves tearing up bread into small bits over conversation before your bowl is collected by the chef and soaked in soup.
The Muslim Quarter is bursting at the seams with street food stalls offering popular Xi’an food. For a unique dining experience and to further confuse your senses, head to Zui Chang An, hidden in a courtyard off the Shuyuanmen Market. The restaurant specializes in food from Shaanxi Province but presents it in unusual ways. Think, devouring a calligraphy brush dipped in ink sauce.
While the Terracotta Army may be the headline act, alternative places to visit in Xi’an help understand the city on another level. BYO appetite and walking shoes!