Xi'an (西安)
Home of the Terracotta Warriors and some of China's best street food
I still remember the first time I walked into the Terracotta Warriors' Pit 1. I'd seen photos, watched documentaries — nothing prepares you for the silence. Thousands of soldiers, each with a different face, staring across 2,200 years. I've brought clients here dozens of times since, and I still stand at the railing for a full minute without speaking. That's the power of Xi'an. A short drive from the city is Louguantai — the place where Laozi is said to have written the Tao Te Ching. I made the trip last autumn, and standing there, you understand why this landscape inspired that kind of wisdom.
The ancient capital of 13 dynasties — the Terracotta Army, the Muslim Quarter, and the best street food in northern China.
Xi'an is where Chinese civilisation began. It was the capital of 13 dynasties, the starting point of the Silk Road, and today it's home to China's most astounding archaeological discovery.
Terracotta Warriors
The scale is impossible to grasp from photos. Three pits house over 8,000 life-sized warriors, each with a unique face. Pit 1 is the most spectacular — the army stretches as far as you can see. Go early, and hire a guide at the gate for context.
Muslim Quarter
A maze of food streets in the heart of the old city. Try everything: biang biang noodles, yangrou paomo (lamb soup with flatbread), persimmon cakes, and lamb skewers. Dinner here is an event.
City Wall
The best-preserved city wall in China. Rent a bike and ride the full 14km loop. Go at sunset for golden light over the old city.
Getting Around
Xi'an is easy to navigate on the metro. The Terracotta Warriors are 40 minutes from the city centre by bus or taxi.
Getting There & Around
- •Fly into Xi'an Xianyang (XIY)
- •Recommended stay: 2–4 days
- •Book trains via Trip.com in English, DiDi for taxis
Budget Tips
- •Price level: Higher
- •Street food is cheap and safe — eat where locals queue
- •Use DiDi Premier instead of tourist taxis
- •Book attractions online to skip ticket queues
Local Pro Tips
- •Don't eat at the most famous restaurant — eat at the busiest one
- •Go early (before 9am) to experience historical sites without crowds
- •Install Alipay before you arrive — most places don't take cash
- •Download Amap for navigation — Google Maps is unreliable in China
When to Go
- •Peak season: March–May, September–October
- •Book hotels and train tickets 2-4 weeks ahead for best rates
- •Avoid Golden Week (May 1-5 & Oct 1-7) — everything is packed
Suggested Itineraries
Seasonal Guide
Spring in Xi'an (March–May)8–25°C
- Mild and pleasant
- Cherry blossoms
- Occasional dust from the north
Light jacket, Comfortable shoes
Summer in Xi'an (June–August)25–38°C
- Lively Muslim Quarter evenings
- Extreme heat
- Crowded
Light clothing, Sunscreen, Hat
Autumn in Xi'an (September–November)10–25°C
- Best season — clear and pleasant
- Golden Week crowds
Light layers
Winter in Xi'an (December–February)-5–8°C
- Few tourists
- Lower prices
- Cold and sometimes grey
Chinese New Year lantern festival on the City Wall
Heavy coat, Gloves
What to Eat
Biang Biang Noodles
BiangBiang面
Wide, hand-pulled noodles served with chilli oil, garlic, and minced pork — Xi'an's signature dish.
Where: Muslim Quarter (look for places making noodles by hand)
Yangrou Paomo
羊肉泡馍
Lamb soup with crumbled flatbread — you tear the bread yourself, then it's cooked in lamb broth.
Where: Lao Sun Jia in the Muslim Quarter
Lamb Skewers
烤羊肉串
Cumin-spiced grilled lamb skewers — Xi'an style, some of the best in China.
Where: Beiguan Alley, Muslim Quarter
Unique Experiences
- ✦xian-food-tour
- ✦xian-cooking-class
Cultural Connections
Medicine King Street & the Liu Family
Xi'an's traditional medicine street near the Drum Tower has been home to herbalists for centuries. The Liu family — known as the 'Medicine Kings' — have been practicing TCM here since the Ming Dynasty.
Xi'an's position on the Silk Road made it a crossroads for medicinal herbs and knowledge from Central Asia.
City Layout & Feng Shui
Xi'an's grid layout — the original model for all Chinese imperial cities — follows I Ching principles. The city wall has precise directional gates aligned with the trigrams.
Xi'an was designed as a cosmic diagram, with every street and gate following I Ching cosmology.
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What Travelers Say About Xi'an
Peng planned our entire two-week honeymoon across China. She found us a guide in Xi'an who brought the Terracotta Warriors to life in a way I'll never forget. Every detail was handled — train tickets, restaurant reservations, even a bouquet waiting at our hotel in Shanghai.
James & Lisa
Toronto, Canada
The Silk Road itinerary Peng put together was incredible. Dunhuang, Turpan, Kashgar — places I'd dreamed about but had no idea how to navigate. She arranged local guides who were actual historians. Came back with photos I'll treasure forever.
Alex
Berlin, Germany
I've visited Xi'an more times than I can count — each time discovering something new. With 15+ years of traveling across all 35+ Chinese cities, I know what works, what doesn't, and how to make your trip truly memorable.
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