City guide
Xi'an 西安
Terracotta warriors, city walls you can cycle, and the Muslim Quarter's street food.
Best time to visit
April–May and September–October. Summer gets very hot; winter is dry and cold but crowd-free.
Getting around the city
- 01The metro covers the main sights including a line toward the Terracotta Army area.
- 02The city wall loop is perfect by rental bike — about 14 km (8.7 mi) all the way around.
- 03Taxis and Didi are cheap; most in-town rides cost ¥10–25 (≈$1.50–3.50).
Top tips for first-time visitors
- 01Visit the Terracotta Army early in the morning to beat the tour buses.
- 02The Muslim Quarter is busiest after dark — go hungry.
- 03Xi'an pairs naturally with Beijing by high-speed rail (about 4.5 hours).
Recommended attractions
Terracotta Army
Eight thousand life-sized warriors buried with China's first emperor.
Ancient City Wall
One of the best-preserved city walls in the world — cycle the full loop.
Muslim Quarter
A maze of food stalls: roujiamo, biangbiang noodles, persimmon cakes.
Big Wild Goose Pagoda
Tang-dynasty landmark with an evening fountain show.
