Why go
The Terracotta Army is 40km east of the city — budget a full morning. Go straight to Pit 1 and walk to its far end; the crowds are at the entrance. A decent guide (or the museum's audio guide) makes the figures' story far richer.
The city wall makes Xi'an physically memorable. Hire a bike at the south gate and ride the full circuit — flat, shaded in sections, and the best way to understand the old grid.
- Terracotta Army — go at 8:00 opening to see Pit 1 without a crowd
- Cycle the 14km Ming city wall at sunset
- Muslim Quarter food crawl: roujiamo, biangbiang noodles, lamb paomo
- Big Wild Goose Pagoda and the Tang-era music fountain
Where to go
Day one: Terracotta Army, then Huaqing Pool if time allows. Day two: the city wall ride, the Muslim Quarter (lunch and again for dinner), and the Big Wild Goose Pagoda square at night. The Shaanxi History Museum is superb but needs a timed reservation days in advance.
What to eat
Xi'an food is the great bread-and-noodle frontier: roujiamo (the 'Chinese hamburger'), biangbiang noodles (a single hand-stretched belt noodle), and yangrou paomo (lamb stew with torn bread). The Muslim Quarter is loud, cheap and excellent.
Getting there
- Metro Line 4 from Xianyang Airport to the centre in ~50 min
- Role
- Capital of Shaanxi
- Old name
- Chang'an
- Dynasties
- 13 dynasties' capital
