Capital of 13 dynasties and the eastern terminus of the Silk Road, Xi'an is the best single city for ancient China — anchored by the Terracotta Army and a fully intact Ming city wall you can cycle around.
History & culture
As Chang'an, this was once the largest city on earth and the cosmopolitan gateway between China and Central Asia. The Terracotta Warriors guarding Emperor Qin Shi Huang's tomb (3rd c. BC) are among the greatest archaeological finds ever made.
What to see & do
- ◆Terracotta Army (Pits 1–3)
- ◆Cycling the 14 km Ming city wall
- ◆The Muslim Quarter night food street
- ◆Big Wild Goose Pagoda
- ◆Shaanxi History Museum (free, book ahead)
What to eat
- ●Roujiamo ('Chinese hamburger')
- ●Biangbiang noodles
- ●Yangrou paomo (lamb soup with torn bread)
Getting there
Xianyang International Airport and a major high-speed rail hub (≈4.5–6h from Beijing or Shanghai). The metro reaches the train stations and city wall.
Avoid the pitfalls
- Buy Terracotta Army tickets from the official site, not resellers; go early to beat tour buses.
- The 'Terracotta Warriors' some taxis offer is a fake replica park — insist on the Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum.
- Government-run blue taxis use the meter; avoid unmarked cars outside the station.
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