CN
Xi’an
An ancient imperial capital at the start of the Silk Road, home to the Terracotta Army
An ancient imperial capital at the start of the Silk Road, home to the Terracotta Army
Thousands of life-size clay soldiers, horses and chariots made over 2,200 years ago for the tomb of Qin Shi Huang, about an hour east of the city. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Book tickets in advance and hire an official guide or audio guide for context.
Photo: Gary Todd, CC0
One of the best-preserved city walls in China, about 14km around, built in the Ming dynasty. You can walk or rent a bike to cycle around the top.
Cycling the full loop takes around two hours.
Photo: KQuhen, CC BY-SA 4.0
A Tang-dynasty pagoda built to hold Buddhist scriptures brought back from India by the monk Xuanzang. A musical fountain show takes place in the square in the evenings.
Photo: 源義信, CC BY-SA 4.0
Food streets behind the Drum Tower, home to the Hui Muslim community, with stalls selling lamb skewers, flatbreads and sweets, and the Great Mosque in a Chinese-style courtyard.
Photo: Fabio Achilli, CC BY 2.0
Try roujiamo (meat in a flatbread), biangbiang noodles, yangrou paomo (lamb soup with crumbled bread), cold noodles (liangpi) and dumplings.
The Muslim Quarter is the place for street food; Yongxing Fang near the city wall has regional dishes.
Xi’an Xianyang International Airport (XIY) is about an hour from the centre by metro or airport bus. High-speed trains link Xi’an North station with Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu. Buses and tours go to the Terracotta Army.
Citizens of most EU countries, the UK, Canada, Australia and many others can currently visit mainland China visa-free for up to 30 days; this policy runs until 31 December 2026 unless extended. US citizens need a visa, though they and travellers from 55 countries can use the 240-hour visa-free transit if flying on to a third country through designated ports. Check current rules before you travel.
Xi’an is good value. China uses the yuan (CNY, RMB). Mobile payment dominates: Alipay and WeChat Pay now accept foreign bank cards, but carry some cash as a backup.
Warriors, walls and food.
Spend the morning at the Terracotta Army, then see the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda and its fountain show.
Cycle the City Wall, visit the Bell and Drum Towers, and eat in the Muslim Quarter.
Visit the Shaanxi History Museum (book ahead) and the Great Mosque.
Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay with your card before you travel; many places do not take foreign cards directly.
Book the Terracotta Army and the Shaanxi History Museum online in advance with your passport.
Use official buses or reputable tours to the Terracotta Army; ignore touts at the station.
Avoid Chinese New Year and the October Golden Week (1–7 October), when sights and transport are extremely busy.
Quick answers for planning time in Xi’an.
Citizens of most EU countries, the UK, Canada, Australia and others can currently visit visa-free for up to 30 days (until 31 December 2026). US citizens need a visa unless using the 240-hour visa-free transit.
About 40km east, around an hour by bus or car.
Yes, bikes can be rented on the wall; the full loop is about 14km.
In 1974, by farmers digging a well.
Roujiamo, biangbiang noodles and the street food of the Muslim Quarter.
Google Maps works poorly in mainland China; Apple Maps or the Chinese app Amap (Gaode) are more accurate.
Free
Mandarin is the main language, and English is limited outside big hotels; a translation app with camera and offline mode is very helpful.
Free
WhatsApp, Google and many Western apps are blocked in mainland China without a roaming SIM or eSIM; most people use WeChat for messages and payments.
Free
Planning a wider trip? Our China travel guide covers getting there, costs, when to go and more.