Ask a QuestionTopChinaTravel would like to introduce the Best Places to visit in Xi'an for you to explore the profound historical and cultural connotation of this city, to take a time travel to unfold the brilliant glory of its past. Besides, you will also be impressed by the gorgeous natural scenery it owns. Then, Where to visit in Xi'an, this well-known tourist destination in China? Come with us, you will find your answer.
As one of the greatest discoveries in the archaeological history, Xian Terracotta Army has been buried underground for more than 2,000 years till 1974. Known as the eighth wonder of the world, now is the biggest underground military museum to display all mighty terra-cotta warriors and horses made in Qin Dynasty (221 B.C – 206 B.C). From its history, Qin Terracotta Army is covered by a mysterious face.
The museum is divided into several excavation pits—Pit 1, Pit 2, and Pit 3—as well as the Bronze Chariot Exhibition Hall.
What makes the Terracotta Warriors extraordinary is their remarkable craftsmanship. Each figure is unique, with distinct facial features, hairstyles, and clothing details—even the soles of the shoes are intricately carved.
Travel Tips:
Opening Hours: Peak Season (Mar–Nov): 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM; Off Season (Dec–Feb): 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Ticket Price: CNY 120 per person
Suggested Visit Duration: 2.5 hours
How to Get There:
Nearby Attraction – Huaqing Palace (Huaqing Hot Springs)
Located at the foot of Mount Li in Lintong District, just a short drive from the Terracotta Army site, Huaqing Palace is a must-visit if you're planning a day trip from Xi’an. It is famous not only for its imperial bathing pools but also for the romantic legend of Emperor Xuanzong and his beloved concubine Yang Yuhuan, who once bathed here.
With a history of over 3,000 years as a royal retreat, the palace features ancient hot spring baths (Tang Pools), elegant pavilions, classic gardens, historic architecture, and century-old trees. The well-preserved Tang-style structures make it an ideal place to wear traditional Hanfu and take stunning photos that feel like a journey back in time.
Huaqing Palace is conveniently located on the route to the Terracotta Army. For a well-paced itinerary, it is recommended to visit Huaqing Palace in the morning, followed by the Terracotta Army in the afternoon.
For those looking for a deeper experience, you can stay overnight at the Huaqing Aegean International Hot Spring Resort, where private in-room hot spring baths ("onsen-style") offer a luxurious way to unwind. In the evening, don’t miss the large-scale live performances such as "The Song of Everlasting Sorrow", a spectacular show staged with Mount Li as the backdrop, or the historical drama of the Xi’an Incident, both of which offer rich cultural immersion.
Travel Tips:
Also known as Huifang (Hui Ethnic Neighborhood), the Muslim Quarter is a vibrant network of food streets located in the heart of Xi’an, just steps away from the Drum Tower. It includes several alleys such as Beiyuanmen, Beiguangji Street, Xiyangshi, and Dapiyuan, with Beiyuanmen being the busiest and most visited section. While many tourists turn back at the end of Beiyuanmen, the surrounding lanes are full of hidden culinary treasures waiting to be discovered.
This is the best place in Xi’an to sample authentic northwest Chinese cuisine, especially specialties from the Hui Muslim community. You’ll find sizzling Red Willow Lamb Skewers, hand-pulled noodles, crispy Roujiamo (Chinese hamburger), and all kinds of pastries and snacks. Don’t miss time-honored restaurants like Dingjia Crispy Pork and Jiasan Steamed Soup Dumplings, which have been serving local favorites for decades.
Travel Tips:
Xi'an City Wall was one of the largest ancient military defensive systems that protected this city from invasion during the ancient times. Today, this wall represents one of the oldest and best preserved Chinese city walls and attracts people from all over the world.
Standing in the very heart of Xi’an, the City Wall encloses many of the city’s historic treasures—including the Drum and Bell Towers and Muslim Quarter—making it not just a symbol of ancient power, but also a living part of the modern city.
►Things to Do on the Wall
Ride a Bike on the Wall: The top of the wall is about 14 meters wide and paved flat, making it ideal for cycling. Bicycles can be rented at several gates, with both single and tandem options available. Riding along the wall provides a panoramic contrast: within the walls, you see the traditional rooftops and old alleyways; beyond the walls, the modern skyline rises.
Walk or Take an Electric Cart: If you prefer walking, a full loop takes about 3 hours on foot. For a more relaxed visit, electric shuttle carts are available, stopping at major landmarks along the wall.
Enjoy Local Life: Locals often come to the wall for recreation. Beneath the wall, you may hear someone playing the Erhu or singing Qinqiang Opera, while others stroll along the moat-side promenades. You can even take a boat ride along the moat, offering a unique water-level perspective of the wall.
Practical Info
Admission Fee:
Opening Hours:
South Gate: 08:00–24:00
Other Gates:
May–October: 08:00–19:00
November–April: 08:00–18:00
Nearby Attraction – Beilin Museum (Forest of Stone Steles Museum)
Located just inside the Wenchang Gate (South Gate) of the City Wall, the Beilin Museum is a hidden gem for history and calligraphy lovers. The museum holds an extensive collection of stone steles dating from the Han to Qing dynasties, including calligraphy masterpieces by some of China’s greatest literati—Yan Zhenqing, Wang Xizhi, Su Shi, and even an inscription by Emperor Qianlong.
Its crown jewel is the Kaicheng Stone Classics, a complete Confucian canon carved into stone over 1,000 years ago, recognized as a national treasure. Besides calligraphy, the museum also displays ancient stone coffins, sculptures, tomb inscriptions, and horse hitching posts, offering a deep dive into Chinese epigraphy and burial culture.
Located at the very center of Xi’an within the ancient city walls, the Bell Tower (Zhonglou) and Drum Tower (Gulou) face each other across a short five-minute walk. These majestic towers, dating back to the Ming Dynasty, are among the best-preserved structures of their kind in China, once used to tell time and signal city curfews.
Today, both towers serve as small museums, displaying historical artifacts, ancient timekeeping instruments, calligraphy, and Ming–Qing furniture. You can climb either tower (or both) for panoramic views over the old city streets. Each offers a slightly different perspective—the Bell Tower looks out over the city’s busiest crossroads, while the Drum Tower faces the vibrant Muslim Quarter.
What’s more, the Bell & Drum Tower area is one of the best places to stay in the city. It’s well-connected to major attractions and metro lines. After visiting the towers, you can also stroll toward the Muslim Quarter, just behind the Drum Tower, for an evening food adventure.
Highlights & What to Do
Photography Tips
The Bell Tower sits at the junction of four main avenues and is encircled by traffic, making it a dramatic photo subject, especially after sunset. For the best shots:
Stand across the street to capture the full tower.
At night, use a slow shutter speed to transform passing cars into light trails, emphasizing the contrast between ancient architecture and modern movement.
Ticket Prices:
Opening Hours: Daily: 08:30–21:30
Duration: 1–1.5 hours is enough to explore both towers.
Located in downtown Xian, the Shaanxi History Museum is a large comprehensive historical museum, enjoys a large group of cultural relics and precious historical collections.
Covered an area of seven hectares, the famous Shaanxi History Museum introduces the visitor to area rich culture, from Emperor Qin Shihuang to the present day in this walled city. The museum is house in a striking Tang Dynasty-style pavilion and features an enormous collection of 113,000 historic and cultural relics.
This is where you experience history, with chronological dynasties exhibits that take you through the Han, Wei, Jin, Sui, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. It is an ideal place for learning about the origins and development of ancient Chinese history.
What to See
The museum is divided into three major exhibition halls:
Shaanxi Ancient Civilization (Permanent Exhibition):
Offers a chronological overview of the region’s development, free to enter (reservation required).
Treasures of the Great Tang Dynasty – Hejia Village Hoard (Paid Exhibition):
Displays luxurious gold and silver artifacts unearthed from a Tang Dynasty treasure trove, reflecting the peak of artistic craftsmanship.
Tang Dynasty Mural Gallery (Premium Exhibition):
Houses original murals from Tang tombs, showcasing refined painting techniques and court life from 1,300 years ago. Considered one of the most precious mural collections in China.
🔍 Travel Tip: A quick walkthrough won't do justice to this museum. To truly appreciate the relics, it's highly recommended to hire a professional guide or rent an audio guide, as the stories behind each artifact breathe life into the exhibits.
Ticket Information:
Note: Tickets to either paid exhibit include access to the permanent exhibition. Mural ticket holders also gain access to the Tang treasure exhibit.
Opening Hours: 09:00–17:30 (Last admission at 16:00). Closed on Mondays, except for national public holidays
Duration: To explore the museum in depth, at least 3 hours is recommended. Allocate half a day for a well-paced visit.
The Big Wild Goose Pagoda, also known as Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, is one of the most famous attractions in Xi'an that reputed for its dignified but plain structure and creative design conception.
This attic-style brick pagoda was built in 652 during the Tang Dynasty and originally had five stories, as a place to hold sutras and figurines of the Buddha that were brought to China from India by the Buddhist translator and travelers Xuanzang. Rebuilt in 704 and has its exterior brick facade renovated during the Ming Dynasty, it is now, as a well-preserved religious place for Buddhist, has become the symbol of Xian that with a height of 64 meters.
From the fist five-layer structure to the seven-layer architecture now, this pagoda has experienced hundreds of year and seen the change of several dynasties, Now, it leans very perceptibly (several degrees) to the west.
►The Great Tang All Day Mall
Today, the area around the pagoda has been transformed into the Great Tang All Day Mall (Da Tang Bu Ye Cheng), a lively cultural complex infused with Tang Dynasty aesthetics. It’s a one-stop destination for dining, shopping, entertainment, and sightseeing — especially atmospheric after sunset.
Highlights include:
Best Spot for Night Shots:
Stand at the northernmost edge of the music fountain on North Square. From here, you can capture the lit-up pagoda framed by the dazzling fountain — arrive early to claim a good spot!
Practical Info
Duration: About 1 hour for a basic visit including the tower climb and surrounding plaza.
Mt. Huashan is the highest and most precipitous one among the Five Great Mountains (2,154.9 m), which reputed for its majestic breath-taking crags, steep paths, beautiful scenery precipices, deep and narrow creeks, and profound Taoist culture, as it is said to be the most precipitous mountain in the world.
Situated 100 km to the east of Xian, Mt. Huanshan is known as "The Number One Precipitous Mountain under Heaven". It has 5 main peaks, the east peak, which named “Chaoyang Peak”, is one of the 9 great places of China to see the sunrise.
It is a common saying that “Mt. Huashan has only one path since ancient times". Only one narrow and zigzag path, 15 kilometers long and stretching from south to north, is available in Mt. Huashan.
► More famous attractions in Xian please click Xian Attractions
► Book best Xi'an tour with us at Xian Package Tours
We are member of
Follow us on
