Xi'an

Xi'an was the capital of China for more than a thousand years and the start of the Silk Road. Today it is famous for one thing above all: the Terracotta Warriors. We arrived late on 4 August 2025 and had one full day, 5 August, before leaving early the next morning for Chengdu.

Where to Sleep?

We stayed at the Desti Youth Park Hostel Bell & Drum Tower, right in the centre, and paid €41.

1. The Terracotta Warriors

Thousands of life-size clay soldiers, each with a different face, buried more than 2,000 years ago to guard the tomb of the first emperor of China. The museum is in Lintong, under an hour from Xi'an.

Tickets were ¥120 per person. It opens from 8.30am to 5pm, and you need at least four to five hours for a full visit.

To get there by public transport, walk about a kilometre from Xi'an Railway Station to Wulukou station, take metro line 1 towards Fangzhicheng for eight stops, and then Tourist Bus 5 (bus 306) straight to the Terracotta Army. It takes about 50 minutes and cost ¥9 in total (¥4 for the metro and ¥5 for the bus). The bus runs from 7am to 7pm, every 30 to 40 minutes.

Tip: Buy tickets in advance. We couldn't buy them on the official website without a Chinese phone number, so try Trip.com instead.

Tip: On the real Tourist Bus 5 you only pay once you are seated. There are a few fake 'Tourist Bus 5' buses around the station, and the drivers of the real one never go looking for passengers.

2. The Bell and Drum Towers

The two symbols of the old city, right in the centre. Visit them before heading to the South Gate of the city wall. Both have short music performances at 9am, 10am, 11am, 3pm, 4pm and 5pm.

3. The City Wall

Xi'an still has its full city wall, about 12 metres high and so wide on top that you can cycle on it. It has 18 gates, and walking the whole perimeter takes three to four hours, so most people rent a bike or walk just a section.

The South Gate is the most beautiful, and it has free ceremonies every day: the opening ceremony at 9.30am, the warrior parade at 11am, 2pm and 5pm, and the changing of the guard at 10am and 3pm. In the evening, except on Mondays, there is a Tang dynasty light show at 8.30pm.

Entrance was ¥54, open from 8am to 7pm, and bike rental was ¥45.

4. The Muslim Quarter

A block of streets full of food stalls behind the Drum Tower. Xi'an is famous for its snacks, and this is the place to try them: lamb skewers, roujiamo (the Chinese burger), noodles and sweets. The best time to go is late afternoon or early evening, when the street market comes alive. Dinner here cost us around ¥20 to ¥30 each.

5. The Great Mosque

Hidden in the alleys of the Muslim Quarter, one of the oldest mosques in China looks more like a Chinese temple, with gardens, pavilions and courtyards. Entrance was ¥25.

If you have more time

• Shaanxi History Museum: free, with treasures from the many dynasties that ruled from Xi'an.
• The Big Wild Goose Pagoda and its plazas, with a fountain show at noon and 8pm. Going up the pagoda was ¥30.