Xi'an in photos
What the city actually looks like
From the Terracotta Army and the ancient city wall to the Bell Tower at night, the Muslim Quarter and the Big Wild Goose Pagoda — this is the atmosphere you'll really find in Xi'an.
The First Emperor's Terracotta Army · the intact Ming City Wall you can cycle around · the Bell & Drum Towers downtown · the food-packed Muslim Quarter (回民街) · the Big Wild Goose Pagoda · Datang Everbright City by night · and a gateway to sacred Mount Hua
Xi'an served as China's capital for 13 dynasties and marks the start of the Silk Road — honestly, this is a city where history lives on every corner. Start the morning standing before the First Emperor's Terracotta Army · cycle the complete Ming City Wall, the best-preserved in China · visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and the Great Mosque in the afternoon · eat your way down the Muslim Quarter (回民街) in the evening, then catch the Bell & Drum Towers lit up at night, and end at Datang Everbright City, a recreated Tang-dynasty street. From here Mount Hua, the Huaqing Palace and Luoyang are all easy day trips, and Thai passport holders enter China visa-free.
From the Terracotta Army and the ancient city wall to the Bell Tower at night, the Muslim Quarter and the Big Wild Goose Pagoda — this is the atmosphere you'll really find in Xi'an.
The full Xi'an travel guide is growing piece by piece · choose a tab below to start planning each part of your trip — Stay · Eat · See · Plan · Prep
Bell Tower · Drum Tower · Muslim Quarter · South Gate of the city wall · Big Wild Goose Pagoda · Terracotta Army · Datang Everbright City — see where everything sits so you can plan your route more easily.
Pick by budget — compare prices across all 3 sites before you book · Trip.com has the most complete China inventory
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The Bell Tower and Muslim Quarter put you in the heart of the walled city; the South Gate sits right on the wall; the Datang Everbright / Big Wild Goose Pagoda district is loveliest at night. Pick your area first, then choose a hotel below.
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🕌🎒A great trip isn't limited to one city — here are 3 destinations near Xi'an that you can reach by high-speed rail for a day trip or an overnight stay.
Xi'an served as China's capital for 13 dynasties and marks the eastern start of the Silk Road — a place where history lives on every corner. Stand before the Terracotta Army · cycle the complete Ming City Wall, the best-preserved in China · visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and the Great Mosque · eat your way down the Muslim Quarter · catch the Bell & Drum Towers at night and the recreated Tang street at Datang Everbright City · and use the city as a base for Mount Hua, the Huaqing Palace and Luoyang, all easy day trips.
You can visit Xi'an on any budget — backpackers around ฿1,000–2,000/day · mid-range ฿2,500–4,500/day (excluding flights) · get into town from Xianyang Airport (XIY) by airport metro and bus · in town, ride the multi-line metro, which is extensive and cheap · the best times to visit are March–May and September–November, when there is less rain and the weather is mild · and don't forget to set up a VPN · eSIM · Alipay/WeChat Pay before you go.
The Wherebest team is steadily adding in-depth Xi'an hotel reviews and travel guides — neighborhoods to stay in · sights · food · and day trips to Mount Hua and Luoyang. Start planning your trip with the full China travel guide →
Begin with the China travel guide, then take in Xi'an one corner at a time