18 Best Things to Do in Xian, China
Xian is the city where China’s ancient heart still beats. It was the capital of thirteen dynasties, the eastern end of the Silk Road, and home to the greatest archaeological discovery of the twentieth century. I spent a full week here walking its walls, eating its street food until I could not move, and standing in front of an army of clay soldiers who have waited more than two thousand years for me. If you have only a few days, these are the things you cannot skip.
1. Stand Before the Terracotta Army
The Terracotta Army is why most people come, and it does not disappoint. Discovered by farmers digging a well in 1974, the site holds more than eight thousand life sized soldiers, each with its own face and uniform. Pit One is the showstopper, a cavern of row after row of warriors standing exactly where they were placed to guard the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. The detail is staggering, from the knots in their hair to the bronze weapons still in some hands. Give yourself at least half a day here, and go early to beat the tour groups that flood in by mid morning.
2. Getting to the Site
The site sits about an hour outside the city center. I took the tourist bus from the railway station, which was cheap and straightforward, though the town area has grown. A taxi is easier if you are splitting the fare three or four ways. Allow another hour on the way back through the souvenir streets, where calligraphers and artisans set up along the approach.
3. Bike the Ancient City Wall
The city wall is the most complete ancient city wall in China, and it wraps around the old town for nearly fourteen kilometers. I rented a bike on top and circled the whole thing at a lazy pace. From the ramparts you look down over gray tiled rooftops, watch traffic thread through old gates, and see modern towers rising behind ancient brick. Rentals are cheap, the top is flat and easy, and sunset turns everything a soft gold.
4. Get Lost in the Muslim Quarter
Just inside the wall lies a dense warren of lanes where Xian’s Muslim community has lived for centuries. It smells of cumin, grilled lamb, and fresh flatbread around every corner. The alleys are packed in the evenings, so I went twice, once for a daytime wander and once to eat. The food here is unmissable, which brings me to the section below.
5. Eat Roujiamo and Yangrou Paomo
Xian is the home of Chinese street food, and the Muslim Quarter is its stage. Roujiamo is a shredded pork sandwich that locals call a Chinese hamburger, wrapped in a crisp flatbread that shatters when you bite it. Yangrou paomo is a lamb soup where you tear flatbread into a bowl before it is topped with hot broth, tender meat, and glass noodles. For breakfast, try jianbing, a savory crepe folded around egg and chili, sold from carts in the early morning.
6. See the Big Wild Goose Pagoda
This Tang dynasty pagoda has stood for over thirteen hundred years, and it still holds the Buddhist scriptures that the monk Xuanzang carried back from India. Climb all seven stories for a view across the city rooftops, then stay for the musical fountain show that lights up the plaza each evening. The square fills with families, and the combination of water, light, and centuries old architecture is unforgettable.
7. Wander the Shaanxi History Museum
If the Terracotta Army leaves you hungry for more, the Shaanxi History Museum packs thousands of years of relics into a series of halls. Bronze vessels, jade carvings, ancient coins, and delicate Tang figurines fill the cases. It is free but requires a reservation, which you can book in advance, and it is far quieter than the army pits, so you can actually study the details.
8. See the Bell and Drum Towers
The Bell Tower sits at the exact center of the old city, with the Drum Tower just to the west. Built in the Ming dynasty, they once marked the hours across the city with sound. Climb one of them and the perfect symmetry of old Xian makes sense immediately, the busy streets radiating out from the center.
9. Escape to Huaqing Palace and Mount Li
Outside town, the hot springs of Huaqing Palace were a favorite of emperors for over a thousand years. The romance of Tang emperor Xuanzong and his consort Yang Guifei is tied to this place, and the story hangs over the gardens. I loved the tree lined paths, the quiet pools, and the short climb onto Mount Li for the view down across the plain, the army pits visible in the distance.
10. Enjoy a Tang Dynasty Evening
In the evenings the city performs Tang dynasty music and dance with costumes, drums, and a scale to match the era. It is theatrical in the best sense, loud and colorful, and it is a pleasant way to end a long day of sightseeing. Afterward, the old town glows with lantern light, and a night walk along the wall is a calm way to close things out.
11. See the City Light Up From Above
However you end your days, Xian leaves a mark. Stand on the wall once more as the lights come up, look across the rooftops toward the pagoda, and remember you stood in a city that once ruled half the world. Bring comfortable shoes, be ready for pushy street vendors, and give the history time to sink in. It repays patience.
