Things to do in Xi’an: top sights and where to go
Old Xi’an inside the city wall is walkable: the Bell and Drum Towers, the Muslim Quarter and the Great Mosque are 5–10 minutes apart, while the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, the Shaanxi History Museum and the evening lights of Datang Everbright City are 20 minutes south by metro. Give the Terracotta Army half a day (about an hour each way by bus), and keep Mount Hua for a day of its own, 40 minutes away by high-speed train.
Sights
Xi’an itineraries
Xi’an travel guide
Before you go: the Terracotta Army, the city wall and pagodas, the Muslim Quarter, Mount Hua, the airport, trains and weather.
Xi’an on your own: the essentials
- How many days
- 2–3 days: warriors, city, Mount Hua
- When to go
- April–May and September–October
- Visa
- Depends on your passport — many get 30 days visa-free
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Paying
- Alipay or WeChat Pay with a foreign card
- Airport
- Xianyang (XIY) ≈ 35 km by road — metro
- Warriors
- ≈ 40 km east, 1–1.5 h from the centre
- From Beijing
- ≈ 4.5–6 h by high-speed train
- Booking
- Warriors and museum tickets ahead, by passport
- Internet
- Google, WhatsApp, YouTube blocked — roaming eSIM
- Time zone
- UTC+8 all year
officiali
Confirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Key facts
Sourcei
Wikipedia, “Terracotta Army”Sourcei
UNESCO World Heritage List, No. 441Sourcei
Wikipedia, “Fortifications of Xi’an”Sourcei
Wikipedia, “Giant Wild Goose Pagoda”Things to do in Xi’an
The top things to do in Xi’an are the Terracotta Army of the First Emperor, the Ming city wall, the Bell and Drum Towers, the Muslim Quarter with the Great Mosque, the Giant and Small Wild Goose pagodas, the Shaanxi History Museum and the evening Datang Everbright City. Mount Hua makes a day trip. Every place with its YesGo score is in the list above.
| East | Terracotta Army | ½ day |
|---|---|---|
| Centre | City wall, towers | ½ day |
| Muslim Quarter | Quarter, mosque | evening |
| South | Giant Pagoda, Datang | evening |
| Museums | Shaanxi Museum, Small Pagoda | ½ day |
| Day trip | Mount Hua | 1 day |
Rather not plan it yourself? The list above has ready itineraries for 1–2 days, with places in a sensible order.
How to get to the Terracotta Army
The Terracotta Army is ≈ 40 km from Xi’an: take the tourist bus from the east square of Xi’an station, Metro Line 9 plus a bus, or a taxi — about 1–1.5 hours. Tickets are in your passport name and booked online; allow 3 hours for the three pits and the museum.
| Tourist bus | Xi’an station | ≈ 1–1.5 h |
|---|---|---|
| Metro + bus | Line 9 | ≈ 1.5 h |
| DiDi taxi | Centre | ≈ 1 h |
| Tour | Hotel pickup | ½ day |
Start with Pit 1, the largest; the same ticket covers the Qin Shi Huang mausoleum nearby.
Xi’an airport to the city
Xianyang International (XIY) is ≈ 35 km by road from the centre, with international flights at Terminal 5. Metro Line 14 to Xi’an North and Line 2 south reach the Bell Tower in 75–90 minutes; a DiDi taxi takes about an hour.
| Metro Lines 14 + 2 | Bell Tower | ≈ 75–90 min |
|---|---|---|
| DiDi taxi | Centre | ≈ 50–60 min |
| High-speed train | Beijing — Xi’an | ≈ 4.5–6 h |
Xi’an weather by month
The best time to visit Xi’an is April–May and September–October, ≈ 20–27 °C by day. Summer is hot at ≈ 32–33 °C with thunderstorms; winter is dry and cold, ≈ 6–7 °C by day and around freezing at night.
°CiLong-term averages, °C: day and night air, sea water near the shore, rain — rainy days a month. Any given year can be warmer or cooler. Tap a month for details below. | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day | 6° | 10° | 16° | 22° | 27° | 32° | 33° | 31° | 26° | 20° | 13° | 7° |
| Night | -3° | 0° | 5° | 11° | 16° | 20° | 23° | 22° | 18° | 11° | 4° | -2° |
| Rain | 4 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 5 | 3 |
Warm — 20 °C and above by dayBest time to go: April–May and September–October
- day ≈ 6°
- night ≈ -3°
- rain 4 days
About 6°, dry, frosty nights.
- day ≈ 10°
- night ≈ 0°
- rain 5 days
About 10°, Spring Festival lanterns.
- day ≈ 16°
- night ≈ 5°
- rain 7 days
About 16°, warming up.
- day ≈ 22°
- night ≈ 11°
- rain 8 days
About 22° — a great time.
- day ≈ 27°
- night ≈ 16°
- rain 9 days
About 27°, warm.
- day ≈ 32°
- night ≈ 20°
- rain 8 days
Hot, ≈ 32°.
- day ≈ 33°
- night ≈ 23°
- rain 10 days
Heat and thunderstorms.
- day ≈ 31°
- night ≈ 22°
- rain 9 days
About 31°.
- day ≈ 26°
- night ≈ 18°
- rain 11 days
About 26°, rain.
- day ≈ 20°
- night ≈ 11°
- rain 9 days
About 20° — the best month.
- day ≈ 13°
- night ≈ 4°
- rain 5 days
About 13°, cool.
- day ≈ 7°
- night ≈ -2°
- rain 3 days
About 7°, cold.
What to eat in Xi’an
Xi’an is a city of noodles and street food. In the Muslim Quarter try lamb and beef skewers, yangrou paomo soup with torn bread, roujiamo — the “Chinese burger” — and wide biangbiang noodles.
- Roujiamo — flatbread stuffed with braised meat.
- Yangrou paomo — lamb soup with crumbled bread.
- Biangbiang noodles — wide, hand-pulled, with chilli oil.
- Liangpi — cold noodles, especially in summer.
Xi’an ticket prices
The Muslim Quarter, the Small Wild Goose Pagoda, Datang Everbright City and the Shaanxi History Museum’s main galleries (booking required) are free. You pay for the Terracotta Army, the city wall, the towers, the mosque, the Giant Pagoda and Mount Hua with its cable cars.
| Terracotta Army | 51 | 3 h | ¥120, passport booking ahead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Mosque of Xi’an | 44 | 45 min | ¥25, ¥15 in winter; Muslims free |
| Giant Wild Goose Pagoda | 41 | 1 h | ≈ ¥10; pagoda climb ≈ ¥25 extra |
| Bell and Drum Towers | 39 | 1 h | ¥30 per tower, ¥50 for both |
| Xi’an City Wall | 35 | 2 h | ¥54, bike ¥45 / 3 hours |
| Mount Hua | 26 | 4 h | ¥160; cable cars ¥80–140 extra |
Free — 4 places: Muslim Quarter, Small Wild Goose Pagoda, Datang Everbright City, Shaanxi History Museum.
Tips
- Rent a bike on the city wall — the loop is about 14 km, and the light is best at sunset.
- The Muslim Quarter comes alive in the evening: go for dinner.
- Shaanxi History Museum tickets sell out a week ahead in holidays — book early.
FAQ
Is Xi’an worth visiting?
Yes — the Terracotta Army alone is worth the trip, plus a complete Ming city wall and some of China’s best street food.
Do I need a visa for Xi’an?
It depends on your passport: many nationalities can visit China visa-free for up to 30 days, and Xi’an accepts 240-hour transit. Check the rules for your passport.
How do I get to the Terracotta Army?
By tourist bus from Xi’an station, Metro Line 9 plus a bus, or taxi — about 1–1.5 hours; a tour is easiest.
How long do you need at the Terracotta Army?
About 3 hours for the three pits and the museum, plus travel — half a day.
How many days do you need in Xi’an?
Two days for the warriors and the city; three if you add Mount Hua.
How long is the train from Beijing to Xi’an?
About 4.5–6 hours by high-speed train, or 2 hours by air.
What is the weather like in Xi’an in October?
About 20 °C by day and 11 °C at night — one of the best times.
How do I get to Mount Hua from Xi’an?
By high-speed train to Huashan North (about 30–40 minutes), then a bus to the cable cars; the climb on foot is tough.
How do I get from Xi’an airport to the city?
By Metro Lines 14 and 2 in 75–90 minutes, or by DiDi taxi in about an hour.
What to eat in Xi’an?
Roujiamo, yangrou paomo, biangbiang noodles and skewers in the Muslim Quarter.
Sources and fact-check
- UNESCO World Heritage List, No. 441
- Wikipedia, “Xi’an”; “Terracotta Army”; “Fortifications of Xi’an”; “Giant Wild Goose Pagoda”; Xi’an climate (1991–2020 normals)
- Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum — official website