Xi'an Travel Guide: Three Days Around the Terracotta Army and the Old City
Most first-time visitors give Xi'an three days. One goes to Lintong, about an hour east, for the Terracotta Army and Huaqing Palace. One is spent inside the old city: cycling the Ming city wall, seeing the Bell Tower lit at dusk and eating in the Muslim Quarter. The third covers the south side, with the Shaanxi History Museum and the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. The planning work comes down to two bookings. Terracotta Army tickets (120 yuan) are sold only on official channels, about a week ahead. Free Shaanxi History Museum tickets are released at 17:00 five days ahead and go quickly. Everything else can be arranged the day before or on the spot.
Xi'an was a capital for the Zhou, Qin, Western Han, Sui and Tang dynasties, with more than 3,100 years of urban history. Much of what you see in the city centre is Ming, built over the outline of Tang Chang'an.
Planning around Lintong
Give the Terracotta Army a full day. The pits and Lishan Garden take four to five hours, plus about an hour each way by road. Huaqing Palace is 15 minutes from the army by car and fills the afternoon. If the morning runs long, drop the palace, not the pits.
Choose your transport before you book. Bus 306 now leaves from Xi'an East Railway Station (since 29 August 2026), metro Line 9 gets you within a short taxi ride, and a hired car or tour is the simplest way to see both sites. The Terracotta Army page compares them.
Bike the wall or walk part of it. The full loop is 13.74 kilometres, about two hours by rented bike. Walking the full circuit takes most of a day, so walkers usually pick the South Gate to East Gate stretch.
Stay inside the wall. A hotel near the Bell Tower puts you within walking distance of the Muslim Quarter and on metro Lines 2 and 6. Lintong is a day trip, not a place to stay, unless the army is your only goal.
When to come to Xi'an
April, May, September and October are the best months. Days are mild, which matters for the wall ride and the queues outside the pits. Summer is hot, with July averaging about 27°C, and crowded with school holiday groups. The museums extend their hours in summer, but the wall is hard work in the midday sun. Winter is dry and cold, with January around 0°C. The pits are indoors, so winter suits the army well, but the wall and the evening streets are chilly. The annual average is about 14°C.
The National Day week (1 to 7 October) and the summer school holidays are the times to avoid if you can. Ticket quotas for the army and the history museum run out first then.
How to get in and where to stay
By air. Xi'an Xianyang International Airport (XIY) is about 25 kilometres northwest of the city centre. Metro Line 14 connects the terminals to the city, with changes for the centre.
By train. High-speed trains arrive at Xi'an North, about 12 kilometres north of the centre, served by metro Lines 2, 4 and 14. Line 2 runs straight to the Bell Tower. From Beijing West the fastest trains take about four and a half hours, and there are frequent trains from Chengdu, Luoyang and Zhengzhou.
Where to stay. Inside the city wall near the Bell Tower is the most convenient choice for a first trip. The area around the Big Wild Goose Pagoda is a good alternative if you prefer the evening fountain and the Tang street, and it is near the Shaanxi History Museum.
Places worth visiting
The Terracotta Army and the city wall take the most planning. The others fit around them.
The Terracotta Army (Lintong day)
Discovered by farmers digging a well in 1974, the pits are part of the mausoleum complex of Qin Shi Huang, built between 246 and 208 BC and on the UNESCO list since 1987. See Pit One first for the famous ranks, then the small command post in Pit Three, then Pit Two with its archers and ongoing excavation. Then take the free shuttle to Lishan Garden for the burial mound and the bronze chariots, which many visitors skip. The 120-yuan ticket covers both parts on the same day. Book only on the official website or WeChat accounts, with your passport. Full details on the Terracotta Army page.
The City Wall by bike
The Ming wall (1370 to 1378) stands 12 metres high and runs 13.74 kilometres around the old city. Entry is 54 yuan, and bikes are 45 yuan for three hours from the stand at the South Gate (Yongningmen station, Line 2). Ride anticlockwise from the South Gate so the old city's roofs are on your left. Morning is best for the full loop. Late afternoon is best if you want to stay for the lanterns and the welcome ceremony show at the South Gate. Route and rental details on the Xi'an City Wall page.
The Muslim Quarter in the evening
The Hui neighbourhood behind the Drum Tower is the city's favourite place for dinner. Walk Beiyuanmen once, then eat in the side streets of Dapiyuan and Sajinqiao, where the queues are shorter. Order mutton paomo, a cured beef roujiamo and liangpi cold noodles. The Great Mosque on Huajue Lane, a mosque built like a Chinese temple, is a calm half hour if you arrive before it closes. See the Muslim Quarter page for what to order.
Big Wild Goose Pagoda
The Tang pagoda built in 652 to house the scriptures Xuanzang brought back from India, inside Da Ci'en Temple. Temple entry is now 10 yuan, and the climb is 25 yuan more. Come in the late afternoon, climb before 17:00, then watch the free 19:00 fountain show on the North Square and walk the lit Tang street to the south. Dayanta station, Lines 3 and 4. More on the Big Wild Goose Pagoda page.
Huaqing Palace
The Tang hot-spring palace below Mount Li, 15 minutes from the army. The excavated imperial baths of Emperor Xuanzong and Yang Guifei and the rooms where Chiang Kai-shek was seized in the 1936 Xi'an Incident are the highlights. Entry is 120 yuan, and the evening show is extra. See the Huaqing Palace page.
Bell Tower, Drum Tower and the Shaanxi History Museum
The Ming Bell Tower (1384) marks the centre of the walled city, with the Drum Tower and the Muslim Quarter just to the west. Climbing costs 30 yuan for one tower or 50 for both, but seeing them lit from the square is enough on a short trip. The Shaanxi History Museum, near the pagoda, is free with a booking and holds the province's best Zhou, Han and Tang collections, including the Hejiacun gold and silver hoard. It is the best rainy-day choice in the city.
Eating in Xi'an
Xi'an eats wheat more than rice, and beef and mutton more than pork, especially in the Muslim Quarter. The essentials are yangrou paomo (bread torn into mutton broth), roujiamo (chopped meat in a flatbread), liangpi (cold noodles with chilli oil and vinegar) and biangbiang or youpo noodles (wide hand-pulled noodles under hot oil and chilli). Hulutou paomo, made with pork intestines, and saozi noodles are local favourites found outside the Muslim Quarter. For sweets, try zenggao (steamed sticky rice with dates) and fried persimmon cakes. Portions are big, so order one dish fewer than the number of people. The Muslim Quarter is the easiest place to start. For more local prices and fewer crowds, eat on Sajinqiao or North Guangji Street.
How to arrange the route
Day 1, the walled city. Cycle the city wall from the South Gate in the morning. Lunch near the Bell Tower. In the afternoon, rest or visit the Stele Forest Museum beside the wall's south-east section. At dusk, the Bell Tower and Drum Tower, then dinner in the Muslim Quarter.
Day 2, Lintong. The Terracotta Army from 08:30, then Lishan Garden. Huaqing Palace in the afternoon. Back in the city for an easy dinner, or stay in Lintong for The Song of Everlasting Sorrow show if it is running.
Day 3, the south side. The Shaanxi History Museum in the morning (booked five days ahead). The Big Wild Goose Pagoda in the afternoon, the 19:00 fountain show, then the Tang street.
Going on. Beijing is about four and a half hours away by the fastest trains, and Xi'an is the second stop on our two-week China itinerary. Chengdu is roughly three to four hours south by high-speed rail through the Qinling Mountains. Luoyang, with the Longmen Grottoes, is about two hours east, with Zhengzhou beyond it. Lanzhou is the next stop west on the Silk Road.
Elsewhere in Shaanxi. Xianyang has the imperial tombs of Qianling and Maoling. Weinan is the base for Mount Hua, a full day out. Baoji has Famen Temple, and Tongchuan has kilns and hills to the north. Further north are Yan'an and Yulin, and south of the Qinling are Hanzhong, Ankang and Shangluo.
What to cut if short on time
With two days, drop in this order:
- Huaqing Palace. It shares the Lintong day, so it is the easiest to give up when the pits run long.
- The Bell Tower climb. Seeing it from the square costs nothing.
- The Tang street at night. Fun, but a modern attraction. Keep the pagoda if you have time and skip the street.
- Keep: the Terracotta Army, the city wall and an evening in the Muslim Quarter.
With one day, choose: either the Terracotta Army, or the city wall plus the Muslim Quarter. Both in one day leaves you rushing.
Things to confirm before you go
- Terracotta Army tickets on the official website or WeChat accounts, about a week ahead, with your passport.
- Shaanxi History Museum booking at 17:00, five days before your date.
- Bus 306's new starting point at Xi'an East Railway Station, if you use public transport to Lintong.
- Seasonal hours: the army's last entry is 17:00 in peak season and 16:30 in winter, and the wall's South Gate closes earlier in winter.
- Holiday crowds, especially 1 to 7 October and the summer school break.
Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need in Xi'an?
Three days covers the Terracotta Army, the city wall, the Muslim Quarter, the pagoda and the history museum. Four or five days allows a slower pace or a trip to Mount Hua.
Can you see the Terracotta Army and Huaqing Palace in one day?
Yes. Most people see the army in the morning and the palace in the afternoon, 15 minutes apart by car. If you run short of time, skip the palace.
Is the Shaanxi History Museum or the Terracotta Army more important?
The Terracotta Army is the one to keep on a short trip. The museum is excellent and free, and the best third-day addition.
Where should I stay in Xi'an?
Inside the city wall near the Bell Tower, for walking access to the Muslim Quarter and metro Lines 2 and 6. The Big Wild Goose Pagoda area is a quieter alternative.
How do I get from the airport to central Xi'an?
Metro Line 14 from Xianyang airport, changing for the centre, or a taxi of around an hour, depending on traffic.
Sources
The historical and geographic facts were checked against these Chinese Wikipedia entries. Sight pages were retrieved 11 August 2026; transport pages 5 September 2026.
- Xi'an (city) https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/西安市
- Qin Shi Huang's Terracotta Army https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/秦始皇兵马俑
- Big Wild Goose Pagoda https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/大雁塔
- Huaqing Palace https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/华清宫
- Xi'an city wall https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/西安城墙
- Muslim Quarter https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/回民街
- Xi'an Bell Tower https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/西安钟楼
- Xi'an Xianyang International Airport https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/西安咸阳国际机场
- Xi'an North railway station https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/西安北站
Ticket prices, hours and booking rules were rechecked on 9 October 2026 against the official sites of the Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum (bmy.com.cn), the Shaanxi History Museum (sxhm.com), Huaqing Palace and the Bell and Drum Tower Museum, Xi'an local media reports on the bus 306 change, and 2026 listings for the city wall and the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. The official notice on the day takes priority.
All photos are from Wikimedia Commons, used under CC licenses; re-use requires attribution.
- xian-bingmayong.jpg from File 51714-Terracota-Army.jpg, by xiquinhosilva, taken April 20, 2012, CC BY 2.0
- xian-dayanta.jpg from File Giant Wild Goose Pagoda.jpg, by Alex Kwok, taken October 17, 2006, CC BY-SA 3.0
- xian-huaqinggong.jpg from File 华清宫.jpg, by Gisling, taken in 2008, CC BY-SA 3.0
- xian-chengqiang.jpg from File City wall of Xi'an 51550-Xian (27959363326).jpg, by xiquinhosilva, CC BY 2.0
- xian-huiminjie.jpg from File Bei Yuan Men.JPG, by Acstar, taken April 19, 2011, CC BY-SA 3.0
- xian-zhonglou.jpg from File Xi'an Bell Tower 1.jpg, by H2v5o68z, taken November 13, 2025, CC0