Xi'an Travel Guide: Terracotta Warriors, Muslim Quarter & Beyond

Xi'an is where China meets itself. Once the eastern terminus of the Silk Road, today it's a compact, walkable city with a 600-year-old city wall, a Muslim quarter that smells of cumin and persimmon cakes, and of course, the Terracotta Army — an army of 8,000 lifelike figures buried to guard an emperor for eternity.

The Terracotta Army: Beat the Crowds

This is the reason most people come to Xi'an. It lives up to the hype — but only if you visit smart.

Go on a weekday, arrive when gates open at 8:30am. By 11am, the tour buses roll in and the pits become shoulder-to-shoulder.

How to get there: From Xi'an, take metro line 9 to Terracotta Warriors station, then the free shuttle bus. Or a taxi/Didi for around ¥150 one-way. Don't take the "official" tour buses that stop at a jade factory — that's a shopping trap.

Order of attack: Most people rush Pit 1 first (the big one). Actually, start at Pit 3 (smallest, command post), then Pit 2, then finish with Pit 1. By the time you hit Pit 1, the morning tour groups are already there — but you'll have seen the rest in peace. Don't miss the bronze chariots exhibition hall.

The City Wall: Bike It

Xi'an's Ming-dynasty wall is the best preserved city wall in China, and you can rent a bicycle and ride the entire 13.7 km loop in about 1.5–2 hours. Rent near the Yongning Gate (South Gate) at sunset — the wall is lit up and the city below glows.

Cost: around ¥54 entry + ¥45 bike rental. Go late afternoon in summer to avoid the heat.

Muslim Quarter: Eat, Don't Just Look

The Huimin Jie (Muslim Quarter) is Xi'an's food heart. The main street is touristy — duck into the side alleys like Datang Xishi and Sajin Bridge.

What to eat:

• Roujiamo (Chinese hamburger) — the lamb version from an old stall near the Great Mosque
• Biangbiang noodles — wide belt noodles with chili oil
• Pita bread soaked in lamb soup (yangrou paomo) — you tear the bread yourself into tiny pieces, then the chef cooks it in broth
• Persimmon cakes (shibing) — fried, sticky, sweet

The Great Mosque itself is worth a visit — it's a Chinese-style courtyard mosque, not a Middle Eastern dome.

Day Trips

Hua Shan (Mount Hua): One of China's five sacred mountains, famous for its plunging cliffs and the "plank walk in the sky." A full day trip, not for vertigo sufferers. Take the high-speed train to Huashan North (30 min), then a bus to the gate.

Giant Wild Goose Pagoda: In the city center, the Tang-dynasty pagoda is lovely, but the surrounding plaza's light and music show is squarely for domestic tourists — skip unless you have kids.

Where to Stay

Stay inside or just outside the city wall — the Bell Tower / Drum Tower area is most convenient for first-timers. For quieter, stay in the Qujiang district near the Tang Paradise.

Practical Tips

• Two days is enough for Xi'an itself; add a third for Hua Shan.
• Xi'an is 5 hours by high-speed train from Beijing, or 3 hours from Chengdu — perfect as a stop on a classic China route.
• The food is halal-friendly — pork is absent in the Muslim Quarter, and lamb/beef dominate.