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Xi'an

Things to Do in Xi'an in 2025 - Top Attractions, Local Food, Hotels & Travel Tips (Updated April 2025) | Trip.com

About Xi'an

Recommended trip: 2–5 day(s)

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Tour Guide in Tang Suit Goes Viral as History-Narrating NPC@Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum

Popular Shaanxi History Museum To End Closure Days, Shift To Daily Operation@Shaanxi History Museum

Stars Take the Mic! Join the "Music Journey" Special at Huaqing Palace@Hua Qing Palace

Tour Guide in Tang Suit Goes Viral as History-Narrating NPC@Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum

Popular Shaanxi History Museum To End Closure Days, Shift To Daily Operation@Shaanxi History Museum

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Xi'an Local Travel Guide 2025

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Xi'an Brief Guide

Xi’an City, one of the world's four great ancient cities, is famous for its role as the starting point of the Silk Road. In the past, it was previously known as Chang'an, which is a name that evokes a sense of pride in all Chinese people. Xi’an is widely regarded as the greatest city in Chinese history. During imperial dynasties such as the Zhou, Qin, Han, and Tang, Xi'an was the nation's capital city. The Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor sits quietly on the outskirts waiting for the visitors. Big Wild Goose Pagoda offers adventure for travelers in search of traces left behind by monk Xuanzang. The towering heights of the Xi'an City Wall have many legends and stories to tell. Xi’an City's local delicacies are a must-try. There are many different types of food, all of which are completely suffused with the characteristics of northwestern China.

Xi'an Must-try Local Experiences

1. Uncover Ancient Wonders Terracotta Army & More: Witness the awe-inspiring Terracotta Army, explore the ancient city walls, and delve into the mysteries of the Han Yangling Mausoleum. 2. Experience the Grandeur of the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda Ascend the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda for panoramic views and explore the Da Ci'en Temple complex, showcasing ancient architectural prowess. At sunset, visitors can also capture breathtaking views of the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda silhouetted against the colorful sky. 3. Embark on a Cycling Adventure on Xi'an City Wall Rent a bicycle to traverse the ancient Xi'an City Wall, enjoying breathtaking city views and a journey through history. 4. Immerse Yourself in the Vibrant Muslim Quarter Wander through the bustling Muslim Quarter, sample local delicacies, witness traditional crafts, buy local souvenirs and soak in the lively atmosphere. 5. Experience the Shaanxi History Museum Dive into the rich history of Shaanxi Province at this museum, housing over 370,000 items from various dynasties. 6. Delve into the World of Shadow Puppetry Discover the ancient art of shadow puppetry, a unique storytelling form using intricately crafted puppets to cast shadows. 7. Watch a Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show Enjoy a spectacular performance showcasing the music, dance, and costumes of the Tang Dynasty, reflecting ancient China's cultural richness. 8. Savor the Flavors of Xi'an Cuisine Embark on a culinary journey through Xi'an's unique flavors, including hand-pulled noodles, rou jia mo, and other local specialties.

Xi'an Must-see Attractions

Xi'an, a city rich in historical and cultural heritage, is home to the UNESCO-listed Terracotta Army at the Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum, the ancient and well-preserved Xi'an City Wall, the enchanting The Song of Everlasting Sorrow performance, the culturally immersive Tang Paradise theme park, and the comprehensive Shaanxi History Museum, showcasing China's ancient civilizations.

Xi'an Where to Stay

Xi'an is renowned for its well-preserved ancient city wall, which encircles the old city, and the city itself is divided into several districts, each with its own unique accommodation features. The distribution of hotels and guesthouses throughout the city caters to a variety of preferences, ensuring that every traveler can find a suitable place to stay.

Xi'an Food Guide

Xi'an's cuisine is renowned for its rich historical heritage and unique flavors, the thick and chewy Biang Biang Noodles, the fragrant and mellow Hulu chicken, the fatty but not greasy Roujiamo, and the thick soup with tender beef and mutton in Paomo, as well as the tender water basin mutton. Each dish is a legacy and innovation of Shaanxi culture, leaving an unforgettable taste.

Xi'an Useful Guide

Xi'an's transportation infrastructure is robust, with Xi'an Xianyang International Airport and Xi'an North Railway Station being the primary hubs for intercity travel. Xi'an Xianyang International Airport (XIY) is the largest airport in Northwest China and a significant gateway for both domestic and international flights. Located around 47 km northwest of Xi'an city center, the airport has three terminals, with Terminal 3 handling domestic and international flights. To reach the city from the airport, travelers can take the Metro Line 14, which connects the airport to the North Railway Station and beyond. Additionally, airport shuttle buses and taxis offer convenient transportation to the city center. Xi'an North Railway Station is a major high-speed rail hub. Situated around 12 km north of downtown Xi'an, it operates high-speed trains to various cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu. The station is well-connected to the city's metro system, with Metro Line 2 and Line 4 providing easy access to the city center and other key areas.

Trip.Best: Xi'an

Top4·Hotels

Top 4 Luxury Hotels in Xi'an

Top26·attraction

Popular Best Things to Do in Xi'an

Top24·Restaurants

Popular Local Restaurants in Xi'an

Top2·Hotels

Popular Family Hotels in Xi'an

Top23·attraction

Popular Night Attractions in Xi'an

Top27·Restaurants

Popular Light Bites in Xi'an

Top4·Hotels

Top 4 Scenic Hotels in Xi'an

Top14·attraction

Top 14 Family-friendly Attractions in Xi'an

Top20·Restaurants

Top 20 Fine Dining in Xi'an

Top9·Hotels

Top 9 Cultural Hotels in Xi'an

Top24·attraction

Popular Spring Outings in Xi'an

Top15·Restaurants

Top 15 Restaurants for Views & Experiences in Xi'an

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Things to do in Xi'an

What to Do

Looking for things to do in Xi'an? We provide up-to-date info on everything from must-see scenic spots to local hangouts.

Where to Stay

Discover the most popular places to stay in Xi'an, complete with recommendations from fellow travelers and special hotel offers

What to Eat

Want to eat like a local? Don't miss out on these top Xi'an dishes and foodie spots.

Xi'an Moments: Through Travelers' Eyes

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A must-see in Xi'an, this science and technology museum is a whole world of the future

Pixel~Ward

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I just got back from Xi'an, and I don't recommend going in January.

Stella.Robinson.77

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Free "Underwater World" in Xi'an | Direct subway access!

Collins Benjamin 8

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Xi'an 3 Days and 2 Nights | Stunning Photo Spots at the Bell Tower—Don't Miss Out!

Atlas@Brooks

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Xi'an 3 Days and 2 Nights

InfiniteDream@

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Xi'an people really know how to enjoy life... I don't want to go home.

Benjamin@789 Perry

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Xi'an is a must-visit in April and May! A limited-time romantic encounter with Chang'an in spring

Cryst@ll1n3_W1spl1t3r

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Xi'an, February 2025

KYLE REED

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What People Are Saying About Xi'an

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Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum

M26***52

The advantage of explanation is to understand, the bad place is to only speak important, and very fast to Xi'an to the terracotta warriors and horses is the world's eighth wonder, the scale is large, the momentum. Thousands of lifelike Taos, with different demeanors, imitating Buddhas through the long river of history for thousands of years, making people feel the glory and strength of the Qin Dynasty, with great historical and artistic value, is a treasure in the cultural heritage of all mankind, it is worth everyone to witness it firsthand

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Hua Qing Palace

110***30

Tang Huaqing Palace is a different palace for the feudal emperors of the Tang Dynasty. It is also called "Huaqing Pool" and is located in Lintong District, Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province. Huaqing Palace is built on the back of the mountain, relying on the peak of the mountain, the scale is large, the building is magnificent, the terrace hall is all over the mountain. The first name is "Tangquan Palace", and the later name is changed to the hot spring palace. Tang Xuanzong is more Huaqing Palace, because in Lushan, also called Lushan Palace, also known as Lugong, Xiuling Palace. Huaqing Palace was built in the early Tang Dynasty, and flourished after Tang Xuanzong's rule.

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Song of Everlasting Sorrow

HenHenHen

The place very big with good architecture, take the cable car to mountain and visit a lot of temple with city view cost 60 rmb/person. For the show was amazing spectacular shows, the lighting the music very” good the effects are real. Best activity with families

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Xi'an City Wall

擘擘

The surrounding traffic is very convenient, belonging to the central area, the sun is strong during the day and afternoon, there is no place to shade the sun, suitable for the evening, not very sun, can watch the sunset and moon rise, can watch the wind and sand transit, can watch Chang'an day and night rotation. Good place.

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Mount Hua

Flether

The steep peaks pierce the sky, and the Canglong Ridge is covered with clouds and smoke. The thousand-foot tower is thrilling, and the long sky plank road hangs on the edge of the courage. The immortals and heroes leave their shadows on the cliffs, and the pine waves in the sea of fog shake the guest's clothes. When I returned, I still felt the wind in my sleeves, and I finally believed that there is Huashan in the world.

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Tang Paradise

M62***09

It was really a surprise to come to Furong Garden in spring, and the eyes were all tender green. I walked in the northeast gate for about 50 meters and met the blooming peony. It was really pleasant to take my parents to walk slowly along the lake in the garden.

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Xi'an Bell Tower

a芋头

You don't need to buy tickets. If you really want to go upstairs to experience it, just buy tickets for the Drum Tower. For the Bell Tower, you can take beautiful photos on the 5th floor or rooftop of the Kaiyuan Mall next to it! You can enjoy the beautiful scenery outside, but there is nothing inside the building, it's all commercial!

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Shaanxi History Museum

liujiahao～

Listening to the thousand years under the moon in Chang'an: Touching the gene bank of civilization at Shaanxi History Museum In the south of Xi'an, amid the morning and evening bells of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, a group of buildings in the style of the prosperous Tang Dynasty stands silently. This is not an imperial mausoleum or a Buddhist temple, but a super container carrying the genes of Chinese civilization-Shaanxi History Museum. When visitors stop between the 3,000 square meters of exhibition lines, the folds of time and space are unfolding in sequence with the coldness of bronze, the warmth of clay, and the softness of silk, playing a duet of history and reality. 1. The origin of civilization in the bronze code The array of bronzes unearthed in Zhouyuan seems like a set of solidified civilization codes. The ferocious animal face on the Taotie pattern tripod is not only a projection of the ancestors' fear of the unknown, but also a concrete expression of the ritual system. The bell and tripod inscriptions engraved on the bottom of the bronze belly flow with the rituals of the Western Zhou nobles. When visitors lean over to carefully read the inscription "The King Grants His Minister Bei Shipeng", the blood of ritual and music civilization is quietly resonating inside and outside the glass display cabinet. The inlaid gold inscription of Du Hu Fu glows under the spotlight. This Qin Dynasty troop mobilization token embodies the precision of the military system into touchable bronze. The teeth of the tiger talisman cross-section are just like the precise connection between history and reality at a certain moment, making the rule of law tradition still resounding thousands of years later. 2. Time and space folding in curatorial narrative In front of the "Guests and Envoys" in the Tang Dynasty Mural Museum, digital projection technology allows the Hu merchant camel caravan to emerge from the mural. The curator uses light and shadow to breathe into static cultural relics, allowing the audience to glimpse the true appearance of the Sogdian caravan on the Silk Road. This narrative innovation allows the grape, flower and bird pattern silver sachets stored in the Hejiacun cellar and the glassware in the underground palace of Famen Temple to form a civilization dialogue across time and space on the exhibition line. In the "Tang Dynasty Treasures" exhibition hall, the circling posture of the gilded iron core copper dragon is deconstructed and reorganized by holographic projection, and each scale of the dragon's spine tells the forging process of the prosperous Tang Dynasty. When AR technology restores the Western Region music and dance of the three-color camel figurines, we hear not only the drum beats of the Huxuan dance, but also the surging heartbeat of the fusion of civilizations. 3. Contemporary decoding of the civilization gene bank The archaeological blind box in the youth activity area transforms the excavation of the exploration area into an educational experience. Children use plastic tools in the shape of Luoyang shovels to dig "cultural relics". This participatory education makes cultural inheritance no longer a one-way indoctrination. The "Tang Dynasty Makeup Restoration" lectures held regularly by the museum turn the "crying makeup" and "slanting red" in history books into perceptible aesthetic practices. In the cultural and creative store, the grape flower and bird pattern becomes the flowing cloud pattern on the cover of the notebook, and the gilded dancing horse holding a cup and silver pot becomes the source of inspiration for tea sets. These creative derivatives are not simple symbol appropriation, but allow traditional craft genes to obtain new expression sequences in contemporary design. Standing under the dome of the "Ancient Civilization" exhibition hall, the modern high-rise buildings outside the glass curtain wall and the animal-head agate cups in the display cabinet form a wonderful intertextuality. The Shaanxi History Museum is like a particle collider of civilization, allowing the quarks of history to burst into new energy in the contemporary context. When visitors touch the wall decorated with zigzag patterns at the exit, their fingertips touch not only the lingering charm of the prosperous Tang Dynasty, but also the cultural gene chain of a nation's continuous self-renewal. Here, every cultural relic is the key to unlock the memory of civilization.

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Grand Tang Mall

下一站8541

Datang Everbright City is located at the foot of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda in Yanta District, Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province. It is the only large-scale imitation Tang Buildings Pedestrian Street in China with the background of Shengtang culture, and is also a landmark scenic spot in Xi'an.

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Daming Palace National Heritage Park

Anonymous User

We decided to come here on a whim, mainly to see some relics. The driver gave a brief introduction and the museum had explanations, but I personally think that unless you are very interested in history, there is no need to come here specially.