As far as Chinese cities go, Xi’an is one of the finest. It’s clean(er than most!), easy to navigate, super modern and brimming with history, with lots to keep visitors entertained. Not only is it the historical capital of the Shaanxi region, but it is also the oldest of the Four Great Ancient capitals, acting as the on and off capital from the Xin Dynasty (9-23). This extensive history makes it the perfect place to visit for any history geek, with endless amounts of places to visit and soak up the stories from China’s past. It is also surrounded by various national parks and mountains, which make it a perfect for avid hikers and nature lovers.
As a major city and popular tourist destination, Xi’an is well-connected with the rest of China. Flights go via Xi’an Xianyang International Airport, which is well-connected with the rest of China and the world. If you’re saving money and doing it like us getting the train, you can choose between Xi’an, Xi’an North and Xi’an South stations. North is best as it is connected to the underground train system. Shaanxi Province long-distance Bus Station is best for more rural parts, and the go-to if visiting Huashan.
My Accommodation
We had a happy stay at Hantang Inn Hostel. It was in a great location- really near the Bell and Drum Towers and the Muslim Quarter. The staff are helpful and accommodating- they also offer a few tours of nearby places! The accommodation itself is great- lots of big social areas including a TV room, restaurant, bar and roof terrace. We had a super comfortable stay here. Not to mention that it was disgustingly cheap- I paid 125 RMB for three nights in a 6 bed female dorm.
Day One
After arriving from our overnight train from Chengdu at midday and dropping our backpacks off at our hostel, we headed out for an explore.
Just ten minutes away from our hostel was the Bell Tower of Xi’an, the symbol of the center of the city. Built in 1384 by Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty, the structure is a perfect symbol of Chinese architectural artistry. The tower has two stories, and features exhibits of its history alongside various artifacts used within it. At the top floor you get a nice view of Xi’an and the tower’s twin Drum Tower. This is definitely a good historic and cultural warm-up to the city.
From the Bell Tower, we walked towards Xi’an’s Muslim Quarter, the city’s Muslim center with 20,000 Muslim residents. It was super refreshing to visit this place, in a country where religious control is strictly imposed, and there is little spiritual diversity to be seen. Locals can be seen talking in the street and enjoying the bustle of the area.
The quarter itself holds a market that gave me throwback feels to the souks of Marrakech. But instead of camel statues and bottles of Sahara sand, you can buy ‘Obamao’ t-shirts, chopsticks and other Chinese related souvenirs. There’s also a snack street, full of Chinese street food, particularly Shaanxi specialties.
To finish the day, we headed to Xian’s Great Mosque, which can be found in the heart of the Muslim Quarter. Built in 742 during the Tang Dynasty, the Mosque was created following the influence of the Arabs via the Silk Road. The decorations in the grounds and buildings are elaborate, the place has a deep spiritual and peaceful feeling to it. There are many beautiful carvings to see, as well as structures that are Islamic in meaning, but Chinese in execution. It was a unique experience to witness the unusual merging of Chinese and Islamic visual arts. It is definitely one of the highlights of Xi’an.
Day Two
What better way to start the day than in a museum that is literally regarded as ‘the house of Chinese treasures’. Shaanxi History Museum overviews thousands of years of Chinese history through various significant objects. As China’s first modern style museum, it exhibits hundreds of thousands of objects from prehistoric times to the present day. You even get to see some Teracotta Warriors close up! The range here is crazy, and it is definitely worth a visit for any history geek. Saying that, it requires some commitment. Entry is free which means that the ticket queue is hefty so arrive as early as you can. Also, there are a lot of tour groups, so be ready to negotiate flocks of locals crowding and pushing to see famous objects. It definitely isn’t a museum experience for the faint hearted! You can read more about my experiences of this here.
A ten minute walk from the museum takes you to the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda and Da Ci’en Temple, an ancient Buddhist site. Originally built in 652 during the Tang dynasty, the pagoda is pretty unique to anything that you’ll see in China. Its great scale and brick structure is pretty amazing. The surrounding temple is also full of beautiful craftswork.
Finally, just before sunset (the best time to go!) we headed to Xi’an Ancient City Wall for a bike ride. It encircles Xi’an city center and spans 8.5 km. The wall’s history is extensive, and started in the Tang dynasty, to be later developed by the first Ming Emperor to improve the fortifications of the city. We started at the north, rented bikes and cycled down to the South Gate. There are places to rent bikes all over the wall, but you can also hike it! We found that sunset was the perfect time to go- not only do you get nice sunset views over the city but you experience the wall in both day and night, with the pretty Chinese-style lanterns that line it.
Day Three
Up bright an early, we began our treck to Mount Huashan, China’s most epic and dangerous mountain. It was a beast to get to- train and then bus and then bus and then two cable cars. Be prepared. It’s a tough gig with a lot of queuing. Of course you can hike it, if you’re feeling bold and like super early mornings.
We opted for the cable car which had panoramic views. It was already really beautiful. Once we got there, we hiked the various peaks and resolved to queue a couple of hours for the ‘plank walk’ where the only thing between you and a 3000ft drop is a plank of wood and a little harness. Sadly, visibility wasn’t great and the clouds made the experience a lot less scary than it is on paper. Regardless, it was worth it when the clouds briefly cleared, even if we got stuck in a rainstorm on the way back!
The rest of the afternoon was spent hiking around and taking in the immense views. We took our time- the cable car queue back down was hefty, and we actually waited until one of the last to skip the madness. Also, FYI, make sure you buy a return ticket, as we almost missed it due to confusion! Also be careful about tickets and buses returning to the station, we got super lost.
Day Four
It was time to get on the reason why many people visit Xi’an- the Terracotta Army. If you’ve been living under a rock, the Terracotta Army is a huge collection of life size warrior sculptures and horses, guarding the tomb of the first emperor of unified, imperial China, Qin Shi Huang. Its a huge site, and the sculptures reveal a shit tonne about the ancient history of China- probably why it’s a UNESCO heritage site.
The excavation sites themselves are within a big park complex. There are three pits in total that go up in size- definitely start small so that you arn’t underwhelmed! You can also see various artifacts found, as well as get up close to sculptures of different ranks of soldiers depicted in the sculptures. There’s also a museum that goes into more depth on the history of the site. A lot of the pits are still unexcavated, and many sculptures are damaged and broken, reminding visitors that the sit was only discovered in 1974. It is exciting to be witness to an ongoing project.
After spending the day in ancient China, we finally returned to Xi’an station for our overnight train to Beijing!
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