Xi'an, an ancient capital for thirteen dynasties, carries the weight of Qin, Han and Tang grandeur in every inch of its loess soil. In the Guanzhong plain of Shaanxi, it is clearest and coolest from March to May and September to November, which is ideal for reading a thousand years of history along its city walls and tombs.
Common questions before you go
March to May and September to November are most comfortable, with peach and plum blossoms or crisp autumn air. Summer is scorching, and winter is dry and often smoggy.
Three to four days is just right: one day for the Terracotta Army and Huaqing Hot Springs, one for the city wall, Giant Wild Goose Pagoda and the Tang Paradise night zone, a half-day at the Shaanxi History Museum, and the rest to the Muslim Quarter.
Use the official tourist bus or the metro plus tourist line 5, and do not trust the unlicensed cars touting outside the station. Hire a guide or rent an audio tour, or you will just be staring at pits without grasping the story.
西安最值得去的地方
西安特色美食推荐
Xi'an's No.1 snack — a crispy-yet-tender baked bun stuffed with slow-braised por...
A Xi'an soul food: you tear the flatbread yourself, the cook simmers it into a t...
Shaanxi's belt-thick noodles — literally as wide as a belt — slapped with hot oi...
A Xi'an specialty: a whole table of dumplings in dozens of fillings and shapes —...
交通·住宿·最佳时间·注意事项
Neighboring cities worth a side trip
西安's immersive visual journey
