A phrase in China “Xi’an is the real heart of China 西安最中国” shows the historical significance of Xi an. They said, go to Shanghai and you will find a 100-year-old China; go to Beijing and you will find a 1000-year-old China; go to Xi’an and then you will find a 3000-year-old China.” I found this saying very true. After Shanghai, Beijing, and Tianjin, this is my last city in China before I head straight back to Malaysia and start my life as a junior doctor. It must be extra special, it better be, and it sure was!
Geographically located at the heart of China as well, Xi’an was the eastern terminus of the Silk Road, in par with other centers of great ancient civilization such as Cairo in Egypt and Athens in Greece. Back then, when it was known as “Chang’ an”, bearing the meaning Perpetual peace, this city had served as the imperial capital China (instead of Beijing) witnessed the rise and downfall of 13 dynasties in 1100 years, and been through the hands of 73 emperors. The Tang dynasty from 618-907 has seen the gloriest days of Xi’an. Now, I guess you already know why Xi’an is the city with the richest history in all of China.
Last spring during the full bloom of cherry blossoms, I've had a wonderful chance to visit Xi’an for 4 days 3 nights. Here is a full break down of my 4 days in Xi’an, on what to do, see eat, drink.
Why Xi'an?
You might be thinking WHY on earth would anyone stay 4 days in Xi’an? most people only go to Xi’an for 2 days at most, as a side trip from Beijing. For me, there are 4 main reasons why Xi’an deserves at least 4 days 3 nights and that will explains why 2 days in Xi’an is insufficient.
Reason 1: Because direct flight to Xi’an is cheap
AirAsia had started to include Xi’an as one of its direct flight route. Traveling to Xi’an is easier than ever, not to mention it is cheap too! We grabbed a to and fro ticket for RM312. Affordable, right?
Reason 2: Because spring in Xi’an is extremely beautiful
You don’t have to go all the way to Japan and Korea when you have a nearer destination for Cherry Blossom viewing!
Reason 3: Halal Food!
Muslims rejoice! Xi’an is one of those places in China offering an endless selection of delicious Halal food!
Reason 4: Xi’an is the most “China” city you’ll see in China
4 days 3 nights Xi’an itinerary
Day 1 in Xi’an
Day trip to Terracotta and Qinghuaci
Xi’an City Wall
Day 2 in Xi’an
Bell Tower and Drum Tower
Muslim Quarter
Ancient Street of Shuyuanmen
Museum of Xi’an
Small Wild Goose Pagoda
Shaanxi Museum
Big Wild Goose Pagoda
Day 3 in Xi’an
Day trip to Hua Shan Mountain
Day 4 in Xi’an
Qing Long Temple
Xi’an University of Transportation
Muslim Quarter
Xi’an Great Mosque
Where to stay in Xi’an?
I highly recommend staying in or near the Muslim Quarter as you will be staying close to the South Gate, Bell and Drum tower and in close reach to all the street food.
These are 3 hotels/hostels I highly highly highly recommended base on their location, specialty and worth: Eastern House (Boutique), Holiday Inn (Midrange), Hantang (Budget).
Among these, I especially love Hantang for its originality. Just look at their perfect breakfast served in the rooftop garden! This stole my heart! And of course, the beds are comfy and you get to make a lot of friends from all over the globe because backpackers simply love this hotel! If you are interested in Hantang too, please beware that there are several "Hantang" in the region, some are opened years after the original Hantang gained popularity to confuse guest. To book the Real Hantang Hotel I recommend, CLICK HERE. Stop asking where to stay in Xi'an, you've got your answer right here (Unless fully booked, LOL!)
These are 3 hotels/hostels I highly highly highly recommended base on their location, specialty and worth: Eastern House (Boutique), Holiday Inn (Midrange), Hantang (Budget).
How to go to Xi'an
If you are already in China, catch an overnight train to Xi’an! (Click the banner below to book online.)
Direct Beijing to Xi’an train can cover this 1,216-km trip in 4.5 hours if you take the high-speed G train.
The Perfect Xi'an 4 Days 3 Nights Itinerary
All figured out for you.
DAY 1 IN XI’AN
8:30 am Terracotta Army
How to get there: Hop on bus 306/ 5 or an express bus 914 from Xi’an railway station. Travel time will be 1 hour 10 minutes, including a quick stop at QingHua Palace for pick up/ drop off.
Warning: Be careful not to get on a fake bus claim going to the Terracotta Army! Stick to the bus number I’ve mentioned. Remember, blue or green bus with the number clearly stated in front, like this:
Entrance: 150 Rmb (Click below to book Terracotta, QinShi Huang Mausoleum combined ticket.)
Most people come to Xi’an for the Terracotta Army, undoubtedly the biggest drawcard… so for your first day in Xi’an, Terracotta Army it is!
The Terracotta Warriors were clay army commissioned by the great Qin Shi Huang (秦始皇, 259 – 210BC), the founder of the Qin Dynasty, which is the first Emperor that successfully unified China. Built to protect the Qin emperor in his afterlife, the Terracotta Army was obviously the work of skilled artists as they looked as if they were real with great details in the facial expressions, gestures, clothing and hairstyle…. Each one of them is unique, without repetition. Eerie, right? No wonder rumors had it that these terracotta warriors are indeed made of real flesh and blood: soldiers were buried alive and burnt so they became stones…. but of course, all these aren’t true. The truth is, It took over 700 000 people and over 40 years to build the entire clay army!
Today, over 6,000 sculptures have been unearthed, these include 130 chariots and 670 horses alongside with musicians, acrobats, concubines, and other animals. Only about a third of them are currently on display as most are still being pieced back together by archeologists.
In the Terracotta Army Museum, there are three pits in total opened to visitors. The first (in the middle) is the biggest and this is the place everyone comes for selfies. The other pits only contain some broken pieces with archeology works still on-going.
Last but not least, maybe you wouldn't thought that the Terracotta Army is also one of the best place in Xi'an for Cherry Blossom viewing, but it surely is! Here are some proofs!
10:30 am Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum
How to get there: There is a free shuttle bus from the exit of the Terra-cotta museum to the QinShi Huang Mausoleum
Entrance: Included with the Terracotta Warriors tickets
Time: 1 hour
As soon as you get off from the bus, there will be a tour guide (his service is totally free) who do all the explaining on the place. There isn’t much to do here but a nice nature walk in front of the Mausoleum. There were signs pointing to ruins of an old city wall and other, more recently discovered Terracotta pits.
Friendly advice,
Try not to point your camera to other people with the mound as the background. Just a Chinese superstition that if you are in a photo with a mausoleum as background, your spirit will need to guard the place forever.
11:30 am Huaqing Palace
How to get there: Hop onto the same bus as you came, this time head back to the city. 15 minutes later, you’ll reach HuaQing Palace.
OR, you can buy the HuaQing Palace tickets from QinShi Huang Mausoleum with no extra cost. Then the ticket counter who sold you the ticket will take care of the transportation for you (free shuttle). We took the second option, and it is proven legit and safe (still, always trust your instinct! ).
OR, you can buy the HuaQing Palace tickets from QinShi Huang Mausoleum with no extra cost. Then the ticket counter who sold you the ticket will take care of the transportation for you (free shuttle). We took the second option, and it is proven legit and safe (still, always trust your instinct! ).
Entrance: 150 Rmb (Huaqing Palace and Lishan combined ticket)
Time: 2 hours
This is the site of Imperial Pools of the Tang Dynasty, where the emperor TangXuanzong granted Yang Guifei, his favorite consort, private use of the hot springs. In ancient time, this is considered great honor as hot springs are rare and only reserved for the Emperor.
Even during the late Qing Dynasty, when Empress CiXi was escaping from Beijing to Xi'an during war time, she still insisted of stopping here for a few moments of pleasure.
There are indeed special hot springs area, one of them you can dip your feet for a fee however, we figured that it isn’t very hygienic so we gave it a pass. If you stay in a hotel in the area, you often will have access to a private hot spring.
Friendly reminder:
Don’t throw your ticket upon entering the palace, you will need it to access to Lishan later.
1:30 pm Lishan (Mountain Li)
How to get there: It is located within Hauling Palace ground.
Entrance: Included with Huaqing Palace
Cable car fare: ¥60 for the round trip
Time: 1-3 hours
Lishan (骊山) is located right behind Huaqing Palace. You can either choose to hike or take the cable car up.
Lisha, standing in all its glory, Mount Li has been the go-to-place of many emperors for a short escape from work. According to local folklore, the Mountain Li was the place where Nvwa (the goddess who created human beings) did her Rocky melting and Sky-hole patching to save the world.
- Sunset Pavilion (Wanzhao Ting)
- Remonstrance Pavilion (Bingjian Ting)
- Remonstrance Pavilion
- Beacon Tower (Fenghuo Tai) This is one of the most interesting places with a story to tell. At the end of the Western Zhou Dynasty, the Emperor You married a beauty who never smiled once. To make her smile, he lightened the signal fire in Fenghuo Tai and teased the vassals. His act succeeded in making his wife laughed. However, he paid the price when no vassal came to his rescue during a real attack, despite signal fire was given. This episode led to the end of the Western Zhou Dynasty.
5:30 pm Xi’an City Wall
How to get there: Take 914/915/306/307 (please reconfirm again with the driver by asking "Xi'an?") right in front of HuaQing Palace. When your bus pulled into the terminal at the Xi’an Railway station, you can see the entrance and ticket booth right in front of you. Convenient, right? This itinerary is created to be this convenient!
Entrance: 54 Rmb (but for some reason, we got it for 40 Rmb. We were told it is because it was near to sundown, however I couldn't find any reference online, so I am not sure what to advice you. However, one thing for sure, this is the best time to visit the Xi'an wall to witness the transition of lights in Xi'an! )
Time: 4 hours
Xi’an is square, in contrast with other cities in China that has a circular structure. The old part of Xi’an is surrounded still (all the way) by its original fortified city walls. Even in the city of Beijing, there is only 1 tiny part of its city wall remains, so when we saw a fully intact city wall in Xi’an with all the gates still standing proud guarding the city, we were impressed. We know how difficult it is to preserve city walls like these and to learn that it is the only complete wall in China, we know we have to grab our tickets.
The best way to enjoy the City Wall is to ride a bicycle. Rental cost 45 Rmb for 2 hours and every 10 minutes exceeded will lead to 5 Rmb penalty. To do a full loop, it will take you exactly 2 hours, and the good thing is, you can return the bike at any station which is available at all 4 gates. If you choose to walk, you can expect at least 4 hours.
During our visit, we choose to walk the whole wall because once we were up there, we realized it is not only a wall, but a legit destination with a lot of attractions, things to do and food to eat.
My recommendation: Is to rent a bike for 1.5 hours, ride from the North Gate to the East gate. Take your time, take a lot of photos along the way. Most importantly, BE CAREFUL! As it is all cobblestone up on the wall, you may expect a bumpy ride and before you go, always check your breaks, you don’t want to get any bruises and cut on this trip! For the above reason (bumpy ride), a tandem is a bad idea so I would advise against that. Then return the bike at East Gate and continue walking towards the South Gate. The reason for us returning the Bike at East gate and continue the journey on foot is because all the other attractions and exhibition will start here.
If you plan to stay till nightfall like us, you will have to walk all the way to the south gate to exit because the rest of the gate closes earlier at 6-7pm. But that is not a problem, considering how much you can see and do on the city walls! There were lanterns and light fair on the city wall along with endless vendor stalls selling trinkets, street food, and ice cream. A perfect way to end a day!
We came down from the wall through the South Gate (Yongning Gate) and as we were tired, we went home earlier at 8 pm. Nothing to feel sorry about, as you’ll have a fun-filled long day tomorrow, you’ll need the rest! As you walk across the street to wait for the bus, you will be able to see how beautiful is the illuminated wall from far. Don’t miss this vantage point from the bus stop!
Friendly reminder:
If you visit during low season, get there earlier than 5, because the city wall will close at 7pm.
DAY 2 IN XI'AN
8:30 am Muslim Quarter
How to get there: Walk from the hotel
Entrance: Free
Time: 1 hour 30 minutes (Don't worry, you will come back for more)
As the name implies, this area is home to 20,000 Muslims and here, you don’t have to worry about the holiness of your food as its all completely halal: no pork, gelatin-free and handled by Muslims. So over the years, it has become an incredibly popular spot for food for my Muslim friends.
Also, it is one of the cheapest places in town to buy souvenirs! You can expect the place to be super crowded, bustling, and full of aromas from the various food stalls.
10:00 am Bell Tower or the Drum Tower
Entrance: 35Rmb alone, or 50Rmb to see both the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower
Time: 30 minutes
We did not go up to any of these towers, but if you intend to enter one, I would recommend the Belltower. Not only it is the tallest bell tower in China, It is located inside the central roundabout of Xi’an that branches off into North, East, South and West roads that run straight towards the gates of each direction of the city wall… granting you unobstructed 360-degree view!
- The Bell Tower and the Drum tower illuminated at night are even more beautiful.
- Stay for the hourly bell and drum musical performance.
11:00 am Ancient Street of Shuyuanmen
Entrance: Free
Time: 30 minutes
It is located just to the east of the South Gate of Xi’an City Wall, but to see the full glory of Shuyuanmen, one must wait until all the shops are opened and when the streets are buzzing with life. In this cultural street you can find all kinds of arts and crafts like paper cutting, creative calligraphy, shop for some paintbrushes, cheap jade, paintings, books, and keepsakes.
11:30 am Beilin Museum (Forest of Stone Steles)
How to get there: Right at the end of Shuyuanmen street.
Entrance: 75 Rmb
Time: 30 minutes to 1 hour
Their collection of steles from throughout history is incredible, so for people on a cultural trip, this might be an interesting stop. As for me, I wasn’t so into this part of history, so we chose to give it a miss.
12:30 pm Small Wild Goose Pagoda
Entrance: Free into the temple ground and 30 RMB adult, 15 RMB student to access the viewing platform on top of the pagoda
In my opinion, if you plan to visit the larger counterpart, entrance is unnecessary here. It was built 1300 years ago to store Buddhist text and materials brought from India.
1:00 pm Shaanxi Museum
Reminder: Closed on Mondays
Entrance: There will be 2,500 free tickets up to grab before 12 PM and 1500 tickets after 1 PM. Line up at ticket window number 1 or 2 with your passport to get those. If you rather pay, regular admission is 20 RMB, available at window 3.
If you can tell, I am already so sick with museums but hey, it makes a good plan B for rainy days. The museum had been regarded as “the pearl of ancient dynasties and house of Chinese treasures” housing over 370,000 historical items, many made of jade and clay!
3:00 pm Tang Paradise Park
How to get there: Walking distance from the Small Goose pagoda
Entrance: 90 Rmb
Time: 2 hours
This is a 165-acre park cultural theme park without any rides. The park is inspired by Tang architecture and culture, so you can get a feel of how things are during the Tang dynasty.
5:30 pm Big Wild Goose Pagoda Pedestrian Street
How to get there: take line 2 on the underground metro and get off at DaYanTa.
Or you can take bus 606 or 609 and hop off at Dayanta (Wild Goose Pagoda) stop.
Entrance: Free
Time: 1 hour
We started our walk at the pedestrian street in the south of the Pagoda where we found shopping malls, cafe, and a beautiful sculpture garden. The sculptures tell a story of Xi’an and how it was the capital of China before Beijing and some highlights of its glorious days. We grabbed an ice cream here in a special ice cream parlor that serves rare flavors, recommended by locals.
6:30 pm Big Wild Goose Pagoda
Entrance: 50 Rmb for entrance into the temple ground, and another 30 Rmb to get into the pagoda
Time: 2 hours
We spent some time here having dinner with our Couchsurfing host, tried a popular local food called Biang biang noodles. These noodles are touted as one of the "8 strange wonder of Shaanxi" (陕西八大怪) for these handmade broad noodles are thick, long and resilient like a belt.
8:30 pm Musical Fountain Show
Entrance: Free
Time: 40 minutes
The show lasted about 40 minutes and its grand finale includes a 20-meter high water spout
DAY 3 IN XI'AN
A day trip from Xi'an to Huashan
Hua Shan is one of the five sacred Taoist mountains in China. A trip to Xian will never be complete without a Hua Shan day trip from Xian, doesn't matter you choose to ascend the mountain, or not.
3 things, wake up early, expect your day to be a LONG one and expect to fork out at least 650 Rmb if you wish to do everything on the list. If you think this is too complicated and you need a guide, click the banner below:
7:30 am Start your day early at the Xi’an station. Firstly, take a 30-minute train to the Xi’an North station.
8:00 am From Xi’an North station, you’ll have another 40 minutes train ride to Huashan North.
Fare: 55 Rmb
9:00 am From Huashan North, a bus in front of the station will bring you to the HuaShan visitor center in 30 minutes for free.
9:30 am Join the line to buy the Huashan ticket. Single Entrance ticket: ¥180. Expect around 30 minutes for that. If you would like to skip the line,
10:00 am catch a bus (fare: 20 Rmb) to the North cable car station officially start your day at the north peak via cable car (Fare: 80 Rmb).
If you plan to hike to all 5 peaks of Huashan (Central, North, East, West, South), You must allocate at least 6 hours on the mountain, if not, don’t bother going up. `My recommendation is to go from north to west. Then you can come back down by the cable car at the west peak (Fare: 140Rmb).
* If you plan to do the plank walk (the “dangerous” literal vertical drop walk you’ve seen viral online), expect some waiting time, which can easily go up to 1 hour. You’ll need to pay extra for the experience too (25 Rmb)
From the west cable car station, ride the bus (fare: 40 Rmb) for 40 minutes back to the visitor’s center, and make your move back to Huashan North for your train back to Xi’an (train ticket: 55 Rmb).
The Official bus back to Huashan Railway station can be found at Number 2 parking lot. There are plenty of them, hourly departure.
The Official bus back to Huashan Railway station can be found at Number 2 parking lot. There are plenty of them, hourly departure.
My recommendation is that since it will be such a crazy long day and everything is so costly, why not maximize your time here by staying at Huashan village? Then you can minus all the traveling time and perhaps goes up to the mountain when everyone is still on their way. For that I highly recommend Lotus Hostel located just at the foot of Huashan, near the Jade Spring Temple (the trail head of Huashan)!
Another great way if you have the means, is to stay a night in the guesthouse on top of Huashan. Rooms are expensive, but it can be compensated with gorgeous views.
Lastly, after your descend from Huashan, don't rush back to Xi'an! Spend some time exploring the temple ground of Yuquan Yuan (The temple of Jade Spring), located just at the foot of Huashan! Plus, a bus ride from the Huashan tourist center to the temple of Jade Spring is completely free! You can take the free bus at the Number 2 Parking lot.
Believe me when I say it is worth your time!
Believe me when I say it is worth your time!
When you are already in Jade Spring Temple, do a little exercise and walk up to the Huashan Gate. After you pass the gate, there will be a way leading you to the Five Dragon Bridge. Here, you can take beautiful dreamy photos of Mount Hua. This is also the entrance for those who would love to hike up Huashan instead of taking the cable car.
DAY 4 IN XI'AN
8:00 am Qinglong Si (Green Dragon Temple)
How to get there: Take Metro line 3, get off at Qinglong Temple. Take Exit A and walk 5 minutes down Yanxiang Road towards northwest.
Entrance Fee: 10 RMB during the regular season, and 16 RMB during the cherry blossom season (mid-March to the mid-April). However, during our visit, I don’t remember paying for any tickets, just a scan door with police checking through our belongings.
Time: 3 hours to visit all the gardens and temples. including queuing time during high season.
Also, Qinglong Temple is a popular place for locals to wear their traditional Han clothes for a photography session! This is what I witness!
11:00 pm Xi’an University of Transportation
How to get there: From Qinglong Si, we walked there following our GPS.
Entrance fee: Free
Time: 1 hour
The campus of Xi’an Jiao Tong University welcomes thousand of tourists during Cherry Blossom seasons. It was a sight to behold, seeing how romantic is this university and I quickly start day-dreaming about studying here. Locals come here to play during weekends but I can’t help but thinking isn’t the authorities concern about how this (the university being a tourist attraction) may impact their students?
12:30 pm Muslim Quarter
Entrance fee: Free
We have to make it back to taste our favorite Muslim food one last time. Now, hit the pause button and eat to your heart's content! Get your Xi'an Halal food fix! Highly recommended Muslim and Shaanxi specialties include:
- Yangrou paomo (mutton stew with crumbly bread)
- Yang rouchuan (lamb skewers)
- Houjiarou (steamed buns with stewed meat filling).
Spread over several blocks, the Muslim Quarter of Xi’an is a huge area equipped with mosques, markets, halal restaurants, and shops, should be able to keep you busy until its time to leave.
2:30 pm Great Mosque of Xi’an
Entrance fee: 25 Rmb during high season and 15 Rmb during low seasons. If you are Muslim, entrance is free.
Opening times: 8 am to 7 pm
If you have time, stop by the Great mosque to admire an example of the perfect combination of Islamic culture and traditional Chinese architecture. It is located on 30 Huajue street, just 1 5 minute walk from the drum tower.
The Great Mosque was initially built in 742 (during the Tang Dynasty) for Arab merchants from Persia and Afghanistan via the Silk Road. Well, of course, most of them felt welcome and choose to stay, forming a huge Muslim community in Xi’an today.
If you have more time,
Visit a Cave house in Xi’an, which were carved from mountains. These traditional Xi’an cave living society had existed for over 4,000 years, most of them can be found in the Yan’an and Yulin districts.
Looking for a tour in Xi'an?
I find KLOOK as a good booking platform with a lot of Xi’an Tours to choose from.
If you want someone to take care of all the logistics for you while you enjoy the trip, feel free to check out the following tours I recommend. These are very popular tours so they can be sold out fast, remember to book early!
If you have more than 4 days 3 nights in Xi'an, you can take these into consideration too:
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Thank You for Reading! This post is based solely on my honest opinion or personal experience. If you have a different opinion, feel free to share your thoughts with me by commenting below!
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2 comments:
Interesting writeup on Xian. May i ask which month were you at Xian . March or April, coz we would like to travel there in 2020 and would not want to miss the Cherry Blossom blooms
Hi . Read your post visit to Xian. Would appreciate if you can adv me when is the time you were in Xian . Was it Early April. My friends n I wld like to visit Xian and also see the Cherry Blossom in full blooms.
Hv a nice day
Regards
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