Terracotta figures & Qin power
The Terracotta Army makes sense within the wider ambition of the First Emperor’s mausoleum. Give the main pits and interpretation enough time; this excursion lies well outside the old city.
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THE ANCIENT CAPITAL / 10 ROUTES
Xi’an.
Terracotta figures, city walls and a place shaped by long-distance exchange.
THE PLACEDiscover
Discover
Xi’an
Xi’an brings imperial archaeology and contemporary city life into the same journey. Begin with the Terracotta Army, then look more closely at Shaanxi’s history in the museum collections, the city wall and the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda district.
East of the city, Huaqing Palace adds the setting of an imperial hot-spring retreat. Back in town, the Grand Tang Mall and Tang Paradise reinterpret Tang culture through illuminated streets and landscaped spaces rather than untouched ancient remains.
Choose two days for the essentials, three or four for a fuller cultural stay, or five to six days with Mount Huashan and Famen Temple. Museum reservations and mountain weather help shape the final order.
For a quieter extension, the Zhongnan Mountains introduce Buddhist monasteries, Daoist traditions and the wooded landscapes south of the city. Allow separate days for Jingye Temple and Louguantai.
Terracotta Army
Xi’an City Wall
Shaanxi History Museum
Huaqing Palace
Grand Tang Mall
Tang Paradise
Giant Wild Goose PagodaHERITAGE CONNECTIONS HERE & NEARBY
Choose a recognition to see the specific places and traditions connected with this destination. Nearby extensions keep their own location and travel time.
LOOK A LITTLE CLOSERDifferent sides.
Different sides.
A fuller picture.
Find the places and stories that matter to you, then give them the time they deserve.
Tang Buddhism & ancient capitals
The Giant Wild Goose Pagoda area, museums and temple sites introduce a different period from the Qin army. Select original monuments and collections carefully, distinguishing them from modern visitor districts inspired by Tang aesthetics.
Walls, markets & lived religion
The city wall, neighbourhood food streets and Great Mosque area bring several historical layers into a walkable urban programme. Explore quieter lanes as well as the busiest food streets, respecting worship and residential life.
Time well spent.
3 days · a strong introduction
Separate the Terracotta Army, city history and museum or temple focus.
4–5 days · follow a cultural thread
Add Zhongnan, Huashan or a deeper Buddhist-art visit as its own excursion.
At the local table
Biangbiang noodles, roujiamo and regional breads introduce different Shaanxi food traditions. Discuss ingredients and spice rather than treating one busy snack street as the whole cuisine.
Choosing your base
Stay near the old city for evenings. Major outlying sights and different railway stations require deliberate transfer planning.
A deeper look at the stories here.
UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE
A place in the wider story.
Explore the inscribed sites here and heritage extensions you can connect with this destination. Each guide identifies the actual site and the travel involved.
CHOOSE YOUR PACEJourneys in
Journeys in
Xi’an.
Explore a sample route, then ask us to shape the details around your travel dates.
01 / JOURNEY IDEA
2 days
Essential Xi’an in 2 Days
Meet the terracotta warriors, then explore the living city within and beyond its walls.
Xi’an
02 / JOURNEY IDEA
1 day
Terracotta Army & Huaqing Palace in 1 Day
A full day on Xi’an’s eastern imperial corridor.
Xi’an
03 / JOURNEY IDEA
3 days
Xi’an History & Tang Evenings in 3 Days
Combine imperial archaeology, museum collections and the illuminated Tang quarter.
Xi’an
04 / JOURNEY IDEA
4 days
Xi’an Tang Culture in 4 Days
Allow time for the museum, pagoda district and Tang Paradise as well as the warriors.
Xi’an
05 / JOURNEY IDEA
5 days
Xi’an & Mount Huashan in 5 Days
Four relaxed cultural days and a dramatic mountain extension.
Xi’an · Huashan
06 / JOURNEY IDEA
6 days
Shaanxi Heritage, Huashan & Famen in 6 Days
An Xi’an-based journey through imperial history, a sacred mountain and Buddhist heritage.
Xi’an · Huashan · Fufeng
07 / JOURNEY IDEA
1 day
Famen Temple from Xi’an in 1 Day
Follow the story of Tang Buddhist patronage west to Fufeng County.
Xi’an · Fufeng
08 / JOURNEY IDEA
2 days
Zhongnan Mountains: Buddhist & Daoist Traditions in 2 Days
Step beyond Xi’an into a landscape of wooded slopes, Buddhist discipline and Daoist thought.
Xi’an · Zhongnan Mountains · Louguantai
09 / JOURNEY IDEA
17 days
Buddhism Along the Silk Roads: Kucha to Luoyang
A 17-day west-to-east journey connecting Buddhist cave art, translation centres and living temple sites from Kucha to Luoyang.
Kuqa · Turpan · Dunhuang · Zhangye · Wuwei · Lanzhou · Tianshui · Xi’an · Luoyang
10 / JOURNEY IDEA
1 day
Laozi & Louguantai in 1 Day
An unhurried cultural day from Xi’an, with one temple area and time to read the landscape.
Xi’an · Louguantai · Xi’an
LIVING HERITAGE
Traditions to encounter.
Explore the culture here and nearby through crafts, performances and shared traditions.
WatchXi’an · Shaanxi
Xi’an Drum Music ↗
Wind instruments and percussion meet in Xi'an's traditional ensemble music. An introduction to the instruments and performance setting helps visitors hear more than rhythm alone.
Watch · MakeHuazhou, Weinan · Shaanxi
Huaxian Shadow Puppetry ↗
Detailed figures become characters when light reaches the screen. Huaxian shadow theatre brings together craft, music and the puppeteer's precise movements.
Watch · JoinXi’an · Shaanxi
Tai Chi · Movement & Mindfulness ↗
Discover taijiquan through relaxed, flowing movements, steady breathing and mindful attention. A guided introduction in Xi’an offers a different way to connect with Chinese culture.
Make room for a different rhythm.
Ideas to discuss for your visit. Cultural access, instructors and suitable sessions are confirmed individually in your proposal; reference photographs may show the tradition in another location.
Plan your time here.
FIRST JOURNEYSPROVINCE GUIDE
CULTURE & PILGRIMAGE
ROUTES & CULTURES
Planning 7–10 days in China
Compare a city-focused China itinerary with a nine-day journey including Zhangjiajie, and decide how much travelling fits your trip.
Read the guide ↗PROVINCE GUIDEShaanxi
Imperial archaeology, everyday food and living traditions, with Xi’an as the beginning rather than the whole story.
Read the guide ↗CULTURE & PILGRIMAGEThe Chan Journey
A practical regional route through the temples associated with Chan’s first six patriarchs, with time for travel and living religious places.
Explore the journey ↗ROUTES & CULTURESThe Silk Roads
Follow the oasis towns, frontier passes, cave art and old capitals of a changing network, beyond any single religion or trade good.
Read the guide ↗