Xi'an

Muslim Quarter evening food crawl(2.5 hours)

Huimin Jie: 1km of smoky grills and Hui Muslim street food. Walk deep into side alleys (Dapi Yuan, Xiyang Shi) for better prices. Must-try: rou jia mo (Chinese hamburger, 10-15 CNY), yangrou paomo (lamb bread soup, 25 CNY), biangbiang noodles (15-20 CNY), persimmon cakes (5 CNY). The Great Mosque (25 CNY) is a Chinese-Islamic masterpiece hidden within

Tourist bus 5 (306) to Terracotta Warriors(1 hour)

From east side of Xi'an Railway Station plaza (8 CNY). Avoid 'private tour' hawkers at the station — they include forced shopping stops

Terracotta Army Museum(3-4 hours)

Entry: 120 CNY. Three pits: Pit 1 is massive (6,000 warriors), Pit 2 has cavalry and archers, Pit 3 is the command center. Hire an English-speaking guide at the entrance (150 CNY) — the context transforms the experience. Each warrior's face is unique

Lunch near the museum(1 hour)

Simple restaurants outside the gates. Liang pi (cold noodles in chili oil, 10 CNY) and rou jia mo are the local fast food

Huaqing Hot Springs(1.5 hours)

120 CNY. Imperial hot springs at the foot of Mount Li, 10 min from the warriors. Yang Guifei's bathing pools are the centerpiece. The 'Song of Everlasting Sorrow' evening show (298-988 CNY, seasonal) is considered one of China's best live performances

City Wall cycling(2 hours)

Entry: 54 CNY. Bike rental: 45 CNY for 100 minutes (tandem: 90 CNY). Start at South Gate (Yongningmen). The full 14km loop takes 1.5-2 hours with photo stops. Sunset is the best time — the light on the Bell and Drum Towers is magical

Bell Tower and Drum Tower(1 hour)

Bell Tower: 30 CNY. Drum Tower: 30 CNY. Combo: 50 CNY. Both are illuminated at night and offer central views of the city grid. The drum performance at the Drum Tower runs every 30 minutes

Lunch — biangbiang noodles at a side-alley shop(45 minutes)

Order you po che mian (oil-splashed torn noodles). The noodle-slapping theatrics are as impressive as the taste. 12-20 CNY. The biang character (58 strokes) is displayed on every shop sign but cannot be typed

Shaanxi History Museum(2.5 hours)

Free tickets (passport, grab by 8:30AM) or skip-the-line ticket (30 CNY). Tang gold and silver, Han jade burial suits, Zhou bronze vessels. One of China's four great museums. Allow 2-3 hours

Big Wild Goose Pagoda(1.5 hours)

64m Tang-dynasty pagoda (652 AD). Entry: 40 CNY (temple) + 30 CNY to climb. Built to store scriptures from India. The views from the top span the entire south district

Lunch at Tang Dynasty Food Street(1 hour)

The renovated streets around the pagoda have upscale Shaanxi restaurants. Try the guantang bao (soup-filled dumpling) at De Fa Chang (since 1936). Set dumpling banquet: 88-168 CNY with 18 shapes and flavors

Afternoon: Xi'an Museum or free time(2 hours)

Xi'an Museum (free, near Small Wild Goose Pagoda) has Tang-era ceramics and a pleasant garden. Or rest before the evening show

North Square Musical Fountain(1 hour)

Asia's largest musical fountain in front of Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Free shows at 12PM and 8:30PM. The evening show with lights and music is spectacular — arrive 30 minutes early for a front spot

High-speed train to Huashan North(30 minutes)

From Xi'an North station (55 CNY). Then shuttle bus to cable car station (20 CNY)

North Peak cable car up(20 minutes)

Cable car: 80 CNY up. The ride soars over a sheer granite gorge

Hike the Five Peaks trail(5-6 hours)

Entry: 160 CNY. The mountain has five peaks connected by narrow ridge paths. The Plank Walk in the Sky (30 CNY, optional) is a narrow plank path bolted to a cliff face 2,000m up — helmeted and harnessed. South Peak (2,155m) is the highest. East Peak has the best sunrise, West Peak has the best cable car descent

Cable car down from West Peak(20 minutes)

140 CNY. The West Peak cable car descent is one of the most dramatic in the world — the car drops 800m over vertical granite walls

Small Wild Goose Pagoda(1 hour)

Free entry (passport). A quieter, less touristy pagoda than Big Wild Goose, surrounded by beautiful gardens. The morning bell-ringing ceremony is atmospheric. The Xi'an Museum is adjacent (also free)

Shuyuanmen (Calligraphy Street)(1 hour)

A narrow street near the South Gate lined with shops selling calligraphy brushes, ink stones, rice paper, and traditional paintings. The craftspeople are worth watching. A calligraphy set makes an excellent souvenir (50-200 CNY)

Lunch at Lao Sun Jia (since 1898)(1 hour)

Xi'an's most famous yangrou paomo restaurant. You tear the bread yourself (the smaller the pieces, the better), then the kitchen cooks it in lamb broth with noodles. 35-45 CNY. The tearing takes 20 minutes — it is meditative

Farewell dinner at a Muslim Quarter deep-alley restaurant(1.5 hours)

Skip the main Huimin Jie drag. Walk into Xiyang Shi alley for the same food at half the price and triple the authenticity. The pomegranate juice vendors (10 CNY) are the unofficial landmark

Morning market walk inside South Gate(1 hour)

The area around Shuyuanmen has vendors selling antiques, jade, and calligraphy every morning

Last rou jia mo(20 minutes)

One final Chinese hamburger from a Muslim Quarter stall. 10-15 CNY. You will crave this at home

Airport transfer(1.5 hours)

Airport shuttle from Railway Station (25 CNY). Or Metro Line 14 to airport. Allow 2.5 hours before international flights

Muslim Quarter food crawl(2.5 hours)

Rou jia mo (10 CNY), yangrou paomo (25 CNY), biangbiang noodles (15 CNY), Great Mosque (25 CNY)

Bus 5 to warriors(1 hour)

8 CNY from Railway Station

Terracotta Army(3-4 hours)

120 CNY. Guide: 150 CNY. Three pits

Huaqing Hot Springs(1.5 hours)

120 CNY. Yang Guifei's pools

City Wall cycling(2 hours)

54 CNY entry + 45 CNY bike. Sunset best

Bell & Drum Towers(1 hour)

Combo 50 CNY

Biangbiang noodle lunch(45 minutes)

12-20 CNY

Shaanxi History Museum(2.5 hours)

Free (passport) or 30 CNY skip-line. Tang gold, Han jade

Big Wild Goose Pagoda(1.5 hours)

40 CNY + 30 CNY climb

Dumpling banquet at De Fa Chang(1 hour)

88-168 CNY, 18 shapes

Xi'an Museum(1.5 hours)

Free. Tang ceramics

Musical Fountain show(1 hour)

Free. 8:30PM. Asia's largest

Train to Huashan North(30 minutes)

55 CNY

North Peak cable car(20 minutes)

80 CNY up

Five Peaks hike(5-6 hours)

160 CNY. Plank Walk in Sky (30 CNY optional). South Peak highest (2,155m)

West Peak cable car down(20 minutes)

140 CNY. Dramatic 800m drop over granite walls

Small Wild Goose Pagoda(1 hour)

Free. Peaceful gardens

Shuyuanmen Calligraphy Street(1 hour)

Brushes, ink stones, rice paper. Sets 50-200 CNY

Yangrou paomo at Lao Sun Jia(1 hour)

Tear bread yourself. 35-45 CNY. Since 1898

Deep-alley Muslim Quarter dinner(1.5 hours)

Xiyang Shi alley. Half price, triple authenticity

Tang Dynasty Art Museum(1.5 hours)

Free. Tang pottery figurines and silk paintings. Near Big Wild Goose Pagoda

Afternoon at Dayanta (Pagoda) commercial area(2 hours)

The modern shopping and entertainment area around Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Good coffee, bookshops, and people-watching

Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show(1.5 hours)

At Tang Dynasty Palace theatre. Recreated Tang court music and dance. 200-600 CNY including dumpling dinner

Transfer to Hanyangling(1 hour)

Bus from Xi'an (20 CNY) or taxi (80 CNY). 20km north near the airport

Hanyangling Museum(2.5 hours)

Entry: 70 CNY. Walk on glass floors directly above excavated pits containing thousands of miniature terracotta figures (1/3 life-size), animals, and chariots. Less famous than the Terracotta Warriors but equally impressive in its own way — and far less crowded

Cooking class — Xi'an noodles(2.5 hours)

Several cooking schools teach hand-pulled noodle making (biangbiang, youpo mian). 200-350 CNY. The dough-slapping technique takes practice — you will eat your mistakes

Bus to Famen Temple(2 hours)

From Xi'an West bus station (40 CNY)

Famen Temple and Museum(3 hours)

Entry: 100 CNY. The underground vault (discovered in 1987) contained the Buddha's finger bone relic, 2,499 Tang dynasty gold and silver artifacts, and silk textiles. The modern Namaste Dagoba (148m tall) is architecturally polarizing but the museum underneath is extraordinary

South Gate (Yongningmen) tour(1 hour)

The most impressive of Xi'an's four main gates. The barbican (wengcheng) defensive structure is massive. Entry included in wall ticket (54 CNY) or viewable from below for free

Beilin Museum (Forest of Steles)(1.5 hours)

Entry: 50 CNY. Over 3,000 stone tablets with calligraphy from the Han through Qing dynasties, including the Nestorian Stele (781 AD) documenting early Christianity in China. A calligrapher's paradise

Xi'an Botanical Garden(1.5 hours)

A quiet escape with traditional Chinese garden, bamboo groves, and bonsai collection. Entry: 10 CNY. Locals come for evening walks and tai chi

Evening: plan Qinling excursion logistics(1 hour)

Book transport for tomorrow's mountain trip. Your hotel can arrange a car to the Qinling Mountains (400-500 CNY round trip)

Transfer to Qinling National Botanical Garden(1.5 hours)

70km south of Xi'an. Hire car (400 CNY round trip)

Qinling Mountain hike(4 hours)

Several trailheads access the Qinling range. The Cuihuashan (Jade Flower Mountain) route is the most accessible — 3 hours to the summit with waterfall stops. Entry: 60 CNY. The transition from northern to southern Chinese vegetation is visible on the climb

Mountain village lunch(1 hour)

Simple farmhouse cooking — wild mountain vegetables, free-range chicken, hand-rolled noodles. 25-40 CNY. The air is crisp and the silence is deafening after Xi'an's traffic

Great Mosque morning prayer observation(1 hour)

25 CNY. Arrive at 9AM for the peaceful garden courtyards. The mosque blends Chinese architecture with Islamic function — unique in the world

Walk through non-tourist Hui streets(2 hours)

Beyond Huimin Jie, the residential lanes of the Hui quarter have neighborhood mosques, halal butchers, and families who have lived here for generations. Beiyuanmen Street and the alleys around the Drum Tower are less commercialized

Lunch at a Hui family restaurant(1 hour)

These tiny restaurants (4-6 tables) serve the best food: lamb spine hot pot (yanggudui, 60-80 CNY for 2), hand-stretched noodles, and fire-roasted naan bread (5 CNY). No English menu — gesture and smile

Afternoon mosque architecture walk(1.5 hours)

The Hui quarter has 10+ mosques in various Chinese architectural styles. Xiaopiyuan Mosque and Dapiyuan Mosque (both free to enter respectfully) are beautiful and tourist-free

Final Muslim Quarter dinner(1.5 hours)

Return to Huimin Jie at peak evening hour (7-9PM) for the full sensory overload: smoke, grills, crowds, and the best street food in China

Option A: Xi'an Tangbo Art Museum(2 hours)

A private museum with an excellent collection of Tang-era pottery figurines — more intimate than the Shaanxi History Museum. Entry: 30 CNY

Option B: Daming Palace ruins(2 hours)

Entry: 60 CNY. The vast ruins of the Tang dynasty imperial palace — it was larger than the Forbidden City. Interactive museum with VR reconstructions of how it looked at its peak

Option C: Slow Xi'an(Full day)

Revisit the city wall at a different time of day, find a new noodle shop, sit in a teahouse near the Drum Tower

Farewell dinner(1.5 hours)

Full Shaanxi feast: yangrou paomo, biangbiang noodles, guantang bao, persimmon cake, and rou jia mo. Hit every flavor one last time

Last rou jia mo(20 minutes)

10-15 CNY. One final Chinese hamburger

South Gate souvenir shopping(1 hour)

Terracotta warrior replicas (20-200 CNY), calligraphy sets, shadow puppets

Airport transfer(1.5 hours)

Shuttle (25 CNY) or Metro Line 14. Allow 2.5 hours before flight

Muslim Quarter crawl(2.5 hours)

Rou jia mo (10 CNY), yangrou paomo (25 CNY), biangbiang noodles (15 CNY)

Bus 5(1 hour)

8 CNY

Terracotta Army(3-4 hours)

120 CNY. Guide 150 CNY

Huaqing Hot Springs(1.5 hours)

120 CNY

City Wall cycling at sunset(2 hours)

54 CNY + 45 CNY bike

Bell & Drum Towers(1 hour)

50 CNY combo

Biangbiang lunch(45 minutes)

12-20 CNY

Shaanxi History Museum(2.5 hours)

Free/30 CNY

Big Wild Goose Pagoda(1.5 hours)

40+30 CNY

Dumpling banquet(1 hour)

De Fa Chang. 88-168 CNY

Xi'an Museum(1.5 hours)

Free

Musical Fountain 8:30PM(1 hour)

Free

Train(30 minutes)

55 CNY

North cable car(20 minutes)

80 CNY

Five Peaks hike(5-6 hours)

160 CNY. Plank Walk 30 CNY

West cable car down(20 minutes)

140 CNY

Small Wild Goose Pagoda(1 hour)

Free

Yangrou paomo at Lao Sun Jia(1 hour)

35-45 CNY

Tang Dynasty Art Museum(1.5 hours)

Free

Tang Dynasty Dance Show(1.5 hours)

200-600 CNY with dinner

Hanyangling Museum(2.5 hours)

70 CNY. Miniature terracotta figures under glass floors

Noodle cooking class(2.5 hours)

200-350 CNY. Biangbiang technique

Bus west(2 hours)

40 CNY

Famen Temple & Museum(3 hours)

100 CNY. 2,499 Tang artifacts from underground vault

South Gate tour(1 hour)

Barbican structure

Beilin Museum(1.5 hours)

50 CNY. 3,000 stone tablets. Nestorian Stele (781 AD)

Xi'an Botanical Garden(1.5 hours)

10 CNY

Transfer south(1.5 hours)

70km. Car 400 CNY

Cuihuashan hike(4 hours)

60 CNY. Waterfalls, vegetation transition

Farmhouse lunch(1 hour)

Wild vegetables, chicken, noodles. 25-40 CNY

Great Mosque morning(1 hour)

25 CNY

Non-tourist Hui streets(2 hours)

Residential lanes, neighborhood mosques

Hui family restaurant lunch(1 hour)

Lamb spine hot pot 60-80 CNY/2

Mosque architecture walk(1.5 hours)

10+ mosques in Chinese styles

Transfer to Zhaoling(1.5 hours)

Hire car (350 CNY round trip)

Zhaoling Museum(2 hours)

30 CNY. The Six Steeds bas-relief panels (four originals here, two in UPenn Museum) depict the emperor's warhorses and are masterpieces of Tang art. The tomb complex spans an entire mountain

Qianling Tomb (optional extension)(2 hours)

50 CNY. 80km NW. The joint tomb of Emperor Gaozong and Empress Wu Zetian — China's only female emperor. The Spirit Way lined with headless stone officials is haunting. Combined day trip with Zhaoling if you start early

Daming Palace National Heritage Park(2.5 hours)

60 CNY. Larger than the Forbidden City. VR museum reconstructs the palace at its Tang peak. The Hanyuan Hall foundations give a sense of the staggering scale

Free afternoon(3 hours)

Rest, explore, or revisit favorites

Evening: Craft beer at Xi'an breweries(1.5 hours)

Xi'an's craft scene is growing. Try No.1 Brewing near South Gate or Dejavu on Dayanta Road. Pints 30-50 CNY

High-speed train to Yan'an(2 hours)

100-130 CNY from Xi'an North

Yan'an Revolutionary Memorial Hall(1.5 hours)

Free. Comprehensive museum covering the Long March arrival, the Yan'an Forum on Art, and the Chinese Civil War. English signage limited but the photos and artifacts are self-explanatory

Wangjiaping and Yangjialing cave dwellings(2 hours)

Free. The cave homes where Mao, Zhou Enlai, and other leaders lived and worked. The meeting hall where the 7th Party Congress was held is preserved. Spartan conditions — a reminder of how close to the edge the revolution operated

Kangfu Road morning market(1.5 hours)

Xi'an's best morning market — dumplings, soy milk, you tiao (fried dough sticks), and congee vendors. Everything under 10 CNY. Packed with locals at 7AM

Dayan Pagoda art district(2 hours)

The area east of Big Wild Goose Pagoda has galleries, design studios, and independent shops. More curated than the Muslim Quarter. Good for contemporary Xi'an culture

Lunch at random neighborhood restaurant(1 hour)

Pick any packed place with no English menu. The food is always better outside tourist zones. 15-30 CNY

Xi'an antique market(1.5 hours)

Shuyuanmen and the back alleys have antique shops selling jade, bronze bells, old coins, and Cultural Revolution memorabilia. Bargain to 30-40% of asking price

Revisit City Wall at a different hour(1.5 hours)

Walking (not cycling) the wall at dawn or dusk reveals different perspectives. The guard towers are spaced every 120m — the distance of two arrow flights

Afternoon tea ceremony(1.5 hours)

The teahouses near the Forest of Steles offer gongfu tea service. Try Shaanxi-grown Ziyang selenium tea (30-50 CNY per session). A meditative break from sightseeing

Evening: Second visit to Huimin Jie(1.5 hours)

This time you know where to go. Skip the main street, head straight to your favorite alley

Train to Luoyang Longmen(1.5 hours)

150-200 CNY from Xi'an North. The Longmen station is minutes from the grottoes

Longmen Grottoes(3 hours)

Entry: 90 CNY. Over 100,000 Buddhist statues carved into cliff faces along the Yi River (493-1127 AD). The Fengxian Temple's 17m Vairocana Buddha is the masterpiece — the face is said to be modeled on Empress Wu Zetian. UNESCO World Heritage. Allow 2-3 hours

Luoyang Old Town lunch(1 hour)

Luoyang's signature Luoyang Water Banquet (shuixi) at Zhen Bu Tong restaurant — 24 courses of soups and dishes, set menu from 80 CNY. Or try niurou tang (beef soup, 15 CNY) at a morning market stall

Xingqinggong Park morning walk(1.5 hours)

Free. Xi'an's most popular park for morning exercises. Tai chi, sword practice, and a large lake with paddle boats. The site of Tang Emperor Xuanzong's palace

Xi'an Academy of Fine Arts gallery(1 hour)

Free. Student and faculty exhibitions of contemporary Chinese art. Near South Gate

Lunch at a campus canteen(45 minutes)

University canteens serve cheap, decent food to anyone. 8-15 CNY for a tray of rice, meat, and vegetables. The real student experience

Evening: Final Muslim Quarter visit(2 hours)

Your farewell to Huimin Jie. You know the rhythm now — pomegranate juice first, rou jia mo second, persimmon cake for dessert

Option A: Banpo Neolithic Village Museum(2 hours)

25 CNY. 6,000-year-old Neolithic settlement discovered in 1953. The excavated village with moat, houses, and pottery kilns is fascinating — one of the most important prehistoric sites in Asia

Option B: Second Mount Hua visit (different route)(Full day)

If your first Huashan visit left you wanting more, return via the hiking trail (no cable car). The full ascent from base takes 6-8 hours. The night climb (start at 11PM, summit for sunrise) is legendary among Chinese hikers

Option C: Xi'an at leisure(Full day)

Noodles, city wall, teahouse, repeat

Farewell dinner — full Shaanxi feast(2 hours)

Every dish you loved: paomo, biangbiang, guantang bao, rou jia mo, persimmon cake. Hit them all one final time

Souvenir shopping(1 hour)

Terracotta replicas, calligraphy sets, shadow puppets

Airport transfer(1.5 hours)

Shuttle 25 CNY or Metro Line 14