All citiesXi'an Things to do and walking itinerary
China Xi'an travel guide
19 things to do in Xi'an, where to stay, airport transfers. Pick places on the map and get a day-by-day walking route from your hotel with steps, kilometres and minutes.
Top things to do in Xi'an
- Great Mosque of Xi'an — mosque in China (visit ≈ 30 min)
- Giant Wild Goose Pagoda — pagoda (visit ≈ 30 min)
- Small Wild Goose Pagoda — pagoda (visit ≈ 30 min)
- Fortifications of Xi'an — rampart (visit ≈ 60 min)
- Daming Palace — archaeological site and history museum in Xi'an, China (visit ≈ 120 min)
- Stele Forest — collection of ancient, medieval, and early modern Chinese stellas in Xi'an (visit ≈ 120 min)
- Drum Tower of Xi'an — historical tower in Xi'an, China (visit ≈ 40 min)
- Shaanxi History Museum — museum (visit ≈ 120 min)
- St. Francis Cathedral of Xi'an — church building in Xi'an, China (visit ≈ 35 min)
- Daci'en Temple — building in Shaanxi, China (visit ≈ 30 min)
- Qinglong Temple — Buddhist temple in Shaanxi, China (visit ≈ 30 min)
- Wolong Temple — building in Wolong Temple, China (visit ≈ 30 min)
- Guangren Temple — tibetan Buddhist temple in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, China (visit ≈ 30 min)
- Daxingshan Temple — building in Xi'an, China (visit ≈ 30 min)
- Jianfu Temple — notable Buddhist temple in Xi'an, China (visit ≈ 30 min)
- Tang Paradise — theme park in Yanta, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China (visit ≈ 45 min)
- Taiji Palace — Chinese palace (visit ≈ 90 min)
- Xi'an Museum — museum in Xi'an, China (visit ≈ 120 min)
- Tang West Market Museum — museum in Xi'an, China (visit ≈ 120 min)
2-day Xi'an walking itinerary
Starting point: Bell Tower / Inside the Walls. The top 8 places at a normal pace (up to ~10 km of walking a day), in this order. Change places or your hotel on the map and the route is recalculated; distances are estimates with a street allowance.
- Day 1 (≈ 7.9 km · 10,670 steps · 1 h 46 min on the way): Drum Tower of Xi'an → Great Mosque of Xi'an → Guangren Temple → St. Francis Cathedral of Xi'an
- Day 2 (≈ 7.1 km · 9,590 steps · 1 h 35 min on the way): Small Wild Goose Pagoda → Fortifications of Xi'an → Stele Forest → Wolong Temple
Where to stay in Xi'an
- Bell Tower / Inside the Walls: The very centre; the walls, Muslim Quarter and metro are close.
- South Gate (Yongningmen): The grandest gate in the walls; a good start for a bike ride on top.
- Big Wild Goose Pagoda (Qujiang): Wide plazas, fountain shows and modern hotels.
Getting from the airport to Xi'an
- Xi’an Xianyang (XIY): Metro line 14 with a change ≈ 1 h; airport buses also run
Getting around
The metro links the main sights; inside the walls you can walk or cycle. Bikes can be rented on top of the city wall.
Classic places to eat
- Lao Sun Jia: Paomo soup, where you tear the bread yourself, since 1898.
- Defachang: Dumpling banquets with dozens of varieties beside the Bell Tower.
- Jia San Guantang Baozi: Famous soup-filled beef buns in the Muslim Quarter.
- Tongshengxiang: A long-established lamb paomo restaurant near the Bell Tower.
Romantic views
- City Wall (Sunset): Cycle the whole loop on top of the ancient walls.
- Big Wild Goose Pagoda Square (Evening): A musical fountain show and the lit-up pagoda in the evening.
- Datang Everbright City (Evening): A glowing pedestrian avenue lined with Tang-style buildings.
Day trips
- Terracotta Army — 33 km from the centre
- Chang'an — 9 km from the centre
Good to know before visiting Xi'an
- Fine: Drug offences carry extremely severe penalties, including death.
- Fine: Photographing military sites and some official buildings, or flying drones without permits, is banned.
- Fine: Smoking is banned in enclosed public places in major cities.
- Warning: Carry your passport; if staying in a private home you must register with police within 24 hours.
- Warning: Unauthorised protests and religious activities are banned; check official travel advice.
- Warning: The Tibet Autonomous Region needs an extra entry permit.
- Emergency: police 110, ambulance 120, fire 119
- Plugs: A/C/I, 220V
- Tap water: Don't drink tap water; use boiled or bottled.
- Tipping: Tipping isn't customary.
Sources: UK FCDO — Foreign travel advice: China, Wikivoyage — China, T.C. Dışişleri Bakanlığı — Türk vatandaşlarının tabi olduğu vize uygulamaları · For information only; rules change, check official sources before you go. Last checked: 2026-10
Xi'an travel FAQ
- How many days do you need in Xi'an?
- The top 8 places in the centre take about 2 days at a normal pace on a walking route from your hotel. Allow 4 days for the top 12 places within walking distance. Add extra days for day trips (Terracotta Army and Chang'an).
- What are the top things to do in Xi'an?
- Highlights: Great Mosque of Xi'an, Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, Small Wild Goose Pagoda, Fortifications of Xi'an and Daming Palace. The map has 19 things to do in total.
- Where to stay in Xi'an?
- Bell Tower / Inside the Walls: The very centre; the walls, Muslim Quarter and metro are close. Other options: South Gate (Yongningmen) and Big Wild Goose Pagoda (Qujiang).
- How do you get from the airport to Xi'an city centre?
- Xi’an Xianyang (XIY): Metro line 14 with a change ≈ 1 h; airport buses also run
- How do you get around Xi'an?
- The metro links the main sights; inside the walls you can walk or cycle. Bikes can be rented on top of the city wall.
- What is the emergency number in Xi'an?
- Emergency: police 110, ambulance 120, fire 119.
- Do you tip in Xi'an?
- Tipping isn't customary.
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