First Time Tourists Guide in Xi’an, China
SIGHTSEEING
Xi'an Muslim Quarter is a place where the Muslim community of Xi'an resides. The area consists of four neighborhoods, Huajue Xi'ang, Hongbu Jie, Xuexi Xi'ang, and Sajin Qiao. You can find numerous food vendors in this quarter that sell traditional foods, such as paomo, sour soup dumplings, soup with pepper, and fried dough twist that you should definitely try.
Xi'an Muslim Dasi Residential Quarte
DOWNTOWN
Giant Wild Goose Pagoda is one of the holy places of the Buddhists in Xi'an. The well-preserved building was first built in 652, and today it's listed as one of UNESCO Heritage sites. Many visitors come to the pagoda to admire the architecture and learn about the history of the building.
Giant Wild Goose Pagoda
SHOPPING
Beiyuanmen Night Market or Muslim Street Market is a place where you can get a glimpse of the culture in Xi'an. At night, the street becomes lively with street food vendors and visitors. Besides street food vendors and restaurants, shops that sell souvenirs and local products can also be found.
Beiyuanmen Night Market
FOOD & DRINK
Xi'an has numerous delicious traditional food made of various ingredients, such as Paomo which is a dish made of bread that is soaked in lamb soup, Biangbiang noodles which is a hand-pulled noodle with spicy dressing, Rou Jia mo which is a dish similar to a hamburger, Jiaozi which is a kind of dumpling, and hot and sour soup, a meat-based soup consists of day lily buds, wood ear fungus, bamboo shoots, and tofu. Xi'an also has popular drinks like Choujiu, a kind of alcoholic drink made of fermented glutinous rice, and Longjing tea, or a pan-roasted green tea.
CULTURE
Xi'an's culture is deeply rooted in the culture of the ancient empire since Xi'an is where the world's earliest civilizations emerged. The culture of Xi'an is also reflected through its customs, arts, food, and traditional sports. The diversity of the religion, such as Taoism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam, that the people of Xi'an's embrace also enhance the city's architectural beauty even more.
BEST TIME TO VISIT
Peak season: Autumn is the high tourist season in Xi'an. From September to November, many people are visiting Xi'an. During this time, the weather is pleasant to explore the city to see the changing color of trees.
HOTEL
If you're visiting Xi'an, great accommodation here is the Tang Dynasty Art Garden Hotel. This hotel represents the Tang-style building and reflects the Chinese traditional culture. Beautiful Chinese gardens and ancient trees can be found around the hotel. The hotel also has an ideal location since it's close to several popular attractions such as The Great Wild Goose Pagoda and Dayan Pagoda North Square. Bell Tower Hotel Xi'an is another great option when you stay in Xi'an. It is located at the center of the city and is only minutes away from one of Xi'an's most popular landmarks, the Xi'an Bell Tower. The hotel is also conveniently close to several public transportation facilities, such as buses and subways. Other attractions can be accessed from the hotel easily, such as the Yingbin Avenue, Xi'an Great Mosque, and Beilin Museum.
Tang Dynasty Art Garden Hotel
Bell Tower Hotel Xian
RESTAURANT
First Noodle Under the Sun is one of the local's favorite chain restaurants. The restaurant specializes in noodle-based cuisines, there are 18 types of handmade noodles that you can order. There are other kinds of food that the restaurant serves as well, such as cumin chicken skewers and Kung bao chicken. But, if you come by the restaurant, you should order their Biang Biang Noodle. Tang Dynasty Restaurant is another local's favorite. The restaurant serves traditional Chinese food buffet. The one thing that makes this restaurant really interesting is the feature that it has, which is a theater where you can watch a live performance which starts at 8.30 p.m. every night while you're enjoying your food.
First Noodle Under the Sun
Tang Dynasty Restaurant
CAFE
Maan Coffee is a cozy cafe located near the Xi'an Huancheng Park. The coffee shop serves great coffee and tasty food. When you stop by this place, make sure to order their specialty, Maan's Coffee. Delicious foods such as waffles, sandwiches, toasts and even ice cream can be enjoyed here. Non-coffee drinks such as teas, chocolate, and juices are also available. You can also stop by The Waiting for You Cafe to enjoy a quiet atmosphere while sipping a cup of coffee. Excellent drinks such as espresso and matcha latte are available for you to enjoy along with some light snacks and cakes.
Maan Coffee
Waiting for You Cafe
BAR AND NIGHTLIFE
Datang Everbright City is a popular landmark among tourists who want to enjoy the night in Xi'an. This place is located at the foot of the Dayan Pagoda. The colorful lanterns and incredible lightings that decorate this place during the night make this place as one of the locals' favorite spots to visit at night. Art installations, sculptures, and even street food vendors will make your visit here worthwhile.
Datang Everbright City
INTERESTING PLACE
Ancient City Wall is one of China's oldest, largest and best-maintained city wall. The ancient wall has been standing since the 14th century and today it's one of the most popular landmarks in Xi'an. Here, you can walk or cycle along the wall to see the structure in detail, or you can get an expert wall to give you more knowledge about the history of the wall. Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum is a place that you must visit in Xi'an. The museum is listed as a UNESCO Heritage site that houses more than 8000 Terracotta Army sculptures that portray the armies of Qin Shi Huang Emperor. What makes it really interesting is that each figure has different faces. The discovery of these figures is considered to be the biggest contemporary archeological discoveries.
Ancient City Wall
Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum
INSTAGRAMMABLE SPOT
Bell Tower of Xi'an was built in 1384. Today, the wooden tower is still standing proudly and considered to be the largest and best-preserved bell tower in China. Several cultural relics can also be seen, such as the Giant Bell, inscriptions, and couplet. Besides learning about the history of this building, people are coming to this place to admire its architectural beauty. Another place that has an incredible architectural beauty is the Great Mosque of Xi'an. The mosque is the largest mosque in China. It was first built in 742 AD and today it's still an active place of worship. The mosque is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Xi'an, but Non-Muslim visitors are not allowed to enter the main prayer hall.
Bell Tower of Xi'an
Great Mosque of Xi'an
