Xi'an is the capital of the Shaanxi province and one of China's major cities (being the country's capital at one point). It's an old city which hasn't developed quite as quickly as many other major cities.
There is plenty to do in Xi'an and you're unlikely to find a day with nothing to do. I have given a list of some of the major attractions, but there are many more to be found; just by exploring.
City Wall Xi'an is one of the few cities in China to still have a complete city wall and is the most complete surviving city wall in China. The wall is 8.5 miles long and you can walk round the wall (taking roughly 2 hours) or for far more fun you can hire a bike (or Tandem) and cycle round. The wall is full of pot holes so be careful if you cycle.
Muslim Quarter The Muslim Quarter is a great little tourist trap. Located by the Drum Tower is a maze of street venders selling everything from tacky tourist merchandise to authentic Chinese handicraft.
Be warned however, if you're not Chinese their going to try and over charge you and you need to haggle hard (usually try an opening gambit of 60% less than asking). This surrounds the Great Mosque, which is a beautiful place to visit. There is lots of street food available, but you've got to be brave as you probably won't have a clue what you're eating.
Bell & Drum Tower At the heart of the city you'll find the Bell and the Drum Towers (located about 10 minutes from each other). It's reasonably cheap to go in and have a look around. For a little extra cash you can even have a go on one of the bells/drums. If you only have time (or the interest) to go into one of them I would probably recommend the Drum Tower as there is a little more to see. Both towers are illuminated at night and look beautiful. The Bell Tower looks especially amazing as it is in the middle of a massive roundabout. This just gives a great feel of the mixture of ancient serene beauty and organized chaos that I feel exemplifies this country.
Pagoda The Golden Goose pagoda is a little way out from the centre, but definitely worth a visit. In the evening, there is a fountain display to music outside. This is really pretty and my advice would be to go there in the afternoon, have dinner nearby and then go to see the display when its dark.
Food In the main tourist district you will find a plethora of restaurants selling delicious Chinese cuisine, with most of these places having menus with English translations. Outside the tourist areas and also by the Pagoda, you might not be so lucky with English translations and just have to go on the pictures in the menu. You are very unlikely to find an English speaking waiter/waitress, so bear this in mind whenever you go out. If you're craving Western food however, you will always find a Pizza Hut, McDonalds or KFC somewhere.
Shopping Xi'an has pretty much anything you could ever want or need.....it's just a matter of finding it!! There are many shopping malls around the centre of the city, with more specific shopping centre's and markets dotted all over the place. So if your looking for something specific (electronics, shoes, toys, DVDs etc) then its best to ask for advice at your hotel/hostel as they'll know where the best places are (don't forget to get them to write it down!).
Sites nearby Xi'an also has bus links, outside the train station. A couple of must sees include: The Terracotta Worriers (half an hour away) and Ha Shan Mountain. I'm sure that the Terracotta Worriers need no introduction and if they do you can find reviews of them on Dooyoo. Ha Shan is one of China's 5 sacred mountains and a perfect place to watch the sun rise. You will need to spend the night there (there are hostels available halfway up the mountain) and get up at silly o'clock to get to the summit for the sunrise.
My verdict Xi'an is by no way as an advanced skycraperfest or as multicultural as many other of China's major cities and that to me is one of the best things about it. You will not see as many Westerners in Xi'an as other cities and you won't see a lot of English. If you don't speak any Chinese you'll do a lot of pointing and miming! You get a real feel for life in China in this city and are totally immersed in the culture. It is a wonderful place to visit and a must see if you're in China.
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Nov 7th, 2009
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