City guide · China
Xi'an
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Xi'an has a legible historic centre enclosed by the City Wall, with the Bell Tower, Drum Tower and Muslim Quarter close together. The Giant Wild Goose Pagoda and major museums form a southern cultural cluster. The Terracotta Army, Huaqing Palace and other Lintong sites lie well east of the centre and require a separate excursion.
Practical information
Practical information
- Language spoken
- Standard Chinese; regional languages are widely used
- National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
- Dialling code
- +86 mainland · +852 Hong Kong · +853 Macao
- International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
- Currency
- Renminbi (CNY); HKD and MOP in the SARs
- Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
- Emergency number
- 110 police · 120 medical on the mainland
- Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
- Plug type
- Type A, C and I · 220 V
- Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
- Tap water
- Not recorded
- No single verified statement covers mainland China and both SARs
Planning a visit
- No data recorded for this month
- The current month
- Suggested stay
- Not recorded
- Getting around
- Walking, metro and city bus
- January: no seasonality data recorded
- February: no seasonality data recorded
- March: no seasonality data recorded
- April: no seasonality data recorded
- May: no seasonality data recorded
- June: no seasonality data recorded
- July: no seasonality data recorded
- August: no seasonality data recorded — this month
- September: no seasonality data recorded
- October: no seasonality data recorded
- November: no seasonality data recorded
- December: no seasonality data recorded
Top things to see
Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.
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How the city is laid out
Use the City Wall as the central reference: the Bell and Drum towers sit near its middle, the Muslim Quarter lies to the northwest, and the gates define practical entry points. Group the southern pagoda and museum district separately. Lintong is not a quick addition to a wall walk; reserve a substantial block for the eastern archaeological sites.
Checked 2026-08-26
Getting around
Walk inside the walled centre and use the metro between the rail stations, southern cultural district and other urban zones. Xi'an's official English portal groups transportation with its visitor information. Confirm the current operator map for the final connection to Lintong sites, since the metro does not remove every road transfer between the city and individual archaeological entrances.
Checked 2026-08-26
Common questions
How many days should I spend in Xi'an?
A fixed stay length is not recorded. Build the visit around the walled centre and southern cultural district, then add Lintong and the eastern archaeological sites only when the available time supports a separate journey.
What is the best way to organise sightseeing in Xi'an?
Group places by district instead of crossing the city repeatedly. Start with the walled centre and southern cultural district; treat Lintong and the eastern archaeological sites as separate routes with their own travel allowance.
How do I get around Xi'an?
Use Walking, metro and city bus. Walk within compact clusters and consult the linked official transport information before making longer transfers or relying on a particular route.
Can I explore Xi'an mainly on foot?
Only within individual neighbourhood clusters. The main visitor areas are separated by distances, waterways, major roads or regional approaches, so longer links normally need public transport or a licensed vehicle.
Which Xi'an sights need separate transport planning?
Plan Lintong and the eastern archaeological sites separately from the walled centre and southern cultural district. Check the current route, return connection and any access requirements on the official source before departure.
Turn this list into a plan
Set your days, your pace and the hours you actually want to be out. The planner works around closing days and travel time, and leaves room to eat.