Smart Self-Managed Tours

City guide · China

Xi'an

A photograph of Xi'an
Photograph · ScareCriterion12 · CC BY-SA 4.0

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

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

Suggested stay
Not recorded
Getting around
Walking, metro and city bus
  1. January: no seasonality data recorded
  2. February: no seasonality data recorded
  3. March: no seasonality data recorded
  4. April: no seasonality data recorded
  5. May: no seasonality data recorded
  6. June: no seasonality data recorded
  7. July: no seasonality data recorded
  8. August: no seasonality data recorded — this month
  9. September: no seasonality data recorded
  10. October: no seasonality data recorded
  11. November: no seasonality data recorded
  12. December: no seasonality data recorded

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

  1. Small Wild Goose Pagoda Small Wild Goose Pagoda
    02 45 min

    Small Wild Goose Pagoda

    The Small Wild Goose Pagoda is a historic Buddhist pagoda in Xian, China. Its local name is 小雁塔.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  2. Daming Palace Daming Palace
    03 45 min

    Daming Palace

    Daming Palace National Heritage Park is a major archaeological site and heritage park in Xi'an, China. It preserves the remains of Daming Palace, which served as the imperial palace complex of the Tang Dynasty.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  3. Qinglong Temple Qinglong Temple
    04 45 min

    Qinglong Temple

    Qinglong Temple, known locally as 青龙寺, is a historic Buddhist temple site in Xi'an, China. The temple holds significance in Chinese religious history, particularly associated with Esoteric Buddhism.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  4. 永兴坊 永兴坊
    05 45 min

    永兴坊

    Yongxingfang is a cultural and culinary destination in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province. The area represents a heritage-focused commercial zone that showcases regional Shaanxi culture through reconstructed traditional architecture and concentrated food offerings.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  5. 永宁门 永宁门
    06 45 min

    永宁门

    Yongning Gate is the southern gate of Xi'an's historic city wall, one of the most complete ancient urban fortifications surviving in China. The gate stands as a prominent landmark at the southern perimeter of the walled old city.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  6. 安远门 安远门
    07 45 min

    安远门

    Anyuan Gate, known locally as 安远门, stands as one of the preserved gates in Xi'an's historic city wall system. The gate represents a significant component of the Ming dynasty fortifications that once encircled the ancient capital.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  7. 长乐门
    08 45 min

    长乐门

    Changle Gate, known locally as 长乐门, is one of the preserved gates in the ancient city wall of Xi'an, China.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  8. 安定门
    09 45 min

    安定门

    Anding Gate, known locally as 安定门, stands as one of the historic city gates of Xi'an, the ancient capital of multiple Chinese dynasties. Xi'an's formidable city walls rank among the most complete surviving examples of ancient Chinese fortifications.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  9. Maoling
    15 45 min

    Maoling

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  10. Xianyang
    17 45 min

    Xianyang

    • High
    • Historic monument
  11. Duling
    21 45 min

    Duling

    • High
    • Historic monument

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

All places in this city

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.

Plan Xi'an