Brief Introduction of Xian City

Written by Clementine | Updated October 27,2025

Xian, located in the middle of the fertile Guanzhong Plain with Weihe River in the north and Qinling Mountains in the south, is one of the birthplaces of Chinese civilization and the cradle of the Chinese nation.

It is one of the four famous ancient capitals in the world and ranks first among the ancient capitals of China as it was used as a capital for the longest time in China’s history.It served as a capital for the largest number of dynasties (the exact number is 13), and it was the most influential capital.So, how long did Xian serve as China’s capital? In total, its history of being the capital of China is more than 1,100 years. Therefore, Xian was once China’s political, economic and cultural center and the first city to open to the outside world.

Let’s delve deeper. What is Xian’s role in the history of the Silk Road? In Western Han Dynasty  (202BC — AD8), as the capital, Xian became the starting point in the east in ancient Silk Road. Chinese silk, tea and porcelain spread across the world through this great road since then. Till the prosperous Tang Dynasty, it turned to be the global center. During this period, envoys, merchants and international students gather here. So not only good, various cultures exchange here.

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• Must-Visit Historical and Cultural Attractions
• Exploring the Heart of the City and Local Life
• Beyond the City Center: Extended Experiences
• Xian Today: A Blend of History and Modernity
• Savoring Xi’an: A Culinary Journey
• Practical Tips for Your Xi’an Visit
• Plan Your Memorable Xian Vacation with China Xian Tour

Must-Visit Historical and Cultural Attractions

The “eighth wonder of the world” — Qin Shi Huang’s Terracotta Army stands right in the Lintong District of Xian. The long history and more than 6,000 years (as archaeological excavation shows) of cultural accumulation make Xian a “Natural History Museum”. Nowadays, over 10 million permanent residents live in this 10,752 square kilometers area, and Xian continues to attract more people because this amazing city becomes better with each passing day. It’s a perfect place to learn about China’s past and see what’s happening right now in the country.

Xian is home to a lot of historical sites. It was named as a World Famous Historical City by UNESCO as early as 1981. It really has plenty to offer visitors. The Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum surely needs no introduction. No one misses this world-renowned site on their Xian trips. Tourists can easily spend a couple of hours marveling at the over 8,000 life-size clay soldiers and taking in the fascinating history. The Ming Dynasty City Wall, built more than 600 years ago, is the largest and most complete surviving city wall in China. The best way to explore the City Wall is making the round of it on a bicycle. If you get to Xian by a normal train, you will see the wall towering in front of you as you exit from the train station.

If you didn’t already know, the classical Chinese novel Journey to the West is based on the experience of master monk Xuanzang who went on a pilgrimage to India for Buddhist scriptures in the Tang Dynasty. After he get back to Chang’an (Xian was called Chang’an in ancient times), Big Wild Goose Pagoda was built to preserve the Buddhist sutras and statues he brought back. Visitors can climb to the top of the pagoda to have some spectacular views of the city. Kill two birds with one stone by visiting Shaanxi History Museum on the same day as the museum and the pagoda are about only 2 kilometers away from each other. You totally can do it on foot or by bus. Shaanxi History Museum truly is a treasure house with a rich collection spanning more than one million years. Those precious cultural relics will tell you the splendid history and culture of Shaanxi Province.

How Many Days Are Needed to See the Main Attractions in Xian?

3 – 5 days is an ideal period that allows you to tour all the top tourist attractions in Xian, including Terracotta Warriors, the Old City Wall, Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, etc.

Exploring the Heart of the City and Local Life

Bell Tower and Drum Tower in the very heart of Xian are landmark buildings of the city. They look very impressive at night with lights on, and for shopping lovers, there are some shopping centers in the surrounding area. If you are craving for yummy local food, Muslim Quarter is the right place to go. Strolling down the bustling street in the stream of people, you just indulge yourself in the temping aroma of various snacks and try some here and there. BTW, don’t miss the unique Great Mosque hidden in the alleys.

But, what is the difference between the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower?

Both of them are used to tell time in ancient China. The main difference is that Bell Tower hangs a big bell and Drum Tower is used to house a large drum. The former one rings in the early morning, which means city gates are open and the day begins. While the latter is usually beaten in the evening. At this time, the city gates will be closed and the day ends.

Beyond the City Center: Extended Experiences

If you think that’s all you can do in Xian, here are some simple questions for you. Just give “yes” or “no”. Have you watched the wonderful performance The Song of Everlasting Sorrow at the very place where the tragic love story between Emperor Xuanzong and Lady Yang took place 1,200 years ago? Have you conquered the most precipitous mountain under heaven, Huashan Mountain? Have you experienced the interesting shadow play and other folk customs at Gao Family Courtyard? Have you walked around the Huancheng Park to have a glimpse of the life of local people?

Xian Today: A Blend of History and Modernity

Through thousands of years of development, Xian is considered as a city blending history and modernity perfectly now. Except for the ancient core area located inside the city wall, there are also some districts that have developed quite fast in the past decade. The Xiaozhai Business Circle in Yanta District has been a new and popular shopping district for both locals and tourists. The most famous SEGA Shopping Mall is situated there. Besides, with the development of high technology, Gaoxin District has been the top High-Tech Industrial Development Zone. Several industrial parks and enterprise headquarters are established here. Another highlight is the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Datang Everbright City, and Tang Paradise in Qujiang New District. The ancient architectures and various cultural performances there attract numerous tourists every year.

Savoring Xi’an: A Culinary Journey

In Xian, the delicious food is not only a feast for the taste, but also a key to experience the local culture. One of the top recommended is definitely the lamb paomo. The local prefers to tear the steamed buns into small pieces by themselves and then wait for the chef to cook with their own secret broth and skills. It is recommended to try it by yourself. Then where can you try it? The Muslim Quarter will be a nice choice. The Lao Sun Jia Lamb Paomo in the street is a time-honored brand, so do not miss it. Besides, as the residential zone for the Hui nationality, there are also various authentic halal cuisines here, such as cold noddle with sesame, basin mutton, etc.

Of course, the traditional flavors of Han Nationality are also worth trying. The cold noodles, roujiamo, Biangbiang noodles are the most famous and must-try local foods. To taste these foods, Sajinqiao Food Street is another recommended place. If you are searching the most authentic Shaanxi cuisines as a big dinner, De Fa Chang Restaurant and Xi An Fan Zhuang Restaurant are the two time-honored brands.

Practical Tips for Your Xi’an Visit

Best Time to Visit

Generally speaking, spring and autumn are the two seasons recommended for tourists. Because compared with summer and winter, there are fewer tourists and more sunny days. Besides, the weather is neither too hot nor too cold. So tourists can tour both indoor and outdoor scenic areas more leisurely and comfortably.

Getting Around and Connectivity to Popular Cities

To travel inside Xian, metro has been the first choice for almost all tourists because of its efficiency and convenience. And you can get to almost all the core scenic spots by metro, such as Bell Tower, Shaanxi History Museum, and Big Wild Goose Pagoda. To facilitate tourists who plan to the Terracotta Warriors and Huaqing Palace, the line 9 is put into operation in recent years.

As for the transportation to the popular cities, high-speed train is highly recommended. Xian North Railway Station is the largest and most important train station in the northwest China, where you can take high-speed trains to nearly all the hot tourism cities in 4 – 8 hours. In addition, flight is also a nice choice. Since Xian is located in the center area of China, so most cities can reached in about 3 hours by direct flight.

Book tickets for popular sites in advance

“No reservation, no entry” has been a basic rule for a visit to the hot scenic spots in Xian, so booking the ticket in advance has been the first thing tourists should do after determining the itinerary. And to avoid wasting time in queuing up and leave more time to go sightseeing, it is also necessary to buy tickets earlier.

Plan Your Memorable Xian Vacation with China Xian Tour

Xian is a wonderful place and definitely worth your precious time. You will have a lot of fun here. It’s easy for you to navigate the city by bus, taxi and metro and also very convenient for you to go to other popular Chinese cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu by high speed train and flight. If you are interested in visiting Xian in the future, please feel free to contact China Xian Tour for any information. We will be very glad to share what we know about our lovely city and try our best to help you plan your ideal tours.

Extend Your Xian Tour to Mount Huashan

One of the Five Great Mountains in China, Mt. Hua is also a must-visit sight for nature lovers. But, is Mount Huashan easily accessible from Xian? Yes. There are several ways to get there from Xian. And now, the easiest way is the high-speed train from Xian North to Huashan North Railway Station (about 30 minutes). After getting off, the free shuttle bus at the exit can transfer you to the tourist center.