This analogy describes the importance of Xi'an in Chinese history: Beijing is the top of the historical tree, but Xi'an is the root. The foundational parts of Chinese history are buried in Xi'an, with a collection of precious heritage sites, such as the world-famous Terracotta Army, Big Goose Pagoda, and the world's grandest ancient city wall. Take a history discovery trip to Xi'an.

Apart from the historic attractions there, the local culture — West China meets East China — is also intriguing. Try the characteristic local snacks.

Choose from Xi'an's Top 10 Attractions
The table below ranks the 10 most popular  Xi'an attractions, and gives times so you can see what you can fit into your itinerary. Choose what you like and we can tailor-make your itinerary for you.

Attraction Rank Attraction type Travel time from Xi'an city center Average time for a visit Time of day Note
the Terracotta Army 1 Historic site 1 hour 3 hours Daytime A world's eightd wonder contender
the Ancient Wall 2 Historic site 10 minutes 2.5 hours Daytime or evening China's best-preserved ancient city wall
Shaanxi History Museum 3 Historic artifacts 0.5 hour 3 hours - half a day Daytime the treasure-house of China
Big Wild Goose Pagoda 4 Historic site 0.5 hour 2.5 hours Daytime or evening the symbolic architecture of ancient Xi'an
the Great Mosque 5 Historic site 10 minutes 1.5 hours Daytime
Qianling Mausoleum 6 Historic site 1.5 hours 3 hours Daytime
Mount Hua 6 Scenic area 2 hours 1 day - 2 days Daytime Famous for its ruggedness and beauty
Hukou Waterfall 7 Scenic area 5.5 hours 2 hours Daytime the Yellow River's most famous waterfall
Drum Tower 8 Historic site 10 minutes 1 hour Daytime
Huaqing Hot Spring 9 Historic site 1 hour 2 hours Daytime
Hanyang Mausoleum 10 Historic site 0.5 hour 3 hours Daytime