Xi'an Travel Guide

All Guides In This Hub

Things to Do in Xi'an

Top attractions ranked and grouped by area.

Terracotta Warriors Guide

Tickets, tips and what's in Pits 1, 2 and 3.

Giant Wild Goose Pagoda Guide

Tang-dynasty history and what to see at Da Ci'en Temple.

Xi'an City Wall Guide

Cycling routes, gates and how to plan a loop.

Muslim Quarter & Great Mosque Guide

Hui Muslim history, street food streets and mosque-visiting tips.

Bell Tower & Drum Tower Guide

What each tower is and how they fit into a city-center day.

Xi'an Itinerary: 1, 2 & 3 Days

Day-by-day plans that sequence every highlight efficiently.

Xi'an Food Guide

Biangbiang noodles, roujiamo, yangrou paomo and where to eat in the old city.

How Xi'an Fits Together

Most first-time Xi'an trips split into a half-day Terracotta Warriors excursion plus old-city highlights inside or near the wall:

• Terracotta Warriors: a half-day (or longer) trip east of the city — pits, tickets and transport pacing matter more than rushing multiple city sights the same morning.
• Old-city core: City Wall, Muslim Quarter & Great Mosque, and the Bell & Drum Towers cluster well on foot or by short taxi hops.
• Giant Wild Goose Pagoda: south of the wall — often paired with evening light shows or a quieter temple visit when you have a second full day.

Start with things to do in Xi'an, then shape days with the 1–3 day itinerary.

Choose by Number of Days

• 1 day: Terracotta Warriors half-day, then City Wall or Muslim Quarter in the late afternoon/evening.
• 2 days: keep one warriors day and one old-city day (wall, towers, Muslim Quarter food).
• 3 days: add Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, slower food stops, or a museum/evening show without compressing the warriors visit.

See the full itinerary guide →

What About Food?

Xi'an food is a trip highlight on its own — biangbiang noodles, roujiamo, yangrou paomo and Muslim Quarter street snacks. See the Xi'an food guide for what to order and how to fit meals into a city day.

Main Planning Constraints

• The Terracotta Warriors site is outside the old city — treat it as its own half-day with transfer time, not a quick stop between wall gates.
• Popular sites and food streets get crowded in peak season; early starts and evening wall/Muslim Quarter walks usually feel calmer.
• We do not quote prices on this guide — send your dates and group size through an inquiry for a confirmed quote.

Xi'an Private Tours

If you would rather hand off timing and tickets, we arrange private routes with hotel pickup around the same highlights covered in this guide.

• Xi'an Terracotta Warriors Tour — warriors visit with practical pacing and transfer support.
• Contact DragonTrail — custom city + warriors days for your group size.

Terracotta Warriors Tour

Get a Xi'an Plan

Tell us your dates, group size, and whether the warriors day is a priority. We reply with a realistic route and quote — no obligation to book.

Request a Quote