As one of the acient capitals of China, Xi’an top tourist attraction is the nearby Terra-Cotta Warriors. The large city is easy to navigate through the combination of taxis, tuk-tuks, subway, and foot. Like many other cities in China, Xi’an had a heavy pollution haze during our visit.
Things to Do
1) Terra-Cotta Warriors
Bus 306 departs from the east side of the mail railway station about every 5 minutes. The journey time varies based on traffic. Pay the 7 yuan on the bus and get off at the final stop. Note: Bus 914, which is labeled with Terra-Cotta Warriors will also get you there at a much higher price (30 yuan).
The Terra-Cotta Warrior Museum is the premier site to visit in Xi’an. The site is expensive and full of tourist trying to elbow their way towards the railing for a good snapshot of the warriors. Building 1 has the largest number of warriors on display. Building 2 has a handful of warriors on display in glass enclosures, which provide visibility to some of the more granular details of these historical works. Be prepared to be pushed and elbowed!
2) Xi’an City Walls
Rent bikes or walk on the re-built historical city walls. A full lap around the walls is 14km and will take approximately 4 hours to walk. Enter from any of the major gates (North, East, South or West). The views are nothing extraordinary or special.
3) Giant Wild Goose Pagoda
Located southeast of the city walls, this pagoda dates back to the Tang Dynasty in the seventh century. Unfortunately, we only caught a glimpse of this towering pagoda from our train as we left town.
Accommodation Options
Sheraton Xian North City
Located about 2km north of the city walls, 3km from the main railway station, and just steps away from Longshouyuan stop on line 1 of the subway. A large five star hotel is popular with tour groups and has 3 (expensive) restaurants onsite. Not to mention a Concierge lounge if you are a Starwood Platinum member or upgrade to the Concierge Floor. Below is the hotel information in English & Chinese:
SHERATON XIAN NORTH CITY HOTEL
西安赛瑞喜来登大酒店（城北）
32 Wei Yang Road, Xian, Shaanxi 710014, P. R. China
中国陕西省西安市未央路32号 邮政编码：710014