Xi'an: a first-timer's guide to the Terracotta Warriors city

Why visit Xi'an

When Rome was at its height, Chang'an, today's Xi'an, was one of the greatest cities on earth. The first emperor of a unified China, Qin Shi Huang, was buried just outside it with an army of thousands of life size clay soldiers, discovered by farmers digging a well in 1974. Later the Tang dynasty made the city a cosmopolitan crossroads of merchants, monks and diplomats. That history is everywhere, from the complete Ming city wall to the mosque in the Muslim Quarter.

Areas to know

• **Inside the city wall:** the Bell and Drum Towers, the Muslim Quarter and most hotels. The best base for first-timers.
• **South of the wall:** the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, the Shaanxi History Museum and the Tang Paradise park.
• **Lintong:** the district east of the city with the Terracotta Warriors, the Mausoleum of the First Emperor and the Huaqing Palace hot springs.

What to see and do

The Terracotta Warriors fill three pits under vast hangars. Pit 1 is the most famous, with rows of soldiers in battle formation, while Pits 2 and 3 show archers, chariots and the command post. A guide or audio guide helps hugely. Plan half a day, go early, and combine it with the nearby mausoleum park.

Back in town, rent a bicycle on top of the fourteen kilometre Ming city wall and ride the full circuit, ideally in the late afternoon. Visit the Shaanxi History Museum, one of China's finest, where tickets are released online and sell out quickly. See the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and its evening fountain show, and the Small Wild Goose Pagoda in its peaceful park. In the Muslim Quarter, find the Great Mosque, a beautiful blend of Chinese and Islamic architecture in quiet gardens behind the busy food streets.

For adventure, Mount Hua (Huashan) is about two hours away by high-speed train and bus, one of China's five sacred mountains, with cable cars, steep stone stairs and famously dizzying cliff paths.

Food

Xi'an is a noodle lover's city. Try biangbiang noodles, wide and hand pulled, roujiamo, often called the Chinese burger, and yangrou paomo, a lamb soup with torn flatbread. The Hui Muslim community's lanes around Beiyuanmen and Sajinqiao are lined with grilled lamb skewers, persimmon cakes and cold liangpi noodles.

Getting there and around

Xi'an North station has high-speed trains to Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu and Luoyang. Xianyang Airport, west of the city, is linked by metro. Tourist buses and metro Line 9 connect to Lintong for the Warriors, and ride hailing makes the trip straightforward.

Tips for a smooth visit

Book museum tickets and the Terracotta Warriors online in advance during holidays. Hire guides only from official counters at the site entrance rather than from people approaching you outside. Summers are hot and winter air can be smoggy, so spring and autumn are the most comfortable times.

A simple two day plan

Day one: the Terracotta Warriors in the morning, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and its fountain show in the evening. Day two: the Shaanxi History Museum, a bicycle ride around the city wall, then dinner in the Muslim Quarter and a stroll past the lit Bell and Drum Towers.