Xi'an, a city where the profound heritage of thirteen ancient dynasties blends with the vitality of a modern metropolis, is a must-visit destination for every cultural journey. Centered on the "Qin-Han Style and Tang Dynasty Charm", this guide arranges a 7-day itinerary following a historical timeline, balancing iconic site visits and immersive experiences. It also includes key notes, folk customs, and a guide to copyright-free images.
I. Key Pre-Travel Notes
1.Reservation Priority: Make a real-name reservation 7 days in advance for Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum. Secure tickets for Shaanxi History Museum 3-14 days in advance (set an alarm to catch ticket releases). Book the real-scene performance "The Song of Everlasting Sorrow" 5-7 days in advance. 2.Accommodation Recommendations: Prioritize areas near Bell Tower/South Gate for direct subway access to all attractions and convenient night visits to the City Wall. Second choice: around Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, adjacent to Datang Never Sleeps City. 3.Transportation Tips: The optimal combination is subway + shared bikes. Activate the "Xi'an Electronic Subway Card" on Alipay for seamless travel.
II. Daily Itinerary
Day 1: First Encounter with Chang'an · City Wall at NightCheck in after arrival. In the evening, climb the Ming City Wall from Yongning Gate and rent a bike to overlook the night view (avoid the scorching sun after 18:00). Head straight to Yongxingfang for dinner—recommended dishes include Zichang Pancakes and Puffed Oil Cakes, which boast more intangible cultural heritage characteristics than Huimin Street.
Day 2: The Great Qin Empire · The Grandeur of Terracotta ArmyGet up early, take Metro Line 9 and transfer to a bus to Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum. Visit in the order of "Pit 1 → Pit 3 → Cultural Relics Exhibition Hall" and hire a guide to explain the details of the bronze chariots and horses. In the evening, watch "The Song of Everlasting Sorrow" at Huaqing Palace, a real-scene dance drama recreating the love legend of the Tang Palace.
Day 3: Prosperity of the Tang Dynasty · Learning through MuseumsFocus on Shaanxi History Museum in the morning. Highlight the Treasures of the Tang Dynasty Exhibition (Hejiacun Hoard) and reserve 4 hours for an in-depth experience. After resting in the afternoon, visit Datang Never Sleeps City at night, check in for the "Unshakable Lady" performance, and enjoy the music fountain at the North Square of Giant Wild Goose Pagoda.
Day 4: Legacy of the Han Dynasty · Exploring Han YanglingVisit Han Yangling National Archaeological Site Park. View the Han Dynasty burial pits directly through the glass walkway—fewer tourists ensure a better experience. In the evening, wander around the Bell Tower to enjoy the night view, go deep into Dapiyuan beside Huimin Street, and taste Laomi's Pao Mo (crumbled bread in mutton soup).
Day 5: Huashan Challenge · Appreciating Spectacular LandscapesTake a high-speed rail (30 minutes) to Huashan Mountain. Choose the "West Peak Cableway Up, North Peak Cableway Down" route: take the West Peak Cableway up, climb South Peak (the highest point) and East Peak, then take the North Peak Cableway down to save energy.
Day 6: Immersive Tang Palace Experience · Hanfu ExplorationIn the morning, visit the Stele Forest Museum to appreciate Yan Zhenqing's authentic calligraphy works, or quietly tour Daxingshan Temple (the ancestral temple of Esoteric Buddhism). In the afternoon, rent Hanfu with makeup and hairstyling services, take photos at Chang'an Twelve Hours Theme Block, and watch the Tang Dynasty music and dance show "Empress Wu Zetian" in the evening.
Day 7: Closing with Local Life · Food ExplorationGo to Sajin Bridge early in the morning to eat Zenggao (glutinous rice with red dates and beans) and Hulutang (spicy soup), then buy Demao Gong Crystal Cakes as souvenirs. Before departure, wander around Bell and Drum Tower Square and take photos combining ancient and modern scenery.
III. Folk Customs and Food Guide
1. Folk Customs: Immersive Experience of Chang'an's Local Vitality
1.1 Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) Experience Scenarios: Yongxingfang is not only a food hub but also hosts shadow puppet shows and Huayin Laoqiang (a traditional folk music genre) performances from 10:00 to 16:00 daily. Visitors can operate shadow puppet props personally to experience the charm of "telling thousands of years of stories with one voice". At Shuyuanmen Cultural Street next to the Stele Forest Museum, renowned calligraphers create works on-site. You can customize exclusive calligraphy pieces and experience ancient rubbing techniques (approximately 50-100 yuan per piece) to take home unique cultural and creative souvenirs.
1.2 Festival-Specific Activities: During the Spring Festival, the City Wall hosts a Spring Lantern Festival, where hundreds of thousands of lanterns outline the city's silhouette, accompanied by ICH Shehuo (folk ritual performances) parades. On the Mid-Autumn Festival, you can participate in moon-worshipping ceremonies at the North Square of the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda and enjoy guqin performances and Tang poetry recitals. During the Cherry Blossom Festival at Qinglong Temple every April, Japanese tea ceremony performances are held, recreating the grand scene of cultural exchanges between China and Japan during the Tang Dynasty.
1.3 Local Etiquette Guidelines: When entering temples such as Daxingshan Temple and Qinglong Temple, please remove your hat and do not touch Buddha statues casually. When eating Pao Mo, you need to break the bread into pieces yourself—the smaller the pieces, the more flavorful the dish. Avoid tapping bowls and plates with chopsticks. When communicating with locals, you can address them as "Xiangdang" (a friendly term similar to "fellow townsman") to show kindness and respect.
2. Food Guide: A Gastronomic Journey from Street Snacks to Banquets
2.1 Must-Try Street Snacks (with Check-in Spots): For Roujiamo (meat sandwich), Zhang's Ziwulu Branch (Nanshaomen Store) is the top choice, with fatty but not greasy preserved meat and crispy bread crust. For Zenggao, "Fatty's Zenggao" in Sajin Bridge is recommended, featuring sweet and glutinous glutinous rice mixed with red dates and beans. Hulutang comes in two types: meatball spicy soup (Li Weiyi Meatball Spicy Soup, Lianhu District) and diced meat spicy soup (next to Jia San Baozi Shop). The former pairs well with preserved beef Roujiamo, while the latter goes better with Youbing (fried dough cake). For Liangpi (cold noodles), Qinzhen Rice Noodles (Qinzhen Old Street Store) is ideal, with chewy texture and rich garlic aroma.
2.2 Classic Shaanxi Cuisine Banquets: The Hulu Chicken (crispy chicken) at Zui Chang'an (Bell Tower Store) is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, requiring advance reservation. "Chang'an Grand Restaurant" in Qujiang Joy City specializes in creative Shaanxi cuisine, with exquisitely shaped Calligraphy Brush Pastries and Hulu Chicken that are perfect for taking photos. The Pao Mo Banquet and Dumpling Banquet at Laoxian Restaurant (East Street Store) demonstrate the craftsmanship of Shaanxi cuisine banquets, suitable for group dinners.
2.3 Drinks and Desserts: The fermented glutinous rice flavor and chili oil flavor ice cream at Shaanxi Thirteen (Shan Shisan) are uniquely local. Zenggao milk tea in Huimin Street combines tradition and modernity. Choose freshly brewed sour plum soup from street vendors to relieve greasiness when eating grilled meat. In winter, you can drink Huanggui Thick Wine, which has a low alcohol content and a fragrant osmanthus aroma, suitable for all ages.
2.4 Dining Tips: The main street of Huimin Street is crowded with tourists; it is recommended to go deeper into Dapiyuan and Xiyangshi alleys, where Laomi's Pao Mo and Ding's Spicy Crispy Pork are located. Most snack shops serve the most authentic food from 6:00 to 10:00 in the morning, and some old shops close after 3:00 p.m. Please note dietary taboos in halal restaurants and do not bring non-halal food inside.
IV. Recommended Featured Attractions in Xi'an
4.1 Must-Visit Core Landmarks
1. Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum: Known as the Eighth Wonder of the World, its core highlights include the complete military formation in Pit 1, the command center in Pit 3, and the bronze chariots and horses in the Cultural Relics Exhibition Hall. It is not only a direct presentation of Qin Dynasty military culture but also showcases the exquisite craftsmanship of ancient artisans through the gilding techniques and detailed patterns of the bronze chariots and horses. It is recommended to hire an official guide, avoid the midday heat, and visit in the order of "Pit 1 → Pit 3 → Exhibition Hall".
2. Xi'an Ming City Wall: The largest and best-preserved ancient city wall in China, with Yongning Gate (South Gate) as the preferred entrance. The best time to climb the wall is after 18:00 to avoid the scorching sun. You can rent a bicycle (45 yuan/100 minutes for a single person) to ride and overlook the old city's night view. The section from Yongning Gate to Anding Gate offers a clear view of the integration of the Bell Tower, Drum Tower, and modern buildings. You may also encounter cultural performances on the wall during holidays.
3. Shaanxi History Museum + Datang Never Sleeps City: The former is the "gene bank of Chinese civilization". The Treasures of the Tang Dynasty Exhibition (Hejiacun Hoard) features must-see artifacts such as the Gilded Agate Cup with Beast Head and the Gilded Silver Pot with Dancing Horse Holding a Cup Pattern. It is recommended to reserve 4 hours for an in-depth visit. The latter is adjacent to the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, with brilliant lights at night. Live performances such as the "Unshakable Lady" and "Dunhuang Feitian" are staged in turns, combined with the music fountain at the North Square (three performances daily at 12:00, 19:00, and 20:00) to create an immersive Tang Dynasty experience.
4. Huaqing Palace + "The Song of Everlasting Sorrow": A royal garden at the foot of Lishan Mountain, it features relics of Emperor Xuanzong and Concubine Yang Yuhuan's love, such as the "Begonia Hot Spring" and "Lotus Hot Spring", as well as the Bingjian Pavilion related to the Xi'an Incident. In the evening, watch the real-scene dance drama "The Song of Everlasting Sorrow", which uses Lishan Mountain as the backdrop and the lake as the stage. The combination of lighting effects and the plot recreates the grandeur of the Tang Palace. Tickets need to be booked 5-7 days in advance, and you must arrive on time.
4.2 Niche Cultural Hidden Gems
1. Han Yangling National Archaeological Site Park: The mausoleum of Liu Qi, Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty. Different from the "magnificence" of the Terracotta Army, this park allows visitors to look directly at the unexcavated burial pits through glass walkways. The neatly arranged pottery figurines, chariots, and daily necessities provide a better understanding of the social landscape during the "Rule of Wen and Jing" in the Han Dynasty. It has fewer tourists and offers a quiet experience.
2. Stele Forest Museum: China's largest "stone library", collecting more than 4,000 steles and epitaphs from the Han to the Qing Dynasties. Core highlights include the "Kaicheng Stone Classics", "Daqin Nestorian Stele", and authentic calligraphy works by famous calligraphers such as Yan Zhenqing and Liu Gongquan. The calligraphy art classroom in the museum also offers rubbing experience, suitable for cultural enthusiasts.
3. Daxingshan Temple: The ancestral temple of Esoteric Buddhism in the Sui and Tang Dynasties. The thousand-year-old ginkgo trees and Tang Dynasty stone Buddhas in the temple witness the changes of history. Away from the hustle and bustle, the buildings such as the Heavenly King Hall and Mahavira Hall retain the architectural style of the Tang Dynasty. It is crowded with worshippers but remains exceptionally quiet. Admission is free, making it suitable for quiet prayer or taking ancient-style photos.
4. Chang'an Twelve Hours Theme Block: An immersive Tang Dynasty cultural experience space that recreates the market scene in the TV series "The Longest Day in Chang'an". You can rent Hanfu (approximately 199-399 yuan/set including makeup and hairstyling) and wander between taverns and shops, participating in interactive games such as touhu (arrow throwing) and archery. The atmosphere is full when the lights are on at night, making it a popular internet-famous check-in spot.
4.3 Integration of Nature and Humanities
1. Huashan Mountain: Located 30 minutes by high-speed rail from Xi'an, it is famous for its "danger and grandeur". The recommended route is "West Peak Cableway Up, North Peak Cableway Down": take the West Peak Cableway up to climb South Peak (the highest point of Huashan, 2154.9 meters above sea level) and East Peak (the best spot to watch the sunrise), then take the North Peak Cableway down. This route saves energy while allowing you to experience the thrills of "Changkong Plank Road" and "Yaozi Fan Shen" (Tumbling Hawk). The mountain is like a fairyland when surrounded by clouds and mist.
2. Qinglong Temple: The ancestral temple of Esoteric Buddhism in the Tang Dynasty and a witness to cultural exchanges between China and Japan. In spring, when cherry blossoms are in full bloom, the temple is covered with pink clouds, making it the top choice for cherry blossom viewing in Xi'an. The Kūkai Monument and the Exhibition Hall of the Ancestral Temple of Shingon Buddhism in the temple tell the story of cultural exchanges between Chinese and Japanese monks during the Tang Dynasty.