You feel like you’re in a dream in Xi’an as soon as it gets dark. Kilometers of streets decorated with lanterns, illuminated houses and statues amaze the Chinese and tourists alike. But not only the sea of lights in the streets around the Wild Goose Pagoda, but also the Terracotta Army and the largest city wall make a stay in Xi’an (Shaanxi) unforgettable.
Largest city wall in China
Xi’an was the first capital of the Chinese Empire under the Qin Dynasty. The city wall was built in the second half of the 14th century and is today the largest and best-preserved city wall in China. It is around 13.7 km long and 12 m high. Four gates to the north, east, west and south provide access to the city wall. You can visit the wall on foot, hire a bicycle or be transported comfortably in a small cart.
Ticket price: 54 RMB p.p. Recommended time for sightseeing: 2 hours
Illuminated city center
As soon as it gets dark, the streets around the Wild Goose Pagoda in the south-east of the city wall light up. It’s best to get off at the Dayanta metro stop and let yourself be enchanted by the lights. Whole sections of street, market stalls, trees and works of art make the evening unforgettable. Food and drinks are available everywhere.
2,200-year-old warriors of the terracotta army
China’s first emperor (Qín Shǐhuángdì) had around 8,000 life-size clay warriors built. They were to protect him in the afterlife after his death. This is why the terracotta army is part of the Qin Shihuangdi Mausoleum. Construction began as early as 246 BC. Over a period of 36 years, almost 700,000 imperial craftsmen from the people created the terracotta warriors as well as weapons and horses from clay.
Because Qín Shǐhuángdì died unexpectedly at the age of 49, the work had to be interrupted. The terracotta army remained a secret and, after the emperor, all the craftsmen involved were probably buried so that no one knew about it. It was not until two thousand years later, in 1974, that a group of farmers discovered the clay warriors by chance.
Excavations are still taking place today. Visitors can admire the terracotta army in three halls. Most of the warriors are in the main hall (pit 1). In Hall 2, you can see craftsmen at work and individual warriors displayed in showcases. And in the smallest hall, Hall 3, there are only a few warriors. We recommend doing Hall 1 at the end, otherwise you will be disappointed by the other two halls.
The Terracotta Army is located in the east of Xi’an and can be reached by public transport. The best way to calculate the route is with Amap (Gaode Maps). From Fangzhicheng station, take metro (subway) no. 9 to Huaqingchi and at exit C, take bus no. 613 (602) to the ticket office for 5 RMB per person. The ticket office is a huge building that is hard to miss.
Ticket price: 120 RMB p.p. Recommended time for sightseeing: 3 hours
Hiking day on Mount Huashan
Mount Huashan (Huà Shān) is one of the five sacred mountains in Shaanxi Province. It is known for its beautiful views and one of the most dangerous hiking trails in the world (Plank Trail). Fortunately, there are many alternatives and you can also go hiking without risking your life. There are various hills (peaks) that you can climb. As we prefer to walk up stairs instead of down, we decided on the following route: North Peak- Middle Peak- East Peak- West Peak. We liked the views from North Peak and East Peak the best. Another highlight was the half-hour gondola ride from West Peak down to the valley.
Although the train ride from Xi’an to Huashan North Station only takes 30 minutes, it takes at least two hours to get to the top. This is because you have to queue several times and buy tickets for the bus, park and gondola separately. There are two gondola lifts that take tourists up the mountain. Most Chinese only go to West Peak. We didn’t have to queue as long for the cable car to North Peak. On the mountain, you can then decide which route you want to take. Of course, as is usual in China, there are only stairs and no hiking trails as we know them.
Ticket price: Total 350 RMB per person, consisting of 5 RMB (bus from the tourist center at the train station to the park entrance) + 80 RMB (park entrance and bus to the valley station of the gondola) 80 RMB (gondola up to North Peak) + 140 RMB (gondola down from West Peak) + 40 RMB (bus from the valley station to the city) + 5 RMB (bus to the train station) Recommended time for sightseeing: 1 day
Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang
The Longmen Grottoes are located on the banks of the Yi River near the city of Luoyang. There are over 2,300 caves and niches, 80 pagodas and 110,000 Buddha statues to discover in the rocks. The largest Buddha (Vairocana) is taller than 17 meters. Construction began in 493 at the time of the Northern Wei and Tang dynasties. Construction took around 400 years.
Most of the statues and caves are on the west side of the river, which you visit first. Then a bridge crosses the Yi River and on the east side you can walk up the stairs to the Xiangshansi Temple, for example. There are many restaurants and stores before and after the attraction.
Several trains run daily from Xi’an to Luoyang Longmen Station. The journey takes 1.5 hours. From Luoyang Longmen Station, there is a No. 71 bus that takes tourists to the grottoes for 1.50 RMB each way. Alternatively, you can first take metro line 2 and then bus no. 53. From the bus stop, walk about 100 meters to the ticket office.
Ticket price: 90 RMB per person (with Wechat) Recommended time for sightseeing: 4 hours
