Quỳnh Nguyễn · reviewed on
Short answer: for 3 days in Xi'an, spend day 1 on the city wall and Muslim Quarter, day 2 on the Terracotta Army and Huaqing Palace, and day 3 at the Shaanxi History Museum and Giant Wild Goose Pagoda. Book Terracotta Army tickets in advance with your passport; the museum is free, with reservations opening 5 days ahead.
Xi'an was the capital of thirteen dynasties, the starting point of the Silk Road and the home of the Terracotta Army. I'm a Vietnamese-speaking guide based in Beijing; this plan follows the museums' current booking rules and WMO climate data.
3-day Xi'an itinerary
| Day | Morning | Afternoon | Evening |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrive, check in near the Bell Tower | City wall by bike | Bell Tower, Muslim Quarter |
| 2 | Terracotta Army and Lishan Garden | Huaqing Palace | Back to the centre |
| 3 | Shaanxi History Museum | Giant Wild Goose Pagoda | Station or airport |
Book as soon as your dates are fixed: Terracotta Army tickets and Shaanxi History Museum slots are both in your real name, and you must bring the passport you booked with.
Day 1: city wall, Bell Tower and Muslim Quarter
- Xi'an City Wall: an intact Ming-era wall you can cycle right around; best at dusk.
- Bell Tower: the landmark at the very centre of the city.
- Muslim Quarter: go in the evening for street food and atmosphere.
Day 2: do you need to book the Terracotta Army in advance?
Yes. Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum, which runs the Terracotta Army site, requires real-name reservations for every visitor, foreigners included. According to the official site, bmy.com.cn:
- Booking: on the official website with your passport details, or through the museum's WeChat accounts. The museum asks visitors to buy tickets online before coming.
- Daily cap: 65,000 visitors; ticket sales stop when it is reached.
- Hours: peak season (16 March-15 November) 8:30 am-5 pm, closing at 6:30 pm; low season (16 November-15 March) 8:30 am-4:30 pm, closing at 6 pm. In peak season, ticket checks stop at 5 pm.
- Two areas: the Terracotta Warriors Museum and Lishan Garden (the archaeological park of the emperor's mausoleum), about 1.5 hours each, linked by a free shuttle bus.
- At the gate: show your original passport for the ticket check.
My tip: arrive early to beat the crowds and have time for all three pits. With elderly parents, use the shuttle and rest between the two areas; it is a long day on your feet.
Huaqing Palace lies 30 km east of central Xi'an, right next to the Terracotta Army, so the two combine neatly in one day. It is the hot-spring palace of the Tang romance between Emperor Xuanzong and Yang Guifei, and the site of the Xi'an Incident. Tourist bus 5 (line 306) stops at Huaqingchi. In the evening you can watch the Tang-style show "Song of Everlasting Sorrow".
Day 3: Shaanxi History Museum and Giant Wild Goose Pagoda
The Shaanxi History Museum (91 Xiaozhai Donglu) is free, but you must book:
- Open 8:30 am-7 pm, Monday to Sunday, last entry 6 pm.
- Book 5 days ahead; new slots are released daily at 5 pm; 12,000 visitors a day maximum.
- Bring the same ID you booked with; late arrivals for a time slot are refused.
- Two no-shows without cancelling in a calendar year block bookings for 180 days.
- Children under 1.4 m or under 6 enter free with a booked adult (up to two per adult). Visitors aged 65 and over can enter without booking by showing their original ID.
- Metro: Xiaozhai station (Lines 2 and 3), 778 m away; Dayanta station (Lines 3 and 4), 834 m away.
The Giant Wild Goose Pagoda stands in the Great Temple of Benevolence and Kindness (Da Ci'en Temple), near Dayanta station. Its construction was supervised by the monk Xuanzang (602-664), who translated there the Buddhist scriptures he brought back from India, and it is part of the UNESCO World Heritage listing of the Silk Roads.
When is the best time to visit Xi'an?
April-May and October are the most pleasant. Summers are hot, winters cold and very dry, and September is the wettest month.
| Season | Average low to high | Average rain per month | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring (Mar-May) | 3.2 to 25.8°C | 26-65 mm | April-May are best |
| Summer (Jun-Aug) | 18.8 to 32.0°C | 51-93 mm | Hot, sightsee early |
| Autumn (Sep-Nov) | 2.8 to 24.7°C | 26-108 mm | September is the wettest month; October is lovely |
| Winter (Dec-Feb) | -4.2 to 7.7°C | 6-11 mm | Nights below 0°C, very dry |
1961-1990 climate averages from the WMO.
What to eat in Xi'an?
Xi'an is a paradise for street food:
- Roujiamo: tender braised meat in a crisp baked bun.
- Biangbiang noodles: wide, chewy noodles dressed with chilli and hot oil.
- Yangrou paomo: torn flatbread in a hearty mutton soup.
- Liangpi: cold noodles, sour, spicy and refreshing.
- Soup dumplings: popular here too.
The Muslim Quarter in the evening is the liveliest place to graze. With elderly parents, I order small portions so the family can taste more dishes.
Getting around Xi'an
Xi'an is well connected by high-speed rail and an international airport. In the city, the metro reaches many main sights, such as Xiaozhai and Dayanta stations for the museum and the pagoda. The Terracotta Army is about an hour east of the centre, by tourist bus or private car, and Huaqing Palace is on the same side of the city. See also booking China high-speed trains and the 10-day China itinerary to combine Xi'an with Beijing and Shanghai.
Do you need a guide in Xi'an?
Xi'an's sites mean much more with context, and real-name booking is easy to get wrong by a single letter of your passport details. A guide books the slots on time, sequences the days and tells the story behind each pit.
I'm a private guide based in Beijing and speak Vietnamese, English and Mandarin. I travel with groups of 1-8 guests across China and can plan the whole trip, with airport pickup, a private driver, a Chinese SIM and an interpreter. I quote per trip: see my services or request a quote.
Sources
- Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum, hours and booking (Chinese): bmy.com.cn
- Shaanxi History Museum visitor rules: en.sxhm.com
- Huaqing Palace: en.xa.gov.cn
- Giant Wild Goose Pagoda: en.xa.gov.cn
- Monthly climate averages (1961-1990): WMO
Frequently asked questions
What is the best 3-day itinerary for Xi'an?
Day 1: the city wall, the Bell Tower and the Muslim Quarter in the evening. Day 2: the Terracotta Army and Huaqing Palace, both in Lintong District east of the city. Day 3: the Shaanxi History Museum, free but by reservation, then the nearby Giant Wild Goose Pagoda.
Do I need to book Terracotta Army tickets in advance?
Yes. Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum requires real-name reservations for every visitor, foreigners included, on its official website with your passport details or through its WeChat accounts. It admits up to 65,000 visitors a day, and in peak season, 16 March to 15 November, ticket checks stop at 5 pm. Bring your original passport.
How do I book the Shaanxi History Museum?
Entry is free but needs a reservation: slots open 5 days ahead, released daily at 5 pm, with a cap of 12,000 visitors a day. The museum is open 8:30 am to 7 pm, last entry 6 pm; bring the ID you booked with. Visitors aged 65 and over can enter without a reservation by showing their original ID.
What is the best time to visit Xi'an?
April-May and October are the most pleasant. According to the WMO, July averages a high of 32°C, January a low of -4.2°C, and September is the wettest month with 108 mm. Winters are cold and very dry.
What to eat in Xi'an?
Roujiamo, braised meat in a crisp baked bun; wide biangbiang noodles with chilli oil; yangrou paomo, torn flatbread in mutton soup; and liangpi, cold, sour and spicy noodles. The Muslim Quarter in the evening is the liveliest place for street food.
