Xian (西安 Xī'ān), or officially, Xi'an, pronounced roughly she-ahn, is a historic city in Shaanxi Province, China

Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi Province, with a 6,000-year history, was known as Chang'an in ancient times.

For over 1,000 years the city has been capital for 13 dynasties, and a total of 73 emperors ruled here. With so much history within the ground the city lies upon, it's no wonder that there are so many historical ruins and, in the museums, cultural relics. Even before the lives of Christ, Mohammad, and Siddhartha, Xi'an was a world class city and already influencing the world outside of The Great Wall of China. As the eastern terminus of the Silk Road（丝 绸之路), traders from far and wide brought goods and ideas for sale and took goods and ideas back with them to their communities. In the present times, not much of its former glory remains within the city due to warfare and constant political changes throughout the ages.

Get in

By plane

Xi'an Xianyang International Airport (IATA: XIY) is located 40 km northwest of the city centre. Flights are available to Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing, Dunhuang, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Harbin, Hohhot, Kunming, Lhasa, Lanzhou, Nanjing, Shanghai, Urumqi, Wuhan, and Xining within China, International flights are available to Bangkok, Hong Kong, Macau, Seoul as well as Nagoya, Fukuoka, Niigata, Tokyo and Hiroshima in Japan.

Most people use taxicabs or the airport bus to reach town from the airport. Be careful though, one of the airport buses (from the airport to the Drum Tower) will try their absolute best to sell you expensive plane tickets and then upon getting off the bus you'll be hounded by a few dozen more touts and a large concentration people begging for money that were all seemingly waiting for you to get off that bus. It's probably best to avoid this route and take the bus to the train station instead.

By train

There are plenty of trains transporting passengers to and from most of the major cities inside China. Located at the center of China, it often takes one day to travel from Xian to other cities by train.

Xian Station - located at the north end of Jiefang Lu (解放路）

Approximate journey times to other major cities:

Beijing 14-18 hours, Chengdu 16-27 hours, Chongqing 14 hours, Guangzhou 24 hours, Kunming 36-53 hours, Lanzhou 10-13 hours, Lhasa 36 hours, Shanghai 18-24 hours, Urumqi 31-56 hours, Wuhan 14-18 hours and Zhengzhou 7 hours.

In Xian, it is very convenient for you to get to the railway station by city bus wherever you are. But please pay attention that there are several stops around the station. Fortunately, all of them are no more than 200 meters from the station.

By bus

The main long-distance bus station is located across from main railway station

Approximate journey times to major local cities:

Huashan 2-3 hours, Lanzhou 8-10 hours, Luoyang 7-10 hours, Taiyuan 12 hours and Zhengzhou about 9-12 hours.

By car

Traffic is heavy, right of way is unheard of, the rule of thumb is keep going no matter what (although drivers do note red lights).

Orientation

Bell Tower （钟楼 Zhonglou)

The city is surrounded by a city wall, in its middle the Bell Tower (钟楼 Zhōnglóu). From this one, the four main streets descend into the four points of the compass.

North-Street (北大街 Běidàjiē)

East-Street (东大街 Dōngdàjiē)

South-Street (南大街 Nándàjiē)

West-Street (西大街 Xīdàjiē)

Don't get confused by different names in tourist guides, addresses and bus stops: Nandajie; Nanda-Street, South-Street; South-Avenue... are all the same.

Locals often speak about Within city walls and Outside city walls when talking about locations. Outside the walls, the southern part is the most interesting: it offers shopping streets, bars and some nightlife.

Get around

There are plenty of Buses departing everywhere in short-intervals (main lines every 5-10 minutes). If you are not confident enough with orientation, or if you don't liked packed buses, the cheap taxis are the best alternative, broadly available, except for rush hours.

By train

As of June 2007, Xi'An has broken ground on the North/South line; the first line. Officials claim it will take one year to build and once the North/South line is built, they will build an East/West line which is projected to take another year. Once North/South and East/West are completed (2009), a beltway is planned around the outside of the city.

By bus

There are buses leaving regularly for the Terracotta Warrior museum in front of the Xi'an bus station (opposite the train station, within the city walls). Take bus 306 from the central bus station. It will take you to a parking lot right in front of the museum site within 40 minutes. A one way ticket costs 7元. Alternatively, most hostels run tours to the warriors with an English speaking guide. These aren't necessarily better, be prepared to spend a good portion of the day (as with any Chinese tour) visiting "terracotta factories," "museums" and other tourist traps. But, you will get to your destination without dealing with the bus (the warriors are quite far outside of town) and not all of the public buses that go there are legitimate.

Regular buses within the city cost ¥1 (¥2 for air-conditioned, marked with a snow-flake) no matter how far you go.

By taxi

Watch the taxi drivers in Xian as the industry is not regulated as it is in other larger cities like Beijing. You may find yourself being taken on a long ride around town to get where you are going. It can also be difficult to convince them to take you anywhere - even to the railway station, if in doubt get your hotel or hostel to write down the place you want to go in Chinese. Trips within the city walls are generally in the ¥6 range; longer trips to the attractions south of the city are in the ¥12-20 range.

Some taxi drivers in Xian won't take you seriously when you tell them that you want to go somewhere and will drive off without you getting in. This is happens during knock off time which is usually 4:30-5:30 (a very inconvenient time). If you are not going in the direction of the taxi driver's home or knock off point they will not take you.

The rate is ¥6 for the first two kilometers and then ¥1.5 for every additional kilometer.

By bike

Fortunately Xian's main sites (with the notable exception of the Terracotta Warriors) are bunched fairly close together, so renting a bike is a good option. Be wary of the narrow streets and cars that squeeze you out of the way.

Work

Native English speakers can easily find jobs teaching English.

Buy

Souvenirs

If you are visiting the terracotta warriors, be prepared to meet some of the most hardcore hawkers you are likely to meet anywhere. If you keep quiet, they will usually bargain themselves down in front of you in desperate pleas for your money. Buy a 15 cm Terracotta warrior for ¥5-10 even if they offer it to you for ¥45. Wood-carved Buddhas and Dragons for about the same. They are fortunately kept at a distance from the actual site. Many travelers report enjoying this experience. It's definitely not a reason to avoid seeing the Terracotta Warriors. The exit from the pit areas to the parking lot leads through long avenues lined with souvenir stalls and shops. The barkers will try to get your business, but are not as aggressive as the touts at the entrance or immediate exits.

The best place to buy souvenirs in the city center is the bazaar area behind the Drum Tower in the Muslim Quarter around the Great Mosque. The seller usually offers you a very high price, and even if you bring them down by 50%, they will still make a big profit. This is also a good place to buy folk art, specifically folk style block prints in a single shop which go for about ¥50 if you can stand bargaining when the older gentleman artist himself is standing right there.

Tang Tricolored Pottery is a style that was lost and has now been recreated from pieces of pottery found in tombs. It is graphic in image and eye-pleasing in color. The factory recreating the style offers over 100 varieties of items, like statues, animals, and utensils.

Clothes

Xi'an is amazingly cheap for clothes

East Street (Dongda Jie), the eastern of those 4 big streets descending from the central Bell Tower, has regular fashion shops

South Street (Nanda Jie) has finer clothes and shoes (f.ex. Louis Vuitton).

Local youngsters buy in Baihuo Market（百货市场）in Xiaozhai (小寨), ¥10 by Taxi from city center. It's one of those fake-brand markets. Sport shoes should be less than ¥150, pullovers and nice jeans sometimes less than ¥100, lots of cheap fashion accessories. This is also a great place for DVDs and CDs but understand these are mostly pirate copies.

Kangfu Lu is outside the East city wall (straight through the North East Gate) and a great place for a bargain. Nothing is (bargained for) over ¥50 and most clothes can be bargained down to about ¥20 if you are really aggressive.

Books

English Language Bookstore - 349 Dongda Jie. Good selection of guide books, maps, Chinese language study books, modern and classic novels.

Eat

Yang Rou Pao Muo is one of the signature dishes of the area, it consists of a piece of bread and a kettle of lamb soup. The diner shreds the bread with his hands and places the shreds in a bowl, the soup is then poured over the shreds. The trick is to shred the bread into pieces that are as small as possible. Most first-timers will shred their bread in pieces that are too large. Tong Sheng Xiang Restaurant is recommended.

The Muslim Quarter is located close to the Drum tower and is a vibrant area with many restaurants spilling out onto the street and mixing with the street sellers

Street food (mostly sold after sunset, or some near night clubs/bars after 11PM) presents a variety of local/regional dishes, ranging from noodle soups, dumplings, hot pot, and so on by tens of little food vendors on street side, each with a red lamp.

Rou Jia Mo The closest thing to a beefburger, this is a local tradition and should be very easy to locate, sandwich like, with pork, beef or lamb, this is a must try item for anyone who is in this area.

Xiao long bao-zi, basket-steamed dumplings (one basket ¥3), common as a midnight snack. Look for its big brother "Da bao-zi" only available first thing in the mornings, like a steamed cornish pastie, but very nice.

Guan Tang bao-zi, steamed buns served with sauces inside.

xi'an has various snacks in the small streets.

Budget

A good way if you don't want the expensive hotel food or just want to try real Chinese cuisine, is to simply go into a small restaurant and point on your the dish somebody else is having and you will get a Meal for less than 元10 (seldom 元20) per person.

Wen Xin Jiaozi Guan (温馨饺子馆), 123 Xushimiao Jie (next to the Good World Hotel, off of Lian Hu Lu). A good cheap place for jiaozi (Chinese dumplings). There is no menu, but endless supplies of fresh jiaozi of many flavors, from ¥4-5 a bowl.

Mid-range

McDonalds, Pizza Hut, KFC or its Chinese brother, Dicos, are widely available within city walls for a change from the daily Chinese cuisine.

Highfly Pizza (高飞), down the right hand street after coming out of South Gate (南门). Real pizza and other western food

Small World Cafe address="Huancheng Nanlu Dongduan 90#, outside Jian Guo Gate" Run by a Dutch women. Great European cafe feel. Good food. Pizza, salad, fried chicken and real cake.

La Seine, Nandajie (南大街) near Bell Tower. French style restaurant

Tang Paradise Hotel, near the Wild Goose Pagoda in the Qujiang Resort of Xian. . Dinner Show in a large 165 acres theme park. The charm lies in that all the buildings in the park are built in the luxurious style of the Tang Dynasty. The best time to visit is at night when most of the shows, including fireworks and dances, are performed.

Real Love, [N34.23887 E108.93407] Zhuque Dajie (朱雀大街), opposite the Small Wildgoose Pagoda (小雁塔). Located on the 7th floor it also has a roof terrace with a view to the Small Wildgoose Pagoda. The place offers excellent Chinese food of different styles. An English menu is available. Try the Baby Lamb Leg or the Fried Dumplings With Diced Beef.

Il Satiro Danzante, Chang'an Metropolis Center - Building C 2nd Floor. An Italian food restaurant run by a native Sicilian who splits his time between Xi'An and Siena. It is located just outside the South Gate giving the rear dining room a fantastic view of the South Gate and South Wall. Newly opened and a lovely taste of Italy. Address: Chang’an Metropolis Center – Bldg. C – 2nd floor 88, Nanguanzheng Street – Xi’an – 710068 – P.R. China - Tel. +86 (29) 87651231 西安南关正街88号美美长安国际C座二层东侧 - 电话：029-87651231

Drink

Night clubs in Xian are not abundant since the hip-hop culture is not popular in the city. All clubs play the same music, a mix of Chinese disco and some pop music, but it might change slowly in future. But for now, don't expect latest charts or hiphop music. Most people go out between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m., but clubs are generally open until 4 a.m.

Along the short Nandajie (南大街) are the most clubs (you can also eat on the street after late midnight). You will easily find the MIX (big light ad) and its neighbour Palando. Both are rather places to sit and drink. If you want a dance floor, go along towards South Gate, on the same side there are first Night Cat with some foreigners and OK-DJs and Kulala.

In summer time, the area around South Gate (南门) is beautiful. East of it are three nice bars with terrace and garden.

1+1(pronounced "yi-jia-yi" for the taxi driver）remains one of the most popular clubs and definitely the most popular amongst foreigners. In the middle of Dongdajie, (东大街) the club has 2 dance floors: first floor is mostly J-pop music, second floor is mostly hiphop. There is a relaxed open air bar on the 5th floor which has live music every night.

The most popular club is probably Salsa in west street (pronounced sha-sha for taxk drivers) This club is your best bet on Fridays and Saturdays however yi-jia-yi is more consistent during the week.

Stay safe

Xian is, like other Chinese cities, generally quite safe. Just watch out for pickpockets (usually children) in crowds.

Pickpockets are more to be found during holidays. Pickpocketing is more likely to happen on the bus, in the East Street - the most properous commercial street in Xian, and some of the most crowded resorts like the North Square of the wild goose pagoda where there is a fountain show every night.

Cope

Look at the Beijing#Cope notes; they apply to Xi'an, too. Most importantly, take paper tissue with you to toilets.

Generally, Western style accommodation will have western toilets, whereas the very inexpensive guest house (zhao dai suo) will usually have squat toilets. If you need to use western toilets, learn to plan your day accordingly. Major tourist attractions will have western toilets.

If you arrive in Xi'an by train, try not to be overwhelmed when you exit Xi'an's train station. There are usually aggressive hotel tout's looking for customers. Just insist that you already have a place to stay and tell them no, with a serious faced, 不要！ / Bú yào！

It is a good idea to check your bags at the left luggage office and then go into town to look for accommodation. This way you will not be overwhelmed by the burden of carrying your heavy bags or luggage around.

Get out

Chen Lu Pottery, a 1 1/2 hour drive north of Xian, this community of potters has been producing pottery since the Tang dynasty and is well worth the look if pottery is your thing, private transportation recommended.

Hu Kou Waterfall (壶口瀑布 Húkǒu Pùbù) located 150km north of Xian, private transportation recommended; can be combined with a day trip to Huang Di Mausoleum

Huashan National Park approximately 2 hours by train or bus east of Xian. A 2000 metre mountain with spectacular views. It is possible to take the 2-3 hour (6km) walk up or take the 10 minute European built cable car for 元70. It is best to go for sun rise on the East peak. Take plenty of warm clothing for when the sun goes down. Basic accommodation is available, but can be quite pricey.