Travel Guide to Xi’an
Xi’an is a city rich with history going back thousands of years. It’s where Daren was born and where his family is from, which makes it all the more special to share this place with you. There are many amazing sites to see & food to try so be sure to check out our travel guide for some of the best spots!
Getting Around
The best way to get around will be ordering ubers aka didi’s through Wechat or asking the hotel to help you order a car. The train is another easy way to get around. You can purchase a subway ticket at the station, which has English available.
You should fly into Xi’an Airport (XIY) and you can take a taxi or order a Didi through Wechat to get to the hotel.
Please see below on setting up Wechat before you travel.
You’ll be staying at the Hualuxe Xi’an Tanghua over the wedding weekend.
This hotel is in a central location, with many things to do nearby.
Getting to the Hotel
Preparing Travel to China
We highly recommend downloading WeChat, the main messaging and payment app in China. With it, you can link your bank card to make payments, book taxis, and more.
Alipay
Alipay is another widely used payment app in China that lets you link your card for easy transactions. It’s the second most common way to pay and a handy backup to WeChat.
VPN
A VPN is essential when traveling to China. Without one, you won’t be able to access many of the apps and sites you probably use every day, like Instagram, gmail, or even certain web browsers. I personally use Anycast VPN, which costs around $10 a month, but there are plenty of other good options out there.
C-Trip
C-Trip is a handy website and app where you can find accommodation, book train or plane tickets, and book tickets to tourist sites like the Terracotta Warriors.
A good translator app!
Translate app
Baidu Translate app
Google Translate app
Site Seeing
The Terracotta Warriors are a massive collection of life-sized clay statues buried near the tomb of China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang (259–210 BCE), in the city of Xi’an. They were discovered in 1974 by farmers digging a well, and they are considered one of the greatest archaeological finds of the 20th century.
The Xi'an City Wall is a preserved 14km (8.7 miles) long Ming Dynasty fortification in Xi'an, China. Visitors can explore the wall by walking or renting a bicycle, taking roughly 2–3 hours to complete the loop.
Muslim Quarter
It’s best known for its lively food streets, where you can try local specialties like roujiamo (Chinese hamburger), lamb skewers, and hand-pulled biangbiang noodles. The area is also rich in culture, with landmarks such as the Great Mosque of Xi’an hidden among colorful stalls and souvenir shops.
We recommend going at night - the quarter comes alive with lights, aromas, and energy, making it one of the city’s must-visit spots for both food and history.
One of China’s best museums, showcasing artifacts from Xi’an’s time as the capital of multiple dynasties.
We recommend booking tickets well in advance as they are generally booked out.
Song of Everlasting Sorrow - Outdoor Musical
100/10 recommend! Daren & I went to this show last summer and it was incredible. It’s an outdoor musical drama performed at Huaqing Palace, located about an hour outside of Xi’an city. It brings to life the love story between Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty and his beloved consort Yang Yuhuan, inspired by the classic poem of the same name by the Tang poet Bai Juyi.
As it’s a bit outside of the city, it’s best to arrange a car to bring you there and back.