Meals: on your own

Morning / Afternoon

Arrive in Xi’an and check in at your hotel. Take time to relax after your journey.

Evening

Experience the city’s charm at your own pace:

Watch Shaanxi-style crosstalk, opera, or stand-up comedy at Qingqu Club (Baishulin) or Yisu Society (Anban Street).

Or unwind in Defu Alley, famous for its “tea street” lined with cafés and teahouses blending Chinese elegance with modern style. Sip, chat, and feel the old city come alive under soft lantern light.

Meals: lunch included

Morning

Depart for Lintong District to visit the Museum of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses, part of the Mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. Recognized as the Eighth Wonder of the World and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this underground army of over 8,000 life-sized warriors and horses guards the tomb of China’s first emperor.

Walking through these ancient corridors feels like entering a silent battlefield frozen in time.

Afternoon

Enjoy Da Qin Beef Hotpot for lunch, then visit Huaqing Palace (Huaqing Hot Springs)—a 3,000-year-old royal garden nestled at the foot of Mount Li. Once a favorite retreat of emperors and courtesans, it reached its peak during the Tang Dynasty when Emperor Xuanzong and his beloved Lady Yang Guifei bathed in its springs.

Here, steam rises from timeless waters, blending legend, romance, and empire.

Evening (Optional):

Attend The Empress of the Great Tang, a grand dance-drama that traces the life of Empress Wu Zetian, China’s only female emperor. This visually stunning performance brings Tang court politics, ambition, and beauty to life on stage.

Meals: on your own

Morning

Start your day with a taste of local life at Xiaonanmen Morning Market, where the aroma of steamed buns, spicy beef soup, and glutinous rice cakes fills the air beneath the ancient walls.

Continue to the Xi’an City Wall, one of the oldest and best-preserved fortifications in China. Walk or cycle along the ramparts—feel the wind on your face as you ride between the echoes of ancient Chang’an and the hum of modern life.

Afternoon

Enjoy a hands-on culinary experience with Yangrou Paomo, Xi’an’s signature dish of crumbled bread in slow-simmered mutton broth. Tear the dense flatbread into tiny “sesame-seed” pieces and let the chef transform it into a fragrant, comforting bowl that defines the city’s soul.

Then visit the Great Mosque and explore the surrounding Muslim Quarter, where history, religion, and food blend harmoniously. Try street snacks like lamb skewers, Jiasan soup dumplings, or Zenggao rice cake as you wander.

End the day at the Gao Family Courtyard, a 400-year-old mansion showcasing shadow puppetry—China’s earliest “animation” art form—performed with music, lights, and exquisite hand-carved figures.

Evening

Stroll to the Bell and Drum Towers Square, Xi’an’s heart and symbol since the Ming Dynasty. As night falls, the towers illuminate, and the sound of the evening chime mingles with the rhythm of the city—Xi’an’s eternal heartbeat.