Xi'an
Eastern terminus of the Silk Road and home of the Terracotta Army — the ancient capital every history-loving Westerner comes for.
Best time
April–May and September–October
Suggested stay
2–3 days
Getting there
Direct high-speed trains from Beijing (~4.5–6 h) and to Chengdu (~3.5–4 h).
Don't miss in Xi'an
The experiences Western travelers rate highest here.
Terracotta Army
8,000 life-size soldiers, each with a unique face, buried for 2,200 years — the greatest archaeological find of the 20th century.
Ancient City Wall
China's most complete ancient city wall — 14 km around the old town. Rent a bike and ride the full loop at sunset.
Muslim Quarter
A 1,000-year-old Silk Road food street — lamb skewers, hand-pulled biangbiang noodles and a Ming-era mosque in Chinese garden dress.
Big Wild Goose Pagoda
The Tang-dynasty pagoda built to house Buddhist scriptures carried from India — night fountain shows on the square outside.
Mount Hua
One of China's five sacred peaks — vertiginous plank paths bolted to a cliff face, 30 minutes away by high-speed rail.
Keep exploring
More destinations at the same level of the journey.
Beijing
The capital and the single strongest draw for Western tourists — Great Wall, Forbidden City and 3,000 years of imperial history on one subway map.
Shanghai
China's gateway city and the #1 inbound destination for both American and European visitors — colonial waterfront meets Blade Runner skyline.
Guilin & Yangshuo
The karst landscape on the 20-yuan note — the scenery Westerners picture when they imagine 'China'.
Chengdu
Pandas, hotpot and teahouse life — the laid-back Sichuan capital that became a top-5 inbound city in 2025.