1.5 Hours from Xi'an: A 3-Day, 2-Night Luoyang Food and Fun Guide

This is the cradle of Chinese civilization, the starting point of the Silk Road, an ancient capital for millennia, and the city of peonies—this is Luoyang. Many people are torn between "Xi'an vs Luoyang," but I suggest you visit both! Follow Sister Hu from Chang'an and dream your way back to Luoyang.

Departing from Xi'an, you'll reach Luoyang in an hour and a half. The Luoyang Longmen Station, surrounded by pink blossoms, is filled with spring romance.

Day 1: Xi'an - Luoyang Hotel - Yingtian Gate - Luoyang Cross Street

Day 2: White Horse Temple - Luoyang Museum - Longmen Grottoes (Night Tour)

Day 3: National Peony Garden - "Searching for the Luo River Goddess" Performance - Return to Xi'an

Day 1: First Impressions of the City - Luoyang Huamao Chunsong Hotel

I booked this Sui-Tang culture-themed designer hotel on a whim before departure. It's located west of Luoyang Longmen High-Speed Railway Station, about an eight-minute walk away. For me, comfortable accommodations are key to enjoying the trip and developing a fondness for the destination.

The hotel is located in the Luoyang Dahehui Commercial Center, easily found by following the signs.

Upon entering the hotel, a very pleasant fragrance wafts over you. My first thought was: I chose the right hotel; the attention to detail shows how much care the hotel puts in. The overall color scheme is magnificent—the combination of turquoise and ochre feels quite opulent. Wearing ancient costume, you can dream back to the Sui-Tang era.

Hotel staff explained that the ceiling is a "Hetu" (River Map) woven with brilliant lights, while the floor is a "Luoshu" (Luo Writing) reflected by the lights, with traces of Heluo culture everywhere.

After checking in at the front desk, the helpful hotel staff took my luggage and led me to my room. The hotel uniform colors are really nice.

I stayed in the "Tianliang" King Room—each room name has a cultural story. The room uses contactless smart entry, which is very high-tech. The hotel has many noteworthy details; even the back of the room card holder thoughtfully includes a sightseeing map.

Drinks in the mini-fridge are free, and the 1.5L large bottle of C'estbon water is truly memorable—perfect for a water lover like me. There are also capsule coffee, specialty tea/tea sets, and Luoyang's local drink Haibi.

The room has a separate wet and dry area; the lavender-scented toiletries smell wonderful. The bathroom is equipped with disposable toilet seat covers.

The dual vanity design is great—two people don't have to fight over the sink. Besides the necessary disposables, there's also mouthwash. I suggest the hotel add disposable razors.

There are also disposable loofahs and bath bags, so you can take a nice relaxing bath when you return at night.

It's also pleasant to lie in the hotel and drink tea. If you get hungry, you can eat at the nearby commercial street or order takeout—the small robot can deliver it to your room (even many five-star hotels can't deliver to the room). As a fried chicken lover, I ordered some to enjoy—after all, the hotel has a gym to burn off the calories.

The hotel gym is spacious, with regular equipment, a yoga room, and a fitness mirror. Following the magic mirror to do aerobics is quite fun.

If you like tea, don't miss the "Yi Yin" tea room on the first floor. It's an elegant tea house with reasonable prices, great for gathering with friends for tea.

The hotel is very photogenic. If you come here, wearing Hanfu will make you blend in even more.

Trendy Bookstore - Returning Wild Goose Chinese Life Aesthetics Museum

"Where can I send my hometown letter? Return to Luoyang side of the wild geese." Recently, this trendy bookstore called "Returning Wild Goose" has been wildly recommended. The photo spot is a wall made of countless book models, creating a visually striking effect. On both sides, 12 book columns support a seemingly endless dome, and the mirrored floor creates a dreamlike scene of still water.

In this anxious and restless era, being able to visit a trendy bookstore in your free time, smell the long-lost scent of books, and flip through the pages of memory is undoubtedly a kind of happiness.

Warm tip: When taking photos on the mirrored floor, be careful not to expose yourself from below if wearing a skirt.

Luoyang Nightfall Ritual - Luoyang Dahehui "Heluo Lighting the Lamps"

At 7 PM, there is a highly ceremonial light and shadow show next to the hotel—the nightfall ritual that turns on Luoyang's nightlife. The night and lights cover the hard concrete of the city, bringing you back to the thirteen ancient capitals and meeting the brilliant Heluo night sky.

Luoyang Nightlife - Luoyang Cross Street

When it gets dark, it's time for me to hunt for food. My destination is Luoyang Cross Street, which has a huge variety of Luoyang specialties. For 100 yuan, you can eat until you can barely walk. The pancake rolls with gluten are absolutely delicious. After dinner, you can walk off the meal at Lijing Gate, explore the old streets of Luoyang, and enjoy the charming night scenery.

Returning to the hotel, I found they even have turndown service—milk and agarwood essential oil by the bed. Isn't that super thoughtful? It made me like the hotel even more. If they could also take out the trash from the day during turndown service, that would make me even happier.

Day 2: International Buddhist Temple for 35 Yuan - White Horse Temple

The White Horse Temple is the only international temple in the world with Chinese, Indian, Burmese, and Thai-style Buddhist halls. If you love photography, don't miss it—it's very photogenic. You can wear a printed shirt to travel to Thailand or wear Hanfu to offer incense. There's a free tea house inside where you can have tea, but only tea, no loud talking.

Cultural Relics that Love to Travel - Luoyang Museum

Luoyang Museum is free and requires advance reservation. During the hottest part of the day, it's perfect to learn about Luoyang culture indoors and see the internet-famous artifacts. I highly recommend hiring a human guide—it ensures you won't leave the museum empty-handed.

The Northern Wei Buddha Face is widely considered the most charming and popular artifact in the entire Luoyang Museum. Unlike other well-preserved treasures, this Buddha face is just a fragment of a statue. Yet in these broken clay shards, people can read so many different meanings.

Stone Carving Epic Through the Millennia - Longmen Grottoes

The Longmen Grottoes are very close to the hotel. This is my second visit. The grottoes are carved into Longmen Mountain, with over 100,000 Buddha statues of various sizes. The largest Buddha is 17.14 meters tall, the smallest only 2 centimeters. They spread across Longmen Mountain along the Yi River, forming a treasure trove of Chinese stone carving art.

Countless people come for the Vairocana Buddha, and countless are enchanted by its peerless beauty. The Vairocana Buddha in the Fengxian Temple at Longmen sits on a high throne, overlooking the multitudes who come to worship, through the centuries. The Buddha's downward gaze and the worshippers' upward gaze meet in the vast silence—wisdom, compassion, and peace seem to transcend time.

If you've never been to the Longmen Grottoes, I suggest visiting in the afternoon. After touring the West Hill Grottoes, you can cross to the other side of the river and wait for nightfall. The Vairocana Buddha appears even more mysterious in the night sky.

Day 3: Hotel Breakfast

Get up early to enjoy a rich breakfast at the hotel, including Luoyang's specialty beef soup and spicy soup, plus vegetable salad and various sausages for fitness enthusiasts. I highly recommend the hotel's American coffee for a full energy boost.

The hotel is full of little touches. Most hotels provide toothpicks, but here they provide floss, which doesn't damage teeth—truly thoughtful.

Luxurious Peonies - China National Peony Garden

Luoyang has many peony gardens, but the most popular is the China National Peony Garden. The peonies here bloom early. Around Qingming Festival, the white peonies are already in full bloom, stretching in clusters.

After admiring the peonies, you can return to the hotel to rest. Normal checkout time is 12 PM; I asked the hotel to extend it to 2 PM. After checking out at 2 PM, I left my luggage at the front desk and went to see the 2:30 PM performance of "Searching for the Luo River Goddess."

Immersive Experience - "Searching for the Luo River Goddess"

"Searching for the Luo River Goddess" is China's first digital light-and-shadow walking immersive performance based on Heluo history and culture. The entire show is rooted in Heluo culture. Here I learned about the ultimate beauty of the Eight Scenic Spots of Luoyang. The graceful figure of the Luo River Goddess makes it hard to look away. The story of the Longmen Grottoes and the cave carvers brought tears to my eyes. Walking, watching, and interacting, I fully immersed myself in the poetic city of Luoyang.

End your Luoyang trip with an immersive performance, carrying the peony seeds that fell from the sky back to Chang'an.

Luoyang is wonderful—I'll come again.