5-Day, 4-Night Independent Trip to Xi'an in September 2023

Just after the summer holiday and before the National Day rush, we set off on our long-postponed trip to Xi'an—still a bit hot, but a perfect chance to dodge the crowds.

Day 1: Thursday, 7 September 2023. Around 6:10 am, we took Metro Line 2 to Suzhou North Station. At 7:44 am, we boarded G1974 (Suzhou North–Xi'an North) high-speed train, 646 yuan per ticket, arriving at Xi'an North at 2:30 pm. We'd already followed the Xi'an Metro and Xi'an Bus WeChat accounts, so scanning with our phones we hopped on Metro Line 2 for about half an hour, getting off at Bell Tower Station. The exit resembles a large roundabout; we turned to Exit 3 and emerged right at the Bell Tower Hotel. We'd booked a room from 7 to 11 September at 368 yuan per night via Ctrip. Upon check-in, the hotel upgraded us to a view room for free. The room was clean and tidy, and Room 421 looked directly onto the Bell Tower with an unobstructed view. The lobby manager's service was excellent, giving us detailed travel routes, and the room even provided a complimentary charging cable for phones. We dropped off our luggage, rested a moment, then walked about 10 minutes to the photogenic Zui Chang'an restaurant for some famous Xi'an cuisine. After the meal, a 15-minute stroll brought us to the South Gate Tower of the ancient city wall (54 yuan per ticket). We climbed up to admire the bustling night scene of Xi'an, then meandered back to the hotel. Staying here was truly convenient—Drum Tower and Huimin Street are nearby, a shopping mall is right across the street, the metro is downstairs, buses are steps away, and the Bell Tower neighbourhood has local specialities. The only downside? It's far too lively; at night, it's a sea of people and cars. Still, I loved staying there.

The 60-yuan high-speed train meal was delicious, and the 18-yuan wontons were alright.

Xi'an Rail Transit System Map

Overlooking the view from the room, directly facing the Bell Tower; lower left is the metro station, right across is the shopping centre.

The Bell Tower at night, shot from the room.

Zui Chang'an dishes: the rice wine was lovely, the soup paste tasty, the roujiamo and liangpi were authentic, the hulu chicken was renowned—alas, we didn't order the Ziyang steamed basin.

Yongning Gate at the South Gate Tower of the ancient city wall; you can rent a bicycle on top.

Day 2: At 7 am, following the lobby manager's advice, we took Line 6 to Fangzhicheng, then transferred to Line 9 to Huaqing Pool (7 yuan). Outside the station, a 20-yuan taxi ride took us to the Terracotta Warriors (120 yuan per ticket). We hired a private guide (90 yuan for the tour + 16 yuan for the earpiece). Crowds were light, so no queuing. We visited the three pits in order, then took a free shuttle bus from the exit to the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor (included in the ticket) for a free guided tour (sightseeing car 15 yuan per person), which took us stop by stop (riding is recommended). We listened quietly to historical anecdotes without taking photos. At the exit, we bought Fuzhuan tea souvenirs (fragrant and tasty). Another 20-yuan taxi ride brought us back to Huaqing Pool metro station; across the road is Huaqing Palace. By now it was 2 pm, so we grabbed a bite at a snack shop, then walked to Huaqing Palace (120 yuan per ticket) and joined other visitors in a group to hire a guide (26 yuan per person) for the tour. Afterwards, we retraced our metro route back to the hotel. In the evening, we walked 10 minutes to the commercial street opposite and had dinner at Yuanjia Village, a spot frequented by locals.

Metro route: Line 6 to Fangzhicheng, then Line 9 to Huaqing Pool (Huaqing Palace is right at the exit).

The snack shop opposite the Huaqing Pool metro exit: clean and tasty (and especially wonderful when hungry).

Yuanjia Village is like a food hall, with all kinds of self-serve snacks; the guide recommended it as a place locals often visit.

Day 3: Downstairs, we caught a bus for 20 minutes to the Shaanxi History Museum (advance reservation required; follow its WeChat account). Getting a ticket is incredibly hard—sheer luck. If you can't book, you can visit the Beilin Museum; regretfully, I didn't make it. Arriving early, we had breakfast at a snack shop opposite the museum: a variety of treats, clean and tasty, with restrooms. At 8:30 am, we scanned our ID cards for free entry and toured the museum in order, marvelling at ancient wisdom. We spent the whole morning absorbed. Around 11 am, we took a bus (about 15 minutes) to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. We first strolled south through Tang Paradise (Datang Everbright City) and ordered biangbiang noodles and zeng cake for lunch. We paid respects to the statue of Master Xuanzang and visited Daci'en Temple (40 yuan per ticket), which houses the master's parietal-bone relic and a Buddha relic in the pagoda. A light drizzle began; we sat quietly, feeling the gentle moisture, and soon the rain stopped. Around 4 pm, we took the metro back to the hotel. The Big Wild Goose Pagoda is very close to Tang Paradise (Lotus Garden) and can be visited together.

Breakfast opposite the museum was good. The biangbiang noodles at Tang Paradise were 28 yuan, and the zeng cake was delicious.

Shaanxi History Museum: be sure to follow it in advance; entry is free, but bookings are hard to come by.

Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Daci'en Temple, statue of Master Xuanzang.

Map of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda area, Tang Paradise (Lotus Garden), Tang Paradise (Everbright City).

Dinner at a Chaozhou restaurant upstairs from KFC opposite the hotel: tasty and reasonably priced.

Day 4: After 7 am, we walked 10 minutes to Huimin Street. We sampled soup dumplings and persimmon cakes, climbed the Drum Tower (30 yuan per ticket), and caught a performance. Around 11 am, a 20-minute bus ride took us to Yongxing Fang, where we grazed on snacks and tried the fun “wine bowl smashing”. Then we returned to the hotel to rest. In the afternoon, we queued for Zhao Ji mung bean cakes and gongting beef cakes, and tasted Haifurong potstickers. At about 4:30 pm, we took a 30-minute metro ride to Tang Paradise (Lotus Garden). Go earlier if possible—the grounds are vast and take 1–2 hours to circle. It's best to arrive in time for the sunset and then enjoy the nighttime illuminations. After 8 pm, we left the park and returned to the hotel by metro.

Climbing the Drum Tower, with a view of the Bell Tower in the distance.

Smashing the wine bowl was fun, beef pies were delicious, stone-baked flatbread was fragrant, and there were too many snacks to try. The roadside congee shop had character.

Zhao Ji mung bean cakes live up to their reputation: pure mung bean filling, hawthorn sweet and tangy—sadly, the rose flavour was sold out.

The beef cakes next to the main shop were also packed; they were substantial and wonderfully fragrant.

Nearby, Haifurong potstickers had us waiting; we packed some to go and savoured them slowly—truly excellent.

Tang Paradise (Lotus Garden) offers sunset and evening glow; as dusk falls, neon lights shimmer, and a lakeside stroll is a perfect escape.

Day 5: In the morning, we went back to the Bell Tower neighbourhood to queue for mung bean cakes at the main shop. At 8:30 am the crowd was manageable. The day before, we'd also visited a branch about a 10-minute walk away, upstairs in a shopping centre, where the queue was a bit shorter. I heard that after October, they'd also be available on Taobao. On the way back, we bought breakfast in the Bell Tower area—hulatang and other morning treats—unassuming but full of flavour. After 9 am, we checked out, took Line 2 straight to Xi'an North Station, and boarded G1926, departing at 12:09 pm and arriving smoothly at Suzhou North Station at 6:43 pm. Our Xi'an trip wrapped up beautifully! A little regret is part of life's tapestry; strive for perfection, but don't be too hard on yourself. Contentment is the key to happiness. I'm grateful for the person who accompanied me!

Suzhou North–Xi'an North high-speed train round trip: 646 yuan × 2 people × 2 = 2,584 yuan

Bell Tower Hotel accommodation: 368 yuan × 4 nights = 1,472 yuan

Ming City Wall: 54 yuan × 2 people = 108 yuan

Terracotta Warriors incl. Mausoleum: 120 yuan × 2 people + guide 90 yuan + earpiece 16 yuan + sightseeing car 15 yuan × 2 people = 376 yuan

Huaqing Palace: 120 yuan × 2 people + guide 52 yuan = 292 yuan

Daci'en Temple: 40 yuan × 2 people = 80 yuan

Tang Paradise (Lotus Garden): 120 yuan × 2 people = 240 yuan

Metro, bus, taxi approx. 100 yuan

Total of the above: 5,252 yuan

Souvenirs, gifts, and meals vary by choice; not included here.