Xi'an, China · People's Republic of China
Xi'an Itinerary 2 Days - Walls, Food and Terracotta Army
Xi'an was the eastern end of the Silk Road and the capital of a long line of Chinese dynasties. Spend day one inside the city wall and its food streets, then day two with the Terracotta Army.
Published October 20, 2026
Smoke drifts off a lamb skewer grill under a lantern, and a few streets away a massive grey wall still boxes in the old city. Xi'an was the eastern end of the Silk Road and the capital of a long line of Chinese dynasties, and you feel both histories within an hour of arriving. This **Xi'an itinerary 2 days** route keeps things simple. Day one stays inside the wall and ends in the food streets. Day two heads out to meet the clay soldiers.
Why Spend 2 Days in Xi'an?
Two days is the sweet spot for a first visit because the city splits neatly in two. With **2 days in Xi'an**, you can cover the walled centre on foot on the first day, since the wall, the Bell and Drum Towers, the Great Mosque and the Muslim Quarter all sit within a short walk of each other. The second day belongs to the Terracotta Army, which lies outside the city in Lintong district and takes a solid half day once you count the trip there and back. Squeezing both into one day means rushing the pits, and they deserve better.
Day 1 — City Wall, Bell and Drum Towers and Muslim Quarter
Start on top of the **city wall**, the best-preserved old city wall in China. It was rebuilt under the Ming dynasty on Tang foundations, and it runs for roughly 14 kilometres, with a moat, watchtowers and a broad stone walkway along the top. Most people climb up at the South Gate, Yongning Men, where the gatehouse is grandest.
Walking the full loop takes hours. Cycling is the classic move, since bikes can be hired on the wall itself and the flat top makes for an easy ride with views over grey-tiled roofs on one side and the modern grid on the other. Ticket and rental arrangements change, so check the [provincial tourism portal](https://en.shaanxi.gov.cn/tourism/tt) before you go. Bring water. There is little shade up there.
Come down and head north along South Street to the Bell Tower, which stands on a giant traffic island at the exact centre of the old city. Reach it through the underpass. Climb up to see the four main streets, each pointing at a gate. The Drum Tower sits a short walk to the northwest, facing it across a wide square. In imperial times the bell marked dawn and the drum marked dusk, and you can sometimes catch a short drum performance inside.
Behind the Drum Tower lies the Muslim Quarter, home to the Hui community for centuries. Tucked into a quiet lane called Huajue Xiang, the Great Mosque looks like a Chinese temple at first glance, with wooden pavilions and calm courtyards. Look closer and you see Arabic calligraphy carved into the panels. Dress modestly, keep your voice low and follow the visiting rules posted at the entrance.
Then comes the main event. **Xi'an Muslim Quarter food** is best enjoyed as a long, slow graze along Beiyuanmen and the lanes around it rather than one sit-down meal. Try a roujiamo, chopped stewed meat stuffed into a crisp flatbread. Order biangbiang noodles, wide as a belt and slick with chilli oil. If you want a proper seat, find a yangrou paomo shop, where you tear flatbread into tiny pieces yourself before the cook ladles lamb broth over it. Locals judge the tearing. Smaller is better.
If your legs allow, finish with a walk back past the towers once they are lit up.
Day 2 — Terracotta Army and Big Wild Goose Pagoda
The **Terracotta Army** is part of the mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang, the emperor who first unified China, and it lies roughly 35 kilometres northeast of the city near Mount Li. Farmers digging a well stumbled on it in the last century, and what they found turned out to be thousands of life-size clay soldiers, horses and chariots, each face slightly different, buried to guard the emperor in the afterlife. The site is a UNESCO World Heritage property, and visitors see three excavated pits under huge hangar-like halls plus an exhibition hall holding the two bronze chariots. Entry rules and booking systems change often, so book through official channels and read the details on the [UNESCO World Heritage page](https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/441/) before you plan the day.
Go early, before the crowds build. Pit 1 is the giant one, with rank after rank of infantry facing east. Pit 2 holds archers and cavalry, and Pit 3 is the small command post. Look for the kneeling archer in the display cases, whose hair is braided down to the last strand.
Hire a licensed guide at the site or bring an audio guide. Without context, the pits can blur into rows of brown figures.
You can reach Lintong by public bus, taxi or an organised tour from the city. Back in town by mid-afternoon, pick one easy stop. Among the best low-effort **things to do in Xi'an** is the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, a Tang-era brick tower built to store the Buddhist scriptures that the monk Xuanzang carried back from India. The plaza to the north fills with families as the light softens.
End the day with dumplings or a second round of noodles. You earned them.
When Is the Best Time to Visit Xi'an?
The **best time to visit** Xi'an is spring or autumn, when the air is mild and walking the wall is a pleasure. Summer is hot and often humid. Winter is cold and dry, with fewer visitors for those who pack layers.
Whatever the season, try to avoid the big national holiday weeks, especially the one in early October and the Spring Festival period. Domestic travel peaks then, and the Terracotta Army and the Muslim Quarter can get very crowded.
How Do You Get Around Xi'an?
Inside the wall, walk. The old city is compact, and most of day one happens on foot or on a bike on top of the wall.
For longer hops, the **Metro** is clean, cheap and easy to use, with lines linking the old centre, the railway stations and the area around the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Signs come in English too, and taxis fill the gaps.
Set up a payment option that works in China before you arrive, since mobile payment is the norm and small stalls rarely take cards. Download a translation app with an offline Chinese pack. Check entry and visa requirements with official sources well ahead of your trip.
What Should You Book Ahead?
The one thing to sort out early is the Terracotta Army. Tickets are sold through official channels, often with a passport needed, and availability tightens at weekends and during holidays. Arrange any private guide ahead too.
Everything else can stay loose. The wall, towers, mosque and food streets work fine on the day.
Ready to Plan Your Own Xi'an Days?
Create your own itinerary with Keptour: add the places that catch your eye, arrange them into days and share the plan with whoever is coming along. Leave gaps between the big sights, because some of the best moments in Xi'an happen in side lanes you never planned to enter. Follow the smell of cumin, say yes to a stranger's noodle tip and let the old city surprise you.