Twelve ideas for the days around the pits
Most visitors come to Xi'an for the Terracotta Army and need a day or two for the city as well. The warriors stand in Lintong, well outside the walled old town, so the city sights below are a separate plan. If you still need your main ticket, start with Terracotta Army tickets, then come back here.
The list is a selection, not a ranking. It mixes free and paid sights, open streets and sights with timed entry. Prices and hours are the 2026 figures; where they vary, you get a range and a reminder to check at the gate.
The old town: wall, towers and food lanes
Entries 1 to 4 sit close together in the centre.
1. The city wall
A walkable fortification of 13.74 km. The adult ticket is CNY 54 and the half price CNY 27 (2026). The south gate is Yongningmen, next to Metro line 2. Opening hours at the south gate run 08:00 to 22:00 from March to October and 08:00 to 20:00 from November to February. The last climb is 30 minutes before closing. You can rent a bike on top: a single bike costs CNY 45 and a tandem CNY 90 for two to three hours, with a deposit of CNY 100 to 300 depending on the counter. Check at the gate whether you can pay on the spot or need to book online.
City wall guide →2. The Bell Tower
A Ming-era tower in the middle of the old town. A single ticket costs CNY 30, or CNY 50 combined with the Drum Tower. From 1 April to 31 October it is open 08:30 to 21:00 with ticket sales until 20:30. From 1 November to 31 March the hours are 08:30 to 18:00, with sales until 17:30. Do not assume the same hours for the Drum Tower.
3. The Drum Tower
It marks the entrance to the Muslim Quarter. It is the Xi'an tower, not the better known one in Beijing. The CNY 50 combined ticket covers both towers, so buy it if you want to go up both.
4. The Muslim Quarter
Huimin Jie is a set of streets, not one ticketed site. Beiyuanmen is the busy main axis directly behind the Drum Tower, with more food lanes at Dapiyuan and around Sajinqiao. Try roujiamo (filled baked bread), yangrou paomo (lamb soup with torn flatbread), biangbiang noodles, lamb skewers, persimmon cakes and pomegranate juice. In the quarter the roujiamo is usually beef. Elsewhere in the city it is often pork, so do not assume every stall is halal.
Food in Xi'an →Our pick: the city wall
A reserved ticket for one of the first ideas on this list.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Xi'an day trips and tours
Terracotta Army tours from Xi'an, city tours and food walks, with live prices and availability.
South of the walls: pagodas and a fountain
Entries 5 to 8 are around the Big and Small Wild Goose Pagodas. Together they make a half-day plan that leaves the evening free.
5. The Big Wild Goose Pagoda
A Buddhist monument in the Da Ci'en Temple, south of the old town. It is linked to the monk Xuanzang and the translation of Buddhist scriptures. The temple and the pagoda are priced separately. Ask at the ticket office for today's price and whether you can climb.
6. The music fountain at the pagoda square
A scheduled water show. The times are about 12:00, 16:00, 19:00 and 21:00, each for roughly ten minutes, always subject to the daily announcement. Do not plan a whole evening around one exact time.
7. The Small Wild Goose Pagoda
It stands in the Jianfu Temple grounds and belongs to the area of the Xi'an Museum. The museum lists 08:30 to 18:00 with the last entry at 17:00. In peak season the start can be 09:00, and hours can change with the season. Do not count on climbing the pagoda itself.
8. The Xi'an Museum
A museum of the city's history on the same site. It is closed on Tuesdays, except on public holidays, and on Chinese New Year's Eve. Admission is free; confirm at the entrance. Do not mix it up with the Shaanxi History Museum below.
Museums and a theme park
Entries 9 to 12. Three of the four need planning before you go.
9. Shaanxi History Museum, main building
The regular permanent exhibition is free but needs a reservation, and a passport is accepted as ID. From 6 May to 14 November 2026 the hours are 08:30 to 19:00, with the last entry at 18:00. Booking opens 5 days ahead at 17:00. Entering your details alone is not a successful reservation, so check that you received a confirmed slot. If you miss the slot, you can be blocked from booking for 180 days. Mural and special exhibitions cost extra and are booked separately.
10. Shaanxi History Museum, Qin-Han branch
A different site, in Xixian in the Qinhan New City. The hours are 08:30 to 18:00 with the last entry at 17:00. Entry works with a valid original ID and no advance reservation. Do not transfer the main building's booking rule to this branch.
11. Tang Paradise
A modern Tang-themed park in Qujiang, opened on 11 April 2005. It is not an original Tang palace. Performances need extra tickets. Tickets are personal and valid only on the booked day. Climbing into closed areas, pets, fishing gear and unauthorised drones are not allowed. Check the current base price and closing time before you go.
12. The Beilin Museum
The Forest of Steles holds stone inscriptions and sculpture, and a new north building opened in May 2025. The adult ticket is CNY 85 and the half price CNY 42, open daily 09:00 to 18:30, with sales and checks until 17:00. Some notices show a lower price and an earlier closing time when parts of the museum are closed, so confirm at the ticket desk.
The twelve at a glance
Admission and hours as published for 2026. Always confirm on the day.
| Sight | Admission | Hours | Plan ahead |
|---|---|---|---|
| City wall | CNY 54, half price CNY 27 | 08:00 to 22:00 (March to October) | Bike rental on top |
| Bell Tower | CNY 30, with Drum Tower CNY 50 | 08:30 to 21:00 (April to October) | – |
| Drum Tower | With Bell Tower CNY 50 | – | Hours may differ from the Bell Tower |
| Muslim Quarter | – | – | Stalls keep their own hours |
| Big Wild Goose Pagoda | Temple and pagoda priced separately | – | Ask about climbing |
| Beilin Museum | CNY 85, half price CNY 42 | 09:00 to 18:30 | Sales until 17:00 |
| Shaanxi History Museum, main | Free permanent exhibition | 08:30 to 19:00 (to 14 Nov 2026) | Reservation required |
| Xi'an Museum | Free | 08:30 to 18:00 | Closed Tuesdays |
For most first-time visitors, the best city day is entries 1 to 4: the wall in the morning, the towers at midday and the Muslim Quarter in the evening. Add the Shaanxi History Museum only if you can book the free slot ahead.
Putting it together
Group by area and keep the Terracotta Army on its own day.
Day 1: the old town
Entries 1 to 4. The wall, the Bell and Drum Towers and dinner in the Muslim Quarter fit into one day without a taxi.
Day 2: south of the walls
Entries 5 to 8, plus Tang Paradise in the same part of the city if you have energy left. Keep the fountain times in mind when you plan the afternoon.
Day 3: the warriors
The pits are in Lintong. Count on 1.5 hours for each of the two museum areas, plus travel. See how to get there and the Terracotta Army tours from Xi'an.
Plan the rest of your trip
The Xi'an city wall
Tickets, gates and bike rental on the 13.74 km circuit.
Food in the Muslim Quarter
Dishes to try and what to check on a food tour.
A city tour of Xi'an
A route through the towers, the quarter and the pagoda.
Where to stay
Four areas, from the old town to Lintong.
Things to do in Xi'an: frequently asked questions
How many days do I need in Xi'an?
Two days cover the old town and the south of the city. Add one more day for the Terracotta Army, because the pits and the travel use most of a day.
Which sights in Xi'an are free?
The permanent exhibition of the Shaanxi History Museum main building is free with a reservation, and the Xi'an Museum is free. The Muslim Quarter is open streets, so walking through costs nothing.
Can I do the city wall and the towers on one day?
Yes. The wall, the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower sit in the old town, and the Muslim Quarter starts right behind the Drum Tower. The towers have longer hours from April to October.
Do I need my passport for the museums?
For the Shaanxi History Museum, yes. A passport is accepted for the reservation, and the original document you booked with must match at the gate. Take it for the other sights too.
Is this the official site of Xi'an or its museums?
No. This is an independent guide. For tickets and rules, check the current notice at each sight.