Private Xi'an City Tour

Start your one-day Xi’an city tour package at around 9:00 am, when your private guide and driver will meet you at your hotel.

Our first stop today will be the ancient City Wall. Over 600 years of vicissitudes have witnessed its change from an important military fortification to a cultural mark connecting the past and the present. In the 1950s, a fierce movement to demolish the ancient city walls emerged in China due to their failure in function and obstruction to urban modernization; however, Xian City Wall was preserved for historical protection. When strolling on it, stop occasionally at the crenels set every 120 meters (394 feet) to overlook the busy traffic at the foot of the Wall and the elderly relaxing by the moat, or look far into the distance at the skyline behind the new and old buildings. The walkway is so wide and long that there are even bicycle rental points to facilitate your visit. If you are interested, the guide will be willing to assist with renting at your own expense.

After that, let’s head to the Stele Forest (Beilin Museum). Seven major showrooms with a collection of ancient stone tablets, epitaphs, and stone carvings spanning nearly a millennium among more than 11,000 cultural relics await you to explore. Linger for a longer time before the world-famous Nestorian Stele, on a level with the Rosetta Stele in the British Museum and the Moabite Stele in the Louvre Museum. Seeing that there is a cross engraved right above it, you can easily guess that the inscription is closely related to Christianity. With your guide’s explanation, learn that the emperors of the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) had a very open attitude towards this foreign religion and provided considerable support during its introduction to China. Below, you can also see a cluster of dead Syrian scripts, accompanied by the Chinese translation, which is of great significance for later generations to reinterpret some of the newly discovered ancient characters. Also, pay attention to the Six Steeds of Zhao Mausoleum, vivid relief sculptures of six galloping horses that helped a Tang emperor in battle, with four being the originals and two replicas; the two missing originals are now kept in the Penn Museum in the USA.

We won’t let you miss the amazing Stele of the Preface to the Sacred Teaching Scriptures either, which took 24 years to complete until 672 AD, recording the preface and postscript of two generations of emperors, as well as the translation of a scripture brought by the monk Xuanzang (602-664 AD) from India and his thanks to emperors with 1,904 characters. The reason why it is so valuable is that all the engraved characters are collected from the genuine works of Wang Xizhi (303 - 361 AD), the very leading figure in ancient Chinese calligraphy. His originals had gradually been lost, so the amount of available words at that time was limited, and the imperial power had also offered a large reward to collect the missing characters from the folk. Coupled with the sensation of a 27-character copy sold for USD 44 million in an auction, this high market value serves as an urgent call to protect such rare artifacts. Therefore, there were no more of the stele’s extensive rubbings once to be seen on the Shuyuanmen Cultural Street that we were about to pass by.As we drive through the city center, appreciate the ancient Bell and Drum Towers, which are the must-visit landmarks for every traveler to Xi’an. Then, we’ll get to the Muslim Quarter, one of the most popular food paradises in Xi’an. Wandering through the alleys paved with bluestone slabs, looking at the quaint restaurants and residences on both sides, smelling the aroma of local snacks in the air, and listening to the melodious Shaanxi Opera from the teahouses, you’ll feel the strong cultural atmosphere of the local ethnic market. Lunch is at your own expense, but your guide will be pleased to offer recommendations if needed. You can try the far-named specialties here, including Biang Biang Noodles, Cold Noodles, and Sour Plum Drink.In the afternoon, continue the trip to the Shaanxi History Museum, a large modern museum known as the “Pearl of Ancient Capital, Treasure House of China”, to learn about the profound Chinese civilization from the Stone Age to about 1840. Follow your guide to gain insights on all the highlights like bronze vessels, terracotta warriors from the mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang (259 - 210 BC), and gorgeous mural paintings. Examine the Bronze Tiger-Shaped Tally of Du County, a small token to mobilize armies in the Qin Dynasty (221 - 207 BC). It was created in half: the right half was held by the emperor and the left half by a general - only when the two halves fitted together could over 50 soldiers be dispatched. Moreover, take a close look at the 1,400-year-old Agate Cup with Beast Head. Modelled after the Greek kylix and crafted by Persian craftsmen using rare sardonyx, it is the pinnacle of cultural exchange along the ancient Silk Road.

Next, stop by Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, the earliest and largest square brick tower built during the 7th century to store Buddhist texts from India, and appreciate it from a distance. You’ll then have some time to explore the nearby Great Tang All Day Mall, a long prosperous pedestrian street, for a full immersion in the antique atmosphere. Stroll past young people dressed up as ancient people and under lines from Chinese poetry and red lanterns hung on the trees, and browse handicraft kiosks that interest you. Late into afternoon, your private guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel, unless you want to eat here and roam till late to admire the beautiful lighting and antique architecture complementing each other, and then take a taxi back on your own.► Recommended Nighttime Activities (at your own expense):
For a deeper historical and cultural experience in Xian, the ancient capital of 13 dynasties, you are recommended to stay longer in Great Tang All Day Mall, rent a traditional Hanfu suit and put on matching makeup at one of the myriad studios, and then go around to take photos or enjoy free street performances as night falls, as most visitors do. With a wide variety of clothing styles and colors, whether you want to dress up as a regal empress or a cute princess, you would definitely be satisfied. What’s more, the illuminated Giant Wild Goose Pagoda and the antique red walls will be the best backdrop for your photos.

► If you are looking for a day tour with the Terracotta Army Museum, or if you yearn for natural landscapes around Xian such as Mt. Huashan and Hukou Waterfall, please feel free to contact us for a personalized trip tailored to your preferences.