Xi'an必看景点

Not all of these are on display, and the site is still an active archeological dig. There are 3 pits (numbered and clearly signposted 1,2,3). Going from pit 3 to pit 2 to pit 1 means that each pit gets more impressive and ensures a grand finale. The assemblage has been billed by the tourist industry as the Eighth Wonder of the World and a world cultural heritage site by UNESCO in 1987. The ticket office is next to the parking lot, which is a 5/10 minute walk away from the entrance to the museum. Buy your tickets at the ticket office or you can also buy them from resellers at the entrance for a ¥5 fee. For ¥5, you can opt to take a small bus from the ticket counter to the entry to the site, which saves you about 10 minutes of walking. On the way back, however, you are forced to walk in order not to "miss" the countless opportunities to buy small terracotta warriors, other tourist articles and food. For those not interested in Chinese food you will pass a Starbucks, McDonalds and there is a KFC very near to the ticket counter. Student tickets can only be bought at the rightmost ticket booths, which do not sell regular tickets. When buying your ticket you are likely to be approached by a 'guide', especially if you look foreign. The normal starting price is ¥200 but you should be able to bargain them down to around ~¥75. ¥100 is reasonable for the 2 - 3 hours they will accompany you. When talking to them, take the time to evaluate how they speak, because if you can't understand them at the start it'll just get worse. Inside Pit 1, there is a 'photo spot' to the left of the entry when you can be escorted to one of the nicer places. However it costs ¥200 for ~15 mins (but includes a picture). You won't miss much but not doing it; but you will have 15 mins with no one jostling you on either side and an uninterrupted view of the warriors.

The "Underground Museum" at the excavation site has a glass floor so that you can look down on the ongoing excavations and is definitely worth a visit (especially easy to do if done as part of a journey to or from the airport). There's a very unique holographic movie experience as part of the exhibit (no 3D glasses required, English and some other language translation available, ¥10 though it is unclear if it's a legitimate fee). It's also worth getting a guide or following one around (note that English ones are more expensive than Chinese ones) because they will explain things in much more detail than the captions. Some people also climb up to the top of the burial mound (you can see a worn trail going up the side). If you cross the road you can see the Archaeological Exhibit Center (where some of the best figures are kept), a deer park (with actual live deer), and ruins of a "sacrifice temple" (not too impressive). The grounds around the mausoleum are nice to stroll in, with fragrant wild grasses and a rose garden next to the Arch. Ex. Center. It is possible to get to the site via tour or share a taxi (around ¥200 round-trip, not including waiting time). By public transit, the easiest way (as of early 2014) seems to be to take the subway to Shitushuguan (city library) and then take bus 游4 from outside the station. Departure times are irregular, but previously oberved times were: 08:30/09:30/10:30/12:00/13:30/15:00/16:00/17:00. The bus starts at this station, so you don’t need to flag it down. The trip to the mausoleum is ¥2.

You can hire one at the top of the South or East gate; you may return it to other stations on the wall (there is one at each of the four main gates), but be sure to verify this before starting your ride, and know that only the south gate is open after 7pm. Bikes will not be rented if there is any chance of rain, because the top of the wall becomes slippery. Check the weather forecast before you buy a ticket to enter the wall. If you want to foot it though, a complete loop of the walls takes 4-5 hours. The landscaped park around the base of the exterior walls and moat also makes for a pleasant stroll and gives a different perspective on the battlements and towers. The wall is lit up at night and makes for a pleasant stroll. The present city wall was built in the Ming dynasty (AD 1368-1644) on the foundation of the Chang'an Imperial city wall of Tang dynasty (AD 618-907). The Xi'an City Wall International Marathon is held each year in November since 1993, with athletes from more than 50 countries running on top of the wall. Also, the Xi'an city wall Cycling Race is held on top of the wall since two years ago. There is a small museum inside the city wall at Hanguang Gate, about halfway between the southwest corner and the South Gate, accessible from the top of the wall. Look for a staircase down inside a covered structure. Inside are the unrestored remains of a gatehouse and a calligraphy collection.

Although some guidebooks call it "one of the best museums in China", its old fashioned pots-and-arrowheads-behind-glass format may appeal mainly to enthusiasts.. The most eye-catching articles are those from the Tang Dynasty, originally used by the royal family.There will be long queues for tickets, as they are available cheaply (a prior version indicated free, if you brought your ID with you. But this is unconfirmed; if you look obviously foreign you won't be asked for ID or a local telephone number). For locals there is a ¥20 charge for a ticket. However there is an option to beat the queue. Go for the 'tour ticket'; the line will be considerably shorter and it'll cost you ¥200 (although the face value is ¥300). If there is a special exhibition on, you will get entry to that as well (and if you purchase an audio guide, it'll work there too).

If you pay for admission, you can actually go into the partially restored palace ruins and other sections of the park protected by a moat. Worth seeing for the sheer size of it - it's more than 4 times the size of the Forbidden City, and a very surreal effect compared to the crowding in the rest of Xian. Immediately north of the railway station (though you have to go around using side streets, since there are railway tracks in the way). You may also be able to get there via DaMing Xi subway station.

Only Muslims are permitted entry to the actual mosque and whilst there is a courtyard, there a currently (Feb 2015) repairs underway which means much of what you would see is not open. Ladies are asked to cover up with a scarf according to Muslim tradition.

These included gold and silver utensils, glazed wares, porcelains, pearls, precious stones and textiles, as well as religious items. The biggest treasure is a finger bone of Buddha offered to the Emperor of China during the Tang dynasty.

The Nestorian Stele is in Showroom Number 2 and is the first stele on the left.

Another attraction is the largest movie-on-water screen in the world,