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01
45 min
Giant Wild Goose Pagoda
大雁塔
The Big Wild Goose Pagoda, known locally as 大雁塔, stands as a prominent Buddhist pagoda in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province.
- Must see
- Historic monument
City guide · China
Xi'an
Xi'an has a legible historic centre enclosed by the City Wall, with the Bell Tower, Drum Tower and Muslim Quarter close together. The Giant Wild Goose Pagoda an...
Photograph · ScareCriterion12 · CC BY-SA 4.0
2,462
Places
- Suggested stay
- Not recorded
- Getting around
- Walking, metro and city bus
Turn this list into a plan
Set your days, your pace and the hours you actually want to be out. The planner works around closing days and travel time, and leaves room to eat.
Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor
Xi'an has a legible historic centre enclosed by the City Wall, with the Bell Tower, Drum Tower and Muslim Quarter close together. The Giant Wild Goose Pagoda and major museums form a southern cultural cluster. The Terracotta Army, Huaqing Palace and other Lintong sites lie well east of the centre and require a separate excursion.
Checked 2026-08-26
Practical information
- Language spoken
- Standard Chinese; regional languages are widely used
- National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
- Dialling code
- +86 mainland · +852 Hong Kong · +853 Macao
- International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
- Currency
- Renminbi (CNY); HKD and MOP in the SARs
- Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
- Emergency number
- 110 police · 120 medical on the mainland
- Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
- Plug type
- Type A, C and I · 220 V
- Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
- Tap water
- Not recorded
- No single verified statement covers mainland China and both SARs
Planning a visit
September · September cools Xi'an to a 24.7°C mean high, although precipitation peaks at 108.0 mm.
- January: viable with meaningful trade-offs
- February: viable with meaningful trade-offs
- March: good time to visit
- April: best time to visit
- May: best time to visit
- June: good time to visit
- July: viable with meaningful trade-offs
- August: viable with meaningful trade-offs
- September: good time to visit — current month
- October: best time to visit
- November: good time to visit
- December: viable with meaningful trade-offs
- Best time
- Good time
- Viable with trade-offs
- Difficult conditions
Sources
- worldweather.wmo.int Checked 2026-08-28
Top things to see
Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.
Filter the list
12 places match
Category
Typical visit duration
Interests
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02 45 minBell Tower of Xi'an
钟楼
Xi'an Bell Tower stands at the symbolic center of the old city, where the main north-south and east-west axes meet. The Ming-dynasty landmark combines a monumental upper structure with tiered roofs and traditional decorative details.
- Must see
- Historic monument
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03 45 minSmall Wild Goose Pagoda
小雁塔
The Small Wild Goose Pagoda is a historic Buddhist pagoda in Xi'an, also known locally as 小雁塔. It is associated with the Jianfu Temple complex and preserves a major example of Tang Dynasty religious architecture.
- Must see
- Historic monument
-
04 45 minDaming Palace
大明宫国家遗址公园
Daming Palace National Heritage Park is a major archaeological site and heritage park in Xi'an, China. It preserves the remains of Daming Palace, which served as the imperial palace complex of the Tang Dynasty.
- Must see
- Historic monument
-
05 1 hourGao Family Courtyard
Gao Family Courtyard is a preserved historical residence located within Xian's Muslim Quarter. The compound represents traditional Shaanxi architecture and offers visitors an interior space distinct from the surrounding food streets.
- Must see
- Historic monument
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06 45 minQinglong Temple
青龙寺
Qinglong Temple, also known as 青龙寺, is a historic Buddhist temple site in Xi’an. Its importance is closely connected with Esoteric Buddhism and the Tang dynasty, when the temple served as a centre for Buddhist learning and scripture translation.
- Must see
- Historic monument
How the city is laid out
Use the City Wall as the central reference: the Bell and Drum towers sit near its middle, the Muslim Quarter lies to the northwest, and the gates define practical entry points. Group the southern pagoda and museum district separately. Lintong is not a quick addition to a wall walk; reserve a substantial block for the eastern archaeological sites.
Checked 2026-08-26
Getting around
Walk inside the walled centre and use the metro between the rail stations, southern cultural district and other urban zones. Xi'an's official English portal groups transportation with its visitor information. Confirm the current operator map for the final connection to Lintong sites, since the metro does not remove every road transfer between the city and individual archaeological entrances.
Checked 2026-08-26
Common questions
How many days should I spend in Xi'an?
A fixed stay length is not recorded. Build the visit around the walled centre and southern cultural district, then add Lintong and the eastern archaeological sites only when the available time supports a separate journey.
What is the best way to organise sightseeing in Xi'an?
Group places by district instead of crossing the city repeatedly. Start with the walled centre and southern cultural district; treat Lintong and the eastern archaeological sites as separate routes with their own travel allowance.
How do I get around Xi'an?
Use Walking, metro and city bus. Walk within compact clusters and consult the linked official transport information before making longer transfers or relying on a particular route.
Can I explore Xi'an mainly on foot?
Only within individual neighbourhood clusters. The main visitor areas are separated by distances, waterways, major roads or regional approaches, so longer links normally need public transport or a licensed vehicle.
Which Xi'an sights need separate transport planning?
Plan Lintong and the eastern archaeological sites separately from the walled centre and southern cultural district. Check the current route, return connection and any access requirements on the official source before departure.