Xian Travelers Recommend

No visit to Xian’s ancient wonders would be complete without seeing the city’s symbol, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda (AD 652) and the old City Walls. Built in 1370 during the Ming dynasty, the walls are part of only a handful of ancient city walls still standing in China. A fascinating blend of Chinese and Islamic architecture, the Great Mosque is one of the largest in China. The mosque is still an active place of worship, so you’ll have to admire it from the courtyard. Next stop, Little Goose Pagoda. First constructed in the Tang Dynasty, the pagoda is a square brick construction with dense eaves and a missing top, which was shaken off by an earthquake! A visit to the 14th century Bell Tower and the Drum Tower will enlighten you as to how the ancient Chinese kept order and marked the beginning and the end of each day. You can visit all these sites, plus the Shaanxi History Museum on a full-day sightseeing tour.