3 Days in Xi'an China 2026 - A Travel Guide to the oldest City in China

Imagine visiting Xi'an for the very first time, three days in China's oldest city. From the lively food stalls of the Muslim Quarter and the historic Great Mosque, to cycling along the ancient city wall, trying some of Xi'an's most famous local dishes, and taking a cable car through the misty mountains of Huaqing Palace. Let me show you how to spend three days in Xi'an. My journey to Xi'an began with an early morning train ride from Chongqing. Every time that things go wrong, you pull me up, I come back stronger. These popes and kings have come and gone, but we're still going on the road, oh yeah. You heal my mind and bless my soul, touch my heart and made it, oh yeah. By the time I arrived, it was already dark, so after checking into my hotel, I went straight back out to explore the area around the bell tower. Just a short walk away was the Muslim Quarter, one of Xi'an's most lively neighborhoods at night. The streets were filled with food stalls, small shops, and the smell of spices and barbecue coming from every direction. After the long train ride, I was more than ready for dinner. I ended up at a local barbecue place, where I had some of the best barbecue of the entire trip. A quick tip before traveling to China, apps like YouTube, Instagram, and WhatsApp are restricted here, so you need to set up an international eSIM before arriving to keep using them. I tried three different eSIM providers, and HoloFly was the one that worked best in China. And if you want to use the Wi-Fi at your hotel, you'll need a VPN. Here I tested five different ones, and ExpressVPN was the one that worked best. I started my first full day in Xi'an at the Great Mosque, right in the heart of the Muslim Quarter. Built more than 1,280 years ago, it was unlike any mosque I had visited before. If you'd like to recreate the look of my videos, you can find my power grade and luck pack in the description below. Later, I made my way to the south gate of the Xi'an City Wall. The wall surrounds the old city for almost 14 kilometers and is one of the largest and most complete ancient city walls still standing in China. While exploring the wall, I spotted a cozy cafe down in the park below. I ended the evening back at the Bell Tower, watching the city change again as the lights came on. I started the morning with a coffee from Luckin before trying one of Xi'an's most famous dishes. The Biang Biang noodles. The dish is known for its wide hand-pulled noodles usually covered in chili oil, vinegar, garlic, and spices. Afterwards, I took the subway to Huaqing Palace at the foot of Mount Lishan. The historic complex is known for its hot springs and imperial history. The mountain it was very cloudy and as the cable car moved higher, the view slowly disappeared into the mist, which made the whole place feel more intense and even more impressive. I had planned to continue to the Terracotta Army afterwards, but I spent longer on the mountain than expected and missed the chance to visit it that day. So I returned to the city and ended my final evening in Xi'an back at Huimin Street, trying a few more things from the night market. On my last morning in Xi'an, I stumbled upon what became one of my favorite areas in the city. Tucked away from the busier streets, this small neighborhood had a much slower and creative feel, with cozy cafes, independent restaurants, and little corners that were easy to get lost in for a while. It was a quiet way to end my time in Xi'an before heading back to the hotel, picking up my luggage and taking the high-speed train to Beijing. And as promised, here is a budget breakdown for my three days in Xi'an.