Shaanxi · China
Where to stay in Xi'an
Xi'an is a city in Shaanxi, China, home to about 12,953,000 people.
- Best months
- April, May and October
- Nearest airport
- XIY26 km · Xi'an Xianyang International Airport
- Currency
- CNYrenminbi
- Time zone
- Asia/Shanghai
- Language
- Chinese, Putonghua, Standard Chinese
About
About Xi'an
Xi'an is the capital of the Chinese province of Shaanxi. A sub-provincial city on the Guanzhong plain, the city is the most populous in the province and third-most populous in Western China after Chongqing and Chengdu, as well as the most populous in Northwestern China.
Xi'an is more than 3,000 years old and was known as Chang'an (长安) in ancient times. For 1,000 years, the city was the capital for 13 dynasties, and a total of 73 emperors ruled here. Xi'an is the undisputed root of Chinese civilization, having served as the capital city for the Zhou, Qin, Han, and Tang dynasties. With so much history within the ground the city lies upon, it is no wonder that there are so many historical ruins, museums and cultural relics to be found here.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Xi'an
See
- Beilin (or Stele) Museum
- Shaanxi Art Museum
- Shaanxi History Museum
- Shaanxi Nature Museum
- Shaanxi Science & Technology Museum
- Xi'an Art Museum
- Xi'an Museum
- Bell Tower
- Drum Tower
- Daming Palace National Heritage Park
- Eighth Route Army Xi'an Office Museum
- Gao Family Compound
Do
- Hui Muslim Quarter
- Walk the City Walls
- Bike the City Walls
- Qujiang Sightseeing Monorail
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of Xi'an to stay in
The urban area of Xi'an generally refers to the six central districts, which include Xincheng District, Lianhu District, Beilin District, Weiyang District, Yanta District, and Baqiao District. The first three districts are generally within the Second Ring Road, which is restricted in terms of development (as of 2024) and is considered the birthplace of Xi'an's urban area. Key attractions in these districts include the Bell and Drum Towers, Beilin Museum, and North Gate. Beyond the city walls, the urban area is divided into the eastern, western, southern, and northern suburbs.
As with most Chinese cities, several cheap run down hotels can be found near the train station. There are a few decent ones inside the city walls, on a road called Jie Fang Lu, going directly south from the train station. Bargaining is possible, especially if you are staying for more than one night. Expect to pay under ¥100 for a single room as getting a room for as low as ¥30 is possible. There are at least six international youth hostels in the center of the city, and they are easy to find. Booking on the Internet will usually save you money, prices start around ¥15.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Xi'an
60 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata; the 40 best known are shown, by the number of Wikipedia editions that cover them. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| AHS-Park Hotel(Xi’an Qujiang Wild Goose Pagoda) | 5.0 km | |
| AHS-Park Hotel(Xi'an Xiaozhai Metro Station) | 3.6 km | |
| Atour Hotel (Xi'an Bell Tower North) | 1.9 km | |
| Atour Hotel (Xi'an Gaoxin Dazhai Road) | 5.4 km | |
| Atour Hotel (Xi'an Gaoxin Jinye Road) | 9.1 km | |
| Atour Hotel (Xi'an North 2nd Ring Road Wenjing Road) | 6.6 km | |
| Atour Hotel University of petroleum,xiao zhai,xi'an | 4.8 km | |
| Atour Hotel Xi'an Gaoxin Tangyan Road Branch | 5.1 km | |
| Atour Hotel Xi'an Giant Wild Goose Pagoda | 3.7 km | |
| Bestway Hotel (Xi'an Qu Jiang Great Tang All Day Mall) | 5.7 km | |
| Feeling Hotel (Xi'an Bell and Drum Towers Flagship) | 0.3 km | |
| Fu Rong Ge Hotel | 5.7 km | |
| Gran Melia Xi'an | 6.5 km | |
| Grand Hyatt Xi'an | 8.7 km | |
| Hampton by Hilton Xi'an Giant Wild Goose Pagoda | 5.3 km | |
| HE Hotel | 1.1 km | |
| Holiday Inn Express Xi'an High-Tech Zone | 8.9 km | |
| Hotel New | 4.3 km | |
| Hualuxe Xi'an Hi-tech Zone | 5.5 km | |
| Hualuxe Xi'an Tanghua | 5.1 km | |
| Huashan Mountain International Hotel | 2.4 km | |
| Impression Nanhu Homestay | 6.8 km | |
| JI Hotel Xi'an The Bell Tower | 0.3 km | |
| JI Hotel(xi'an Hepingmen Subway Station shop.) | 2.1 km | |
| Lanxi International Hotel | 3.8 km | |
| Le Ville Residence | 3.9 km | |
| Long March Milaso Hotel | 11.6 km | |
| Mehood Hotel (Xi'an Gaoxin Road Pinzhi) | 4.6 km | |
| Mehood Lestie Hotel (South 2nd Ring,Feangqing Park Metro Station) | 3.7 km | |
| Mehood Lestie Hotel (Xi'an Beidaminggong) | 8.0 km | |
| Mercure Xi'an Downtown | 1.7 km | |
| Mercure Xian Hi Tech Zone | 7.9 km | |
| Mercure Xian Qujiang | 8.8 km | |
| Merlinhod Hotel Xi'an (Bell & Drum Tower Branch) | 0.7 km | |
| Novotel Xi'an Scpg | 4.4 km | |
| Orange Hotel (Xi'an Bell and Drum Tower) | 1.0 km | |
| Orange Hotel (Xi'an High-tech Zone Jinye Road) | 8.1 km | |
| Orange Hotel (Xi'an Keji Road Metro Station Store) | 4.3 km | |
| Orange Hotel (Xi'an North Railway Station, Municipal Government) | 9.3 km | |
| Perfect Hotel By Boffol | 9.3 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Xi'an
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Xi'an are April, May and October. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 33 °C; July is the wettest, with about 99 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Xi'an: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Xi'an Xianyang International Airport (XIY), about 26 km from the city centre in a straight line.
Getting around
The old city is surrounded by a rectangular city wall. The Bell Tower (钟楼 Zhōnglóu) is in the dead center of the rectangle, and is considered the center of Xi'an. From here, the four main streets radiate along the four points of the compass.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
XIY · Xi'an Xianyang International Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Xi'an
Eat
Xi'an used to have only a few restaurants known by the locals to serve delicious food. These days you can find a wider variety of restaurants, including western fast food brands that locals may find exciting. However younger generations don't seem to appreciate the traditional cuisines and rather choose to eat fast food, so some of good old restaurants are forced to close down, being taken over by the newer ones.
Drink
Night clubs in Xi'an are not abundant. The biggest concentration is along the short Nandajie (南大街), and there you can also eat on the street as there are restaurants open past midnight. All clubs play the same music, a mix of Chinese disco and some pop music. Most people go out between 22:00 and 01:00, but clubs are generally open until 04:00. Be mentally prepared to be aggressively approached by club operators desperate for patrons.
Stay safe
Like other Chinese cities, Xi'an is generally quite safe in terms of violent crimes. Watch out for pickpockets in crowds, on the bus, and during national holidays.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Xi'an: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Xi'an?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Xi'an are April, May and October. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 33 °C; July is the wettest, with about 99 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Xi'an?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Xi'an Xianyang International Airport (XIY), about 26 km from the city centre in a straight line.
What currency is used in Xi'an?
renminbi (CNY).
Nearby
Destinations near Xi'an
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.