Xi’an is best known for the Terracotta Warriors about 20 kilometers away, and it’s also an extremely common third city included on China package tours of Beijing and Shanghai. But there is quite a bit more to see, and the atmosphere is quite different from the two huge cities that dominate China tourism. But don’t expect a “tourist town” because Xi’an has about 9 million people in the city limits.
| Population | 6,500,000 |
| Area | 8,500,000 |
| Timezone | UTC+8 |
| Currency | China Yuan |
| Airports | Xi\'an Xianyang International Airport (XIY) |
| Budget breakfast | Hotel food can be a bit on the pricey side while local eateries and cafes tend to have bigger portions and a great price. | $1.55 - $3.39 |
| Budget lunch | Dumplings are a great lunch item that also serve as a great midnight snack. | $1.84 - $4.24 |
| Budget dinner | Small restaurants tend to serve locals more than visitors and are a great place to go for a reasonably priced dish. | $3.81 - $8.47 |
| Beer (bottle) | The local lager is much cheaper than imports. | $1.27 - $3.53 |
| Street food portions | The Muslim Quarter near the Drum Tower is lined with tiny places selling cheap and good little meals. | $1.55 - $2.26 |
| Month | High F | Low F | PRECIP (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 40 | 24 | 0.5 |
| February | 48 | 30 | 0.7 |
| March | 58 | 38 | 1.0 |
| April | 70 | 49 | 1.5 |
| May | 80 | 58 | 2.0 |
| June | 89 | 67 | 2.5 |
| July | 90 | 72 | 3.5 |
| August | 86 | 69 | 3.0 |
| September | 78 | 60 | 3.5 |
| October | 67 | 49 | 2.0 |
| November | 55 | 36 | 1.0 |
| December | 44 | 26 | 0.5 |
Xian has four distinct seasons and is located in the warm temperate zone. Because of this, visitors have many different options on when they want to travel to the area. In summer, visitors will find high temperatures and long rainy days. In winter, you’ll find chilly weather with a bit of snow here and there.
Spring and fall offer a little relief from both the cold and the heat but also bring long rainy days. No matter what time of year you visit, it’s best to pack an umbrella just in case.
| 21 Mar | 6:46am | 6:56pm |
| 21 Jun | 5:32am | 7:59pm |
| 21 Sep | 6:31am | 6:43pm |
| 21 Dec | 7:46am | 5:38pm |
Among the nicer things about a visit to Xi’an is that prices are generally lower here than in Beijing or Shanghai. Quality chain hotels are available at shockingly low prices, so those package deals aren’t quite as amazing as they seem.
With a large tourism scene, there are plenty of restaurants with English-language menus around town, but of course visitors will tend to get better value at places without them. Drinks here are cheap as well, so this is a good stop for those who like to have a cocktail or three at night. There is a strip of English-friendly bars near the Drum Tower, but drinks are very expensive.
Spring and fall, although brief, see a nice amount of visitors to the area and slightly higher hotel costs. If visiting during the winter, you’ll be more likely to find budget prices for both hotels and airfare.
| Rating | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
 | 8.00 - 18.00 |
| 12.00 - 26.00 |
| 22.00 - 56.00 |
| 30.00 - 108.00 |
| 89.00 - 152.00 |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Hostel Bed | 6.50 - 10.00 |