Destinations / The Northwest
Xi'an西安
The old capital — terracotta armies, a Muslim quarter that perfumes whole streets, and the beginning of the Silk Road.
The city, plainly
Xi'an was China's capital for over a thousand years, and it still feels like a crossroads. The Terracotta Warriors guard the east; the walled city holds a Muslim Quarter where lamb, cumin, and hand-pulled noodles tell the Silk Road's story; and the city wall itself is best ridden by bike at dusk, full circle, past the drum towers.
What we never skip
Warriors, in order
The pits with a historian guide — and the workshop where modern restorers still piece them together.
The Muslim Quarter by night
A street-food route through a neighborhood that has fed travelers for 1,300 years.
Cycling the wall
Fourteen kilometers on top of the Ming wall, entire old city below you.
Experiences in Xi'an
Dumplings with a Hutong Family包饺子
Fold dumplings around a family table, argue about fillings, and eat the results with the people who live there.
An evening
Hanfu Portraiture汉服
Dress in historical Chinese dress with a stylist, then shoot among the architecture it belongs to — city wall, garden, temple.
Half day
Themes here: Cultural Immersion · Food & Tea
