Xian travel, tours and Vacations.

A short guide about Xian

How would you like to visit an old world city from the Han Dynasty whose former name; Chang’an means ‘a place of permanent peace’. Well Xian is that place... Xian obtained its present name in 1369 and served as an ancient capital beyond compare, with the city's capital status lasting for 1,608 years.

For over 1,000 years the city has been capital for 13 dynasties, and a total of 73 emperors ruled here. With so much history within the ground the city lies upon, it's no wonder that there are so many historical ruins and, in the museums, cultural relics. Even before the lives of Christ, Mohammad, and Siddhartha, Xian was a world class city and already influencing the world outside of The Great Wall of China.

The City Wall of Xian is well worth a visit, as it is one of two cities with intact city walls. Hire bicycles to ride along the wall, or take a three hour walking tour that does a complete loop of the walls. The landscaped park around the base of the exterior walls and moat provides a pleasant stroll and gives a different perspective on the towers. Or visit the Bell Tower; originally built in the Yingxiang Temple in 1384, it was moved to its present position in 1582 – in the very heart of the city. So while you’re here visit the Wild Goose Pagoda situated in the Da Ci'en Temple; one of the city's most distinctive and outstanding landmarks built in AD 65, and used to store the sutras and figurines of Buddha.

Tour the Shanxi Provincial Museum – which houses a large collection of historic and cultural artefacts from the Qing dynasties, to the pre-historical and bronze period. Or visit the Banpo Neolithic Village Museum; where the remains of a village inhabited from 4500 BC to 3750 BC were discovered in 1953. Not to be missed by any visitor to China is the Terracotta Warriors Museum; which houses one of the most significant archaeological excavations of the 20th century – the life size terracotta figures of warriors and horses arranged in battle formations.

Tourabout has categorized vacation packages to Xian from the world’s best tour suppliers – you can tour China from this city or just chose a tour to discover this eastern terminus of the Silk Road; where traders from far and wide brought and sold goods and ideas. The Muslim community that lives and works today, traces its history to Arab and Persian merchants who, after traveling the Silk Road, became permanent residents of such cities as Guangzhou, Quanzhou, Hangzhou, Yangzhou, and Xian.