Cycling
Round the wall.
Gerd Eichmann — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Laika ac from UK — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Unknown — CC BY-SA 1.0 · Gary Todd from Xinzheng, China — CC0 · Ideophagous — CC BY-SA 4.0 · chensiyuan — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Aaron Zhu — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Yuguang97 — CC BY-SA 3.0
One of the oldest, largest and best-preserved Chinese city walls, built under the Hongwu Emperor of the Ming dynasty in the fourteenth century to protect the city and restored several times, most recently in 1983; it encloses about 11.5 square kilometres. The wall runs as a rectangle around the old city for about 14 km, with watchtowers, massive gates and a moat, and its top is wide enough for horse-drawn carts in the past, making it today a unique walkway and cycling track above the rooftops. The best experience is hiring a bike and riding the whole circuit in about two hours, past the four main gates, the South Gate being the most famous, with the old city's traditional towers on one side and the modern city on the other. Tickets are CNY 54, and bike hire about CNY 45 for three hours, per visitor guides. Late afternoon into evening is loveliest, when red lanterns light up along the wall.
Round the wall.
The famous one.
At dusk.
Ringing the old city of Xi'an
Stele Forest MuseumA unique museum of inscribed stone tablets and sculpture, called the «Forest of 8 minutes walk4.3
Bell Tower of Xi'anXi'an's best-known symbol, a massive brick-and-timber tower built in 1384 in the11 minutes walk4.4
Muslim QuarterA historic quarter in the heart of old Xi'an, right behind the Drum Tower, home 11 minutes walk4.3
Great Mosque of Xi'anOne of China's largest and oldest historic mosques, at the eastern end of Xi'an'15 minutes walk4.5
Small Wild Goose PagodaA Tang-dynasty brick pagoda built between 707 and 709 when the city, then Chang'18 minutes walk4.7About two hours for the full 14 km loop; bikes cost about CNY 45 for three hours, per visitor guides.