Travel Guide > Asia > China > Shaanxi > Xi'an
Xi'an (西安) is an industrial city of 8 million people and the present day capital of Shaanxi province. Xi'an was the capital of China from the Zhou dynasty (11th century BCE) to the famous Tang dynasty (7th century CE) and has the sights to prove it including the marvelous city walls, which still encapsulate the city centre.
After losing its title as the capital it remained important for its strategic location and became a rich city on the Silk Road. Today Xi'an has become a center of commerce for the north west of China and of the coal industry. Although the city is primarily known for the famous Terracotta Army there are plenty of other excellent - and some claim more interesting - sights, including the ancient city wall which is wide enough to walk or cycle across.
The urban and suburban areas of Xi'an are divided into seven districts although most tourists never leave the area within the city walls other then to see the provincial museum:
Xi'an has a temperate climate, with sharp distinctions between seasons. Summers tend to be hot (30 degrees Celsius or sometimes more) and a little wet, and winters tend to be cold and dry with frost and little snow.
Xi'an Xianyang International Airport (XIY) is located about 45 minutes outside of the city center. There is a shuttle from the front of the Melody Hotel from 6 am to 6 pm located at 86 Xi Dajie (西大街86号).
International connections to XIY include Bangkok, Hong Kong, Seoul, Singapore and Tokyo. Domestic flights, one the other hand, are mostly operated by China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines and Hainan Airlines.
The Xi'an train station is a major hub for transport between western and eastern China and located a the outer north east corner of the city walls. The train station serves every major and most minor cities in China, and is especially well connected to Beijing in the north and Chengdu further south. There are also several trains a day to Lhasa, depending on the time of the year. Be careful of pickpockets at this train station.
Most of what tourists want to see in Xi'an and where tourists stay is within the city walls. The streets are set up in a rough grid system, with the bell tower at the center of town. Traffic can be horrible within the walls so it is better to walk.
Xi'an is an easy city to walk around. Grab a map and go off exploring on foot!
The Bell Tower International Youth Hostel is located at No 1 North Street near the post office building. (西安市北大街1号). It does pretty good food and has cheap beer to enjoy in a relaxed setting with other travellers.
| Property | Address | Type | Popularity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970's Guesthouse | #315, Dong Da Jie | Hotel | 67 |
| 7 Sages Youth Hostel | Cortyard 5 of QiXianZhuang NO.1 Bei Xin street | Hostel | 85 |
| Ancient Street Youth Hostel | C1 Fanggu Wenhua Jie, Shuncheng Dongxiang Nan Men | Hostel | 78 |
| Apartment Central | Xihuamen Shi zi | Apartment | - |
| Aurum International Hotel | 30 Nanxin Jie | Hotel | - |
| Bell Tower International Hostel | No. 1 North Street (Post Office Building) | Hostel | 82 |
| Bob's Guesthouse | No.85 Huan Chen Bei Lu Rd | Hostel | 67 |
| Canaan International Hotel | 132 East Street | Hotel | 83 |
| City Hotel | No.70 Nan Da Jie, | Hotel | 47 |
| Crystal Business Hotel | No.370 Dongda Street | Hotel | 43 |
| Defachang Hotel | No.28 Pingan Market, Anban Street | Hotel | 71 |
| Fenghe International Youth Hostel | No.11, Fenghe Road | Hostel | 45 |
| Great Tang International Hotel | nan guan zhengjie | Hotel | - |
| Guanzhong Hostel | NO.315 East Street | Hostel | - |
| Han Tang Inn Youth Hostel | No.211, west street, xi'an, shannxi | Hostel | 84 |
| Hq Hostel | Hong Fu International Apartment Complex | Hostel | - |
| Jinjiang Inn South Xi'an New & Hi-Tech Development | No.148, The West Section of Er'huan Rd(S) | Hotel | - |
| Jinjiang Inn Xi'an Downtown | No.110 Jie Fang Rd. | Hotel | 63 |
| Jinjiang Inn Xian Jian Guo Men | No.5 Huan Chen Dong Lu Bei Lin District | Hotel | - |
| Ludao International Youth Hostel | No.80 West 8th Street | Hostel | 67 |
| Meiyuan Hostel | No.8 He Ping Road | Hostel | - |
| Nanfang Hotel | No.15# An Ban Jie Street No.18# Xi Mu Tou Shi | Hotel | 73 |
| Shenpeng Hotel | No.4 Hong Shi Zi Hui Street Shangde Road | Hotel | - |
| Shuyuan International Youth Hostel | No.2 Shunchengxixiang Nanmen Li | Hostel | 90 |
| Square Youth Hostel | No.1 Tai Ping Bu,Nan Guang Chang Da Yan Ta | Hostel | 80 |
| Super 8 Hotel - Xi Da Jie | No. 8 Zhengxue Street, Xi Da Jie Road | Hotel | 68 |
| Xiangzimen International Youth Hostel | 16 Xiangzimiao Street | Hostel | 87 |
| Yurk International Hostel | No.7 Xi Yi Road | Hostel | 65 |
| Zhongan Inn Chain-Xi'an Meiyuan Hotel | No.8 Heping Road | Hotel | - |
Most hotels and hostels have internet access, either for a small fee or sometimes free to guests.
See also International Telephone Calls
This is version 49. Last edited at 10:11 on Aug 21, 09 by Utrecht (+683). 17 articles link to this page.

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