Xi'an: Terracotta Warriors, City Walls & Noodle Heaven: the places

The first emperor's 8,000-man clay bodyguard — see the pits in reverse order

Rent a bike on top and ride the full 14 km loop at golden hour

A 1,300-year-old mosque built as a Chinese temple garden

The lantern-lit spectacle — do it once for the theater

The Hui neighborhood's own 24-hour food street — regulars, not queues

The century-old benchmark braised-pork roujiamo

Yangrou paomo since 1898 — tear the bread yourself

Xuanzang's 652 AD sutra tower — come at dusk for the fountain show

The glowing Tang-themed night promenade below the pagoda

The quiet 707 AD sibling, in a garden of calligraphers

Tang gold and Silk Road treasures — free, but book timed tickets days ahead

The Ming centerpiece where the old city's four avenues meet