Most itineraries treat Xi'an as a day trip: see the Terracotta Army, take the evening train out. I did that on my first visit and still regret it. The city was the capital of China for over a thousand years across thirteen dynasties, and the army, spectacular as it is, is maybe half the story.

Cycle the city wall at dusk

The Ming-era wall is complete, 14 kilometres around the old city, and you can rent a bike on top of it. Start around 5pm, ride the full loop in about two hours with photo stops, and finish as the lanterns come on and the temperature drops. It is the single best thing to do in the city and costs less than a museum ticket anywhere in Europe.

The Muslim Quarter, hungry and after dark

The streets behind the Bell Mosque turn into a food carnival every evening: roujiamo, the Chinese meat burger that predates any burger, yangrou paomo lamb soup you tear bread into yourself, and persimmon cakes fried to order. It is touristy in parts, yes. Go one street deeper than the main drag and the prices and quality both improve. The Great Mosque itself is a surprise: a Ming-era complex that reads like a Chinese garden with Arabic calligraphy.

Huashan: the mountain question

One of the five sacred Taoist mountains, two hours away by bullet train, famous for cliff-side plank walks with a harness and a view that makes your stomach drop. It deserves a full day and reasonable fitness. The cable car removes most of the climbing if you want the summit without the sweat. If your trip already includes Zhangjiajie, skip it; if Xi'an is your mountain stop, go.

A sensible three days

• Day one: Terracotta Army in the morning (book the early slot), Huaqing Palace or the Big Wild Goose Pagoda after, Tang dynasty show at night if you enjoy costume performances.
• Day two: city wall by bike, Great Mosque and Muslim Quarter for lunch and again for dinner.
• Day three: Shaanxi History Museum (free tickets vanish fast, reserve days ahead) and Huashan if your legs agree.

Our Xi'an tours include all of the above with early-entry timings for the army, because arriving at 8:30 instead of 10:30 is the difference between a quiet hall of warriors and a wall of selfie sticks.

Originally published on 71Asia Tours blog.