3-Day Xian Cultural Tour from Shanghai by Flight

Summary

Day 1 Shanghai to Xian by flight: Bell Tower and Drum tower Square, Xi'an Grand Mosque, Muslim Quarter
Day 2 Xian: Terracotta Warriors and museum, Giant Wild Goose Pagoda
Day 3 Xian-Shanghai: Morning market, Ancient City Wall, Xian-Shanghai by flight

Day 1 Shanghai-Xian

Flying from Shanghai to Xi'an

In the morning your guide meets you in your hotel lobby in Shanghai and escorts you to the airport for your flight to Xi'an. When you land, your Xi'an guide is waiting at the airport exit holding a "Your Way Holiday" welcome sign, and your private car takes you into the city.

Bell and Drum Tower Square

Your first stop is Bell and Drum Tower Square in the center of Xi'an, home to the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower, which for centuries marked the hours of the city. Both date to the Ming dynasty, and your guide points out their timber roofs and painted details and explains how the bell and the drum once rang to open and close the city gates each day. The square is ringed by shops, cafes, and old streets, so it is a good place to see the historic and modern sides of Xi'an at once and to take photographs.

Xi'an Great Mosque

Next you visit the Xi'an Great Mosque, one of the oldest and most significant Islamic sites in China, with roots going back more than 1,300 years. Unusually, it blends traditional Chinese courtyard architecture with Islamic design, and your guide walks you through its courtyards, prayer halls, and carved screens while explaining their meaning. You also hear about the local Hui Muslim community and how the mosque has served as a place of worship and learning for centuries, and your guide helps you visit it respectfully.

Xi'an Muslim Quarter

Afterward you stroll through the Muslim Quarter, Xi'an's best-known food and shopping street, which has been part of the old city for more than 1,000 years. Your guide introduces you to local specialties such as hand-pulled noodles, steamed dumplings, and sweet pastries, and points out well-regarded stalls along the lane. Along the way you learn how the Silk Road brought merchants and their cooking to Xi'an and how different cultures shaped this corner of the city.

Check-in to Your Xi'an Hotel

At the end of the day your guide drives you to your Xi'an hotel and helps you check in, answers your questions, and suggests how to spend the evening before tomorrow's sightseeing.

Day 2 Xian

Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum

This morning is given over to the Terracotta Warriors, one of the most significant archaeological finds of the twentieth century and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The clay army was made to guard Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor to unify China, in the afterlife, and each soldier, horse, and chariot was modeled with individual detail. Your guide walks you through the excavation pits and explains how the figures were discovered by local farmers in 1974.

Pit 1: The Main Infantry Formation

Your tour begins at Pit 1, the largest of the three. Thousands of soldiers stand in military rows with horses and chariots, and from the raised walkways you look down along the ranks and see how each figure differs in face, hairstyle, and armor. Your guide explains the different roles and ranks represented among the soldiers.

Pit 3: The Command Post

Pit 3 is the smallest and quietest of the sites and is thought to have served as the army's command post. With far fewer figures, it gives a closer view of their craftsmanship and of the ceremonial roles they represent.

Pit 2: Cavalry, Archers, and Chariots

In Pit 2 the army's combined units are on display — archers, infantry, cavalry, and chariots arranged in formations. Your guide describes the military organization the layout reflects and the techniques the craftsmen used more than two thousand years ago.

Lunch in Xi'an

After the museum you enjoy lunch at a local restaurant, where your guide helps you order classic Shaanxi dishes such as hand-pulled noodles, steamed dumplings, and stir-fried vegetables, adjusting the choices to your taste and any dietary needs.

Big Wild Goose Pagoda

In the afternoon you visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, a Buddhist pagoda first built in 652 during the Tang dynasty to hold the sutras and relics the monk Xuanzang brought back from India. Rebuilt and renovated over the centuries, it is rated a National Key Cultural Relic Preserve, and its plain brick form has become one of Xi'an's enduring symbols. In the evening, the square in front of the pagoda is a gathering place for local life and cultural performances.

Back to Your Xi'an Hotel

After the pagoda, your guide drives you back to your Xi'an hotel and helps you with check-in, answers your questions, and suggests how to spend the evening.

Day 3 Xian-Shanghai

Big Wild Goose Pagoda

This morning you visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, also called the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, a Buddhist pagoda in southern Xi'an that has become a symbol of the old city. It was first built in 652 during the Tang dynasty with five stories, rebuilt in 704 under Empress Wu Zetian, and had its exterior brick facade renovated during the Ming dynasty. Rated as a National Key Cultural Relic Preserve, the pagoda once held the sutras and Buddha figurines brought back from India by the Buddhist translator and traveler Xuanzang.

Flight Home to Shanghai

When the pagoda visit ends, your guide transfers you to Xi'an airport for your flight back to Shanghai, where you are met and driven to your hotel. Your three-day Xi'an tour from Shanghai comes to a close.

Questions Before You Book

Are the flights between Shanghai and Xi'an included?

The itinerary is built around a round-trip flight. You can book the air tickets yourself or ask us to add them; on the ground, your guides handle all transfers in both cities.

How many nights do we spend in Xi'an?

Two nights. You fly in on the morning of day one and leave on day three, which leaves a full day two for the Terracotta Warriors.

What do we see on day one?

The Bell and Drum Tower Square, the Xi'an Great Mosque, and the Muslim Quarter — the historic center and the city's main food street, all within Xi'an itself.

Is the Terracotta Museum far from the city?

It sits on the outskirts a short drive from town, so it takes up most of day two; the Big Wild Goose Pagoda follows that afternoon.

Can we change the sights or the length?

The tour is customizable — add extra nights, swap in other sights, or set a different return date. Just let us know in advance.

What about meals and dietary needs?

Lunch on day two is taken at a local restaurant, and your guide can tailor the dishes to vegetarian or other dietary needs; the Muslim Quarter on day one also has many halal options.

Price Per Person in US Dollars