2 Days Xi'an Classic Small Group Tour

7:30-8:00AM Hotel pick-up  

Today our guide will pick you up at your hotel around 7:30-8:00a.m. It usually takes about 1 hour to drive to the Terracotta Army.

 

9:00-12:00 AM Visit the Terracotta Army

While digging a well in 1974, farmers from Yanzhai Commune unearthed some brown pottery fragments which led to the discovery of one of the most spectacular archaeological finds of the century - the buried terra cotta army of the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty. The vaults containing the sculptured legion are located at the eastern flank of his tomb in Lintong County northeast of Xi'an. So far, three underground vaults have been discovered. Vault One, the biggest of the three, measures s metres high, 230 metres long from east to west, and 62 metres wide from north to south, covering an area of more than 14,000 square metres. Thousands of life-sized terra cotta warriors lined up in battle array with horse-drawn chariots have been excavated. The warriors are of a fairly uniform height of 1.8 metres. With their individual features and facial expressions, they are amazingly lifelike. Visitors have called this awesome sight the "eighth wonder of the world. In addition to the terra cotta figures, many finely executed bronze horses and chariots have been unearthed on the western flank of the Qin tomb. Half life-size, these figures are highly detailed and realistic.

 

12:00–1:30pm Have Lunch at a Local Farmer’s House

 

2:30–5:00pm: Visit Xi’an Ancient City Wall by Walking, Biking, or Taking an Eco-Car

Xi’an Ancient City Wall,. built in A D.1370-1378, is one of the best-preserved ancient walls in China. Surrounded by a moat, it has a circumference of 13.78 kilometres and is 12 metres high 18 metres wide at the base, and Is metres wide at the top. The interior of the wall was made of rammed earth, and the exterior of bricks.
 

5:00-6:00pm Visit Muslim Quarters

The Muslim Quarters is located 100 metres west of the bell tower in the centre of Xi'an .The 500 metres long blue stone paved avenue is dotted with many stands, souvenir shop, cafeteria and bars, which are mostly run by Muslims. Tourists, especially foreigners, come and shop here.

 

6:00–6:30pm Transfer back to your hotel or Stay in Muslim Street and Explore the City by Yourself

 

7:30 AM – 11:00 AM Hotel pick-up  Hanyangling Mausoleum

Hanyangling Museum(Yang Mausoleum of Han）is the multi-burial cemetery of Emperor Jing of the Han dynasty and its empress. The tomb was built from 153 B.C. to 126 B.C., covering an area of 20 square kilometers. The Hanyangling Museum has been established, which is a picturesque cultural tourist place on a large scale mixing modern technology, civilization, history, culture and landscape.

11:40 AM – 1:00 PM Have lunch at A Local Restaurant

1:20 PM – 3:00 PM Visit Tangbo Art Museum

After lunch, we will visit Tangbo Art Museum, which is a private museum. It has a collection of Shaanxi folk arts and ancient paintings representative in the historical. Here you will have the opportunity to learn about Chinese calligraphy, watch the Chinese tea ceremony or try to cut Chinese paper-cutting.

3:30 PM – 5:30 PM Visit Shaanxi History Museum

At last, we will visit Shaanxi History Museum. The museum, with a floor space of over 43, 200 sq ft(4,000sq. m) was opened in 1952. There are more than two thousand ancient artifacts on display. They are divided into three sections: Forest of Steles(the oldest and richest collection of such stone tablets in China), Gallery of Stone Sculpture, and Historical Relics.

5:40 PM – 6:00 PM Visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda

Afterwards, you will be transferred to the south square of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Big Wild Goose Pagoda stands in the grounds of Temple Daci’en (The Temple bf Great Maternal Grace) in what used to be a ward in ancient Chang'an city. It is also called Ci En Si Ta after the name of the temple.

The temple itself was built in the year 648 by Li Zhi, when a royal prince, in memory of his dead mother. At the time, Xuanzang the famous monk had just returned from India, where he had studied for long years, and had brought back more than 600 volumes of Buddhist scripture. In order to safe keep these holy books, the Greater Wild Goose Pagoda was built at his suggestion by court order, and Xuanzang himself was put in charge of the temple, where he spent his tune translating and writing.

The original pagoda, built in 652, had only five storeys. It was renovated in 701-704 under the reign of Empress Wu Zetian. It has been repaired or restored many times since.

The present Da Yan Ta stands 64 metres tall with seven tiers, roughly in the shape of an elongated square pyramid. Though built of blue brick, the walls simulate woodwork structure of columns and balustrades. There are arched' doors on all four sides of each tier. This brick pagoda, constructed in the style of traditional pavilions, simply and neatly modeled but impressive and inspiring, is typical of the features of the time and a masterpiece of architecture of the Tang.

6:00 PM – 6:30 PM Transfer back to hotel

Your guide and driver will transfer you back to the hotel