The off-season in Xi'an is back! Secret travel guide for August to October|Stay in a Tang Dynasty-style hidden paradise for just 2k+
Girls! The latest 2025 test shows that August to October in Xi'an is the real "hidden gem" season! With the summer crowds gone and the first signs of autumn, you can stay in a Tang-style guesthouse near the Bell Tower for just over 2000 RMB per person, and even the Terracotta Warriors have 30% fewer visitors! We're giving away 5 "Intangible Cultural Heritage Flower Hairpins" in the comments section~
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1️⃣, Datang Everbright City & Big Wild Goose Pagoda|Night tour of the prosperous Tang Dynasty + light and shadow feast|Direct access via Metro Line 4
🚇Transportation: Take Metro Line 4 to "Dayanta Station" in the city center, night tours are free to enter
🏡Accommodation: "Tang Yun Ge" next to Joy City (off-season ¥480/night, carved window lattices + terrace for poetry stele photos)
📸Must-do:
✔️ "Return to Chang'an" live show: After 7:30 PM, water screen projections recreate the prosperous Chang'an, wear a Qixiong Ruqun for interactive fun, free admission (¥88 includes makeup and costume)
✔️ Climb Big Wild Goose Pagoda: Before 7 AM, touch the "Tang Dynasty Tripitaka" plaque and overlook the Qujiang panorama (ticket ¥40)
✔️ Poetry Street check-in: Buy a "Li Bai style" wine pot, stamp collectors will love it (free)
🍜Food:
🌶️ Zhang's Roujiamo on Ziwu Road (¥18) + Drunken Chang'an Gourd Chicken (¥68)
💡Tips: For night tours, wear Hanfu with "Flower Hairpin Collar + Tan Collar" set, the lantern alley light show is super dreamy
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2️⃣, Shaanxi History Museum|Travel through millennia + artifact secrets|10 minutes by bus
🚌Transportation: Metro Line 2 to "Xiaozhai Station," transfer to Bus 5 direct
🏡Accommodation: "Wenyuanju" next to the museum (¥420/night, tatami room + replica cultural relic decorations)
📸Must-do:
✔️ Hejia Village Cellar Exhibition: Wear a light-colored long dress to take photos with artifacts (special exhibition ticket ¥30)
✔️ Tang Dynasty Mural Hall: Immersive experience of "Guest Envoy Painting," interactive screen unlocks lady makeup (¥20)
✔️ Artifact restoration experience: Assemble Tang Sancai pottery by hand, take the finished product home (¥150 including materials)
🍜Food:
🌶️ Museum cafeteria Gourd Head Paomo (¥25) + Bingfeng soda (¥3)
💡Tips: Closed on Mondays! Grab free tickets at midnight 3 days in advance, half price with student ID~
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3️⃣, City Wall Cycling & Stele Forest|Ancient style photos + calligraphy experience|Shared bike ride
🚴Transportation: Metro Line 2 to "Yongningmen Station," rent Hanfu for cycling (¥50/3 hours including makeup and costume)
🏡Accommodation: "Moxiang Inn" at the city wall base (¥380/night, window view of enemy tower ruins)
📸Must-do:
✔️ Yongningmen Arrow Tower: Wear a Ming-style horse-face skirt at dusk to shoot "The Longest Day in Chang'an" style photos (free)
✔️ Stele Forest Rubbing Experience: Make your own rubbing of the "Duobao Pagoda Stele," framed as a gift (¥80)
✔️ City Wall Night Run: After 8 PM, light show starts, listen to "The Longest Day in Chang'an" BGM with headphones
🍜Food:
🌶️ Wei's Cold Noodles (secret recipe cold noodles ¥12) + Ziwu Road Heluo noodles (beef heluo ¥20)
💡Tips: Choose the west section (including Guangmen to Yuxiangmen), fewer people, beautiful scenery, easy to get great photos
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4️⃣, Muslim Quarter & Yongxingfang|Culinary carnival + intangible cultural heritage food|15 minutes on foot
🚶Transportation: 10-minute walk from Bell Tower Station to Muslim Quarter, taxi ¥10 to Yongxingfang
🏡Accommodation: "Yanhuo Apartment" next to Xiyang Market (¥400/night, panoramic window overlooking Lantern Alley)
📸Must-do:
✔️ Jia San Soup Dumplings: Queue at 7 AM for beef soup dumplings, paired with eight-treasure porridge (¥15/basket)
✔️ Shan Shisan Ice Cream: Buy "Oil-splashed Chili" flavored ice cream, vintage paper bag for photos (¥18)
✔️ Shadow Puppet Show Experience: Carve your own "Sun Wukong" shadow puppet, perform during night tour (¥60)
🍜Food:
🌶️ Lao Wu's Lamb Paomo (¥35) + Ding's Crispy Pork (¥48)
💡Tips: Wear a light-colored long dress in the Muslim Quarter! Buy rose jam at the spice market ¥10/jar, Yongxingfang bowl-smashing wine ¥15
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5️⃣, Huaqing Palace & Lishan Mountain|Royal hot springs + Lishan sunset|1 hour drive
🚗Transportation: City → Lianhuo Expressway → Huaqing Palace (navigate to "Huaqing Yutang Hotel," about 1 hour)
🏡Accommodation: "Ligong Bieyuan" at the foot of Lishan (¥500/night, private hot spring pool with beacon tower view)
📸Must-do:
✔️ "Song of Everlasting Regret" performance: Choose seat in Central Area A, night tour of Lishan with light chase (¥368 including shuttle)
✔️ Begonia Bath Ruins: Yang Guifei's style bath, wear Ruqun to shoot "Imperial Concubine Bathing" (free)
✔️ Lishan Cableway: Take the cable car to the beacon tower, overlook the Guanzhong Plain in autumn (¥60 round trip)
🍜Food:
🌶️ Lintong Persimmon Cake ("Fushunxiang" with walnuts ¥8) + Lamb Paomo ("Lao Baijia" ¥30)
💡Tips: Arrive 2 hours before the show! Lishan has many steps, wear comfortable sports shoes
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Xi'an universal formula:
✅Outfit: Tang-style Ruqun + shawl, guesthouse rental ¥30/day including makeup and costume
✅Route book: Search "Xi'an hidden steles" on Gaode Map, avoid peak hours at Big Wild Goose Pagoda/Terracotta Warriors
✅Accommodation: Choose guesthouses 3 km outside Bell Tower, 30% cheaper than core area, some include breakfast
✅Save money: Free museum admission for seniors over 60! Night market bargaining tips: share tables with more people, average ¥5 per person~
This autumn, measure 1300 years of Chang'an romance with your footsteps! We're giving away 3 "Tang Sancai Sachets" in the comments~🏮