秦始皇兵马俑

Why this place

The terracotta army is the tomb guard of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor — over 8,000 life-size figures, each with individual facial features, buried in battle formation in pits near his mausoleum. It was discovered by well-diggers in 1974 and it is the most important archaeological find of twentieth-century China.

What to see

• Pit 1, the largest, with the infantry formation and the ongoing excavation
• Pit 2, where the cavalry and archers are, and Pit 3, the command post
• The bronze chariots and horses in the museum hall
• The mausoleum mound of Qin Shi Huang itself, 1.5km away and unexcavated

What to eat

• Shaanxi noodles in the village outside — touristy but convenient
• Better to eat back in Xi'an; roujiamo and yangrou paomo

How to plan

Half a day from Xi'an, plus travel.

Best time

April–May and September–October

Practical tips

• See the pits in reverse order (3, 2, 1) to end with the most dramatic and avoid the biggest crowds