1 Terracotta warriors
Discovered in 1974 by local farmers, Xian's terracotta warriors represent one of the most significant archaeological excavations of the 20th century. The Terracotta Warrior Museum covers more than 20 hectares and is divided into three pits. More than 8,000 figures of warriors and horses, along with other items such as chariots and weapons, have been unearthed. The army of clay warriors was assembled by Emperor Qin Shi Huang (259-210BC) to protect him in the afterlife. The life-sized figures of soldiers (many of which held real weapons) and horses are arranged in classic battle formations. Although many pieces have been restored, excavation and restoration work is a slow process. German art student Pablo Wendel livened up proceedings recently by dressing as a warrior and standing in one of the museum pits - evading police for all of two minutes.
2 City wall
Xian is one of the few cities left in China where the old city wall is still visible. Its wall was erected during the reign of the first Ming emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang (1368-1398), as an extension of a Tang dynasty (618-907) wall. The remains form a rectangle around the ancient Tang Forbidden City and stand 12 metres high, with watchtowers at each corner. You can climb steps to the top and take a 16km stroll, with excellent views of the inner city. A good time to go is during the Xian Marathon, held along the wall in November each year. If that all sounds a little too energetic, make a point of driving past to admire the wall lights at night.
3 Las Vegas meets Chinese opera
The Tang Dynasty Dinner Show is a performance that would rival any Las Vegas floor show. Dancers leap and twirl with acrobatic flair, costumes are eye-catchingly bright and the choreography is slick and entertaining. Designed to suit modern tastes and performed by the talented Tang Dynasty Song and Dance Troupe, the show brings to life the glory of the Tang era through music and dance that originated during the dynasty.