The Great Mosque Xi'an

Muslim Quarter - Food street Xi'an

Xi'an - what we did and how we did it

Xi'an is a city filled with beautiful laneways and surrounded by city walls. We stayed within the city walls at Citadine's apartments (near the drum tower). Not that flash a hotel but the perfect location and price.

Make sure you visit the Great Mosque. A wonderful oasis within the crazy Muslim Quarter. Go there late afternoon and spend some time exploring laneways and bargaining for souvenirs before taking in all the colour and action of all the food streets.

When not eating in the Muslim Quarter go eat dumplings at Three Sisters Dumplings (East Mutoushi) No.140 East Mutoushi, Beilin District. We ate 80 dumplings for under 80RMB with drinks.

You can't go to Xi'an without a trip out to the Terracotta Warriors , which takes the best part of a day. We took a local bus out there and a taxi back - go early to avoid the crowds, or else embrace the selfie pack!

What else to do? Antique shopping is pretty awesome in Xi'an. The Northwest Antique Market is worth a trip, filled with wonderful retro wares and beautiful carved timber furniture. Bargain hard. The Sunday market by the Temple of the Eight Immortals is a must. Streets lined with stalls selling mainly books and coins with some chinaware.

Aside from all that, the Big Goose Pagoda, just outside the city walls is worth a visit, followed by a short taxi ride to A-Cup coffee. Closest I have to an address is Xing Shan Si Dong Jie, Yanta - opposite Harbour City shopping.

And when all that's done, get back to the Drum tower for dusk so you can watch the Muslim Quarter turn from light to dark and marvel at the string of kites which stretch forever towards the night sky.

Dogs of China - #180