Night Tour of the City Wall Must-See Light Show

🌆【Trip Highlights】
✅ In-depth 13.74 km city wall tour, connecting 10+ key check-in spots
✅ Bonus hidden experiences: railway-themed park + morning market hustle + light and shadow magic
✅ Local secret food map + 6 major tips to avoid pitfalls, save unnecessary expenses

📅【Daily Itinerary Details】
▫️Day 1: City Wall Cycling · Morning Market Hustle
📍Early Morning: Arrive before 5:30 at Xiaonanjie Morning Market (Shuncheng Alley) to experience Xi’an locals’ exclusive carb feast! Recommended: Yangji Lotus Leaf Old Steamed Cake (5 CNY/portion) with jujube paste glutinous rice layers, paired with Imperial Crispy Beef Pie (4 CNY each), sitting by the city wall base is the authentic way. Stroll along Xiangzi Temple Street and take photos of the city wall and roof tiles together on the rooftop terrace of “Evening Breeze Café.”
📍Morning: Enter the city wall at Yongning Gate (ticket 54 CNY, book 2 days in advance), rent a single bicycle (45 CNY/3 hours, 100 CNY deposit) to start cycling. Recommended route: Yongning Gate → Wenchang Gate (exterior of Beilin Museum) → Heping Gate (Old Market Cultural and Creative Area) → Jianguo Gate (popular wall murals) → Shangwu Gate (Longhai Railway-themed Park), about 4 km total, takes 1.5 hours.
📍Noon: Exit Shangwu Gate to “City Wall Underneath Liangpi” shop (3 CNY/bowl), paired with Tongguan Roujiamo (6 CNY each), savor the old Shaanxi’s sour, spicy, fresh, and fragrant street flavor.

▫️Day 2: Light and Shadow Magic · Night Tour Celebration
📍Afternoon: Enter from the Southwest City Corner gate after 16:00 (newly opened gate), capture the classic shot of “City Wall and Bell Tower together.” Walk to Hanguang Gate Ruins Museum (ticket 40 CNY), take close-up shots of the Tang Dynasty city wall cross-section, learn about the millennium changes of the “wall within a wall.”
📍Evening: Arrive before 18:30 at Yongning Gate Barbican to watch “Dream Chang’an—Grand Tang Welcoming Ceremony” (starts at 19:45, tickets from 298 CNY), with golden-armored warriors lining up and the feathered costume dance instantly transporting you to the prosperous Tang Dynasty. After the show, climb the city wall and capture the blue hour light gradient between Wenchang Gate and Heping Gate.
📍Night: At the prime time of 20:00, watch the free light show from Yongning Gate to Wenchang Gate, where 3D projections perform “Han Xizai’s Night Banquet” on the city wall, with drone shows added every Friday and Saturday. Walk to the Old Market Cultural and Creative Area and shoot spectacular scenes of the city wall intertwined with street life from the rooftop of “3511 TFEP.”

📸【Photography Tips】
✅ Ancient Style Masterpieces:
• Yongning Gate Barbican: wear a chest-high ruqun (rental at Shuyuanmen 80 CNY/3 hours), use the gate arch frame to shoot “time-traveling” silhouettes.
• Southwest City Corner notch: shoot the moat from above with a telephoto lens to compress the scene and create the mood of “a solitary smoke rising in the vast desert.”
✅ Creative Ideas:
• Shangwu Gate Railway-themed Park (free): shoot “vintage industrial style” at the intersection of tracks and city wall, use low angles to emphasize spatial depth.
• Inside Hanguang Gate Ruins Museum: use glass display reflections to shoot “ancient and modern overlap,” turn off HDR mode to enhance contrast.
✅ Crowd Avoidance Tips:
• Use city wall pillars to block crowds, shoot horizontal portraits with symmetrical composition of people and arrow towers.
• Enjoy empty shots at Southwest City Corner between 5:30-7:00 AM or weekday afternoons.

⚠️【Pitfall Avoidance Guide】
1️⃣ Return rented bikes on time (5 CNY penalty for every 10 minutes late), recommended to use “Xi’an City Wall” mini program for real-time timing.
2️⃣ Yongxingfang’s bowl-breaking wine at 15 CNY/bowl is a tourist trap; the same can be experienced for 5 CNY/bowl at Xiaonanjie Morning Market.
3️⃣ Jade shops inside the scenic area overprice; show this guide for local discounts, compare prices at multiple shops.
4️⃣ The section from Yongning Gate to Hanguang Gate has steep slopes; beginners are advised to choose the gentler route from Heping Gate to Shangwu Gate.
5️⃣ Night entrances open only at five gates including Yongning Gate and Zhongshan Gate; after 21:00, only Yongning Gate is accessible.
6️⃣ The “Qing Brick Latte” cup sleeve from the city wall café can be kept as a souvenir; avoid buying overpriced cultural products inside the scenic area.

🏨【Accommodation Recommendations】
✔️ Cost-effective: All Seasons Hotel (Bell Tower branch), 10-minute walk to the city wall, includes buffet breakfast (approx. 450 CNY/night).
✔️ Unique Experience: “Xiangzimen International Youth Hostel” under the city wall, terrace offers direct views of the city wall, dorm beds from 60 CNY/night.

🍜【Food Map】
✔️ Breakfast: Yangji Steamed Cake + Imperial Beef Pie at Xiaonanjie Morning Market, about 10 CNY per person to eat your fill.
✔️ Lunch: “Ma Hong Stir-fried Paomo” at Sajinqiao (38 CNY), experience the bread-breaking ritual, paired with Yang Tianyu cured beef roujiamo (25 CNY).
✔️ Dinner: Oil-splashed Biangbiang noodles (18 CNY) at Old Market’s “Old Bowl Club,” paired with Bingfeng soda.
✔️ Late Night Snack: Craft beer at “City Wall Base Bar” in Shuncheng Alley, listen to folk singers perform “Xi’an.”

💡【Practical Tips】

1. Transportation: Metro Line 2 Yongning Gate Station Exit A1 is direct; shared bikes can be ridden to the city wall base (riding on the wall is prohibited).

2. Gear: Bring sun-protective clothing and portable fans in summer, as the city wall is exposed and easily sunburned; in winter, bring scarves and gloves, as nighttime temperatures can drop to 10°C.

3. Reservations: “Dream Chang’an” show and Hanguang Gate Museum require booking one day in advance via the “Xi’an City Wall” official WeChat account.

4. Culture: After watching the city wall guard change of shift performance (18:30 at Yongning Gate), you may politely request a photo with them but expect to pay a 5-10 CNY tip.

🌟 The beauty of Xi’an City Wall lies in the historical codes hidden in the blue bricks, the bustling smoke and fire of the morning market, and the Tang Dynasty dreams reflected in the light show. This guide helps you avoid crowds and immerse yourself in the “living history museum.” Pack your bags and set off!