See the Warriors in Xi’an
ByKelly Corrigan
February 15, 2010
2 min readThe Terra Cotta Warriors are on their last leg of the U.S.
tour here at the National Geographic Society headquarters where you can purchase tickets to see them through March 31. But should you miss the warriors, or opt to see more of them, the city of Xi’an–China’s former capital–makes it simple for travelers to see the warriors first hand, at the very location where they were unearthed in 1974. At the Museum of the Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses, three pits are open for viewing the 8,000 clay figures. Cameras are permitted but only without the use of flash, and guides offer tours in English, Chinese, and Japanese.
Air China, United Airlines and US Airways offer direct 13-hour flights from JFK to Beijing. Direct flights from LAX to Beijing are also offered through Air China and United Airlines. There are no direct flights available from any U.S. city to Xi’an; however, once in Beijing, both Air China and China Eastern airlines offer flights less than two hours long to Xi’an Xianyang International Airport. The distance from the airport to the center of Xi’an is about 25 miles. Once you arrive in Xi’an, start your day at the Xi’an Bell Tower at the very center of the city. There are several hotels within walking distance of the tower, including: The Bell Tower Hotel; The Hyatt Regency; and Hotel Royal Garden. At the tower, board a bus headed to the Xi’an Railway station about two miles away where you can hop off and transfer to another bus offering a 22-mile long ride.
Photo: Flickr via albedo20
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