8:30: Pick-up
At the appointed time, meet your guide at the hotel lobby, who will get you on a luxury car to meet your fellow travelers and to our first destination.
Stop 1: Stele Forest 1.5h
Here, appreciate nationally-treasured ancient stone slabs carved with Chinese calligraphy and philosophies and listen to the story behind every stele. Your guide will also illustrate to you the architectural aesthetics, as the museum is housed in a carefully-designed temple that once worshiped Confucius.
Stop 2: Banpo Museum 2h
Then, let’s go far, far back to prehistoric China at Banpo Museum, which is based on the site of a typical matrilineal clan village from the Neolithic era of 6,000 years ago. There are also many potteries with the same motifs and with your guide’s explanation, you will see into the aesthetic taste and wild imagination of the Chinese ancestors.
Stop 3: Yongxingfang Food Street for Lunch Break 1.5h
At noon, we will take you to the Yongxingfang Food Street, literally “the lane of eternal prosperity”, and leave you a lunch break at your own expense.
Stop 4: Great Mosque 1.5h
We will then take a dip in the Muslim Bazaar and then escape the secular hustle and bustle to the Great Mosque. The mosque is not of the typical Islamic style you normally expect; instead, you will see a beautiful architectural complex reminiscent of classical traditional gardens with ornate carvings.
Last Stop: Bell Tower 1.5h
Go on to admire the Bell Tower that sits at the heart of Xian. As the Ming-era (1368 - 1644) heritage and the most magnificent of its kind in China, it radiates a pride among the modern landscape that beckons you to capture. We will also visit the interior and climb the tower to discover Chinese aesthetics through architectural details.
After the visit, you can either choose to be escorted back to your hotel or ask for insider advice from your guide on evening activities. Maybe linger awhile to see the Bell Tower lit all over in the evening. Take care!
