Seasonal Activities

Covering the best time to travel, specialty festivals and seasonal experiences to help you plan a seasonal trip to Xi'an!

I. Best Traveling Seasons

1. Spring (March-May)

Climatic characteristics: Warming temperatures (10°C-25°C), occasional dusty weather, thin jackets required.

Recommended reason:

Flower-appreciation season: cherry blossoms at Qinglong Temple (late March-early April), tulips at Xingqing Park (April), and Sycamore Road at Xi'an Jiaotong University (first shade of green in May).

Avoid summer crowds, with lower ticket and accommodation prices.

Note: There may be brief rainfall in April, so bring a folding umbrella.

2. Summer (June-August)

Climatic characteristics: hot and dry (25°C-40°C), strong UV rays, occasional heavy rain.

Recommended reasons:

The best night tour experience: the light show of the Great Tang Nocturnal City and the band performance on the city wall at the South Gate.

Recommended for indoor summer vacation: Shaanxi History Museum, Beilin Museum.

Pit avoidance tips:

Avoid sun exposure during the day, and outdoor attractions such as Terracotta Warriors and Horses and Huaqing Pond are recommended to be visited at 8:00 am or after 4:00 pm.

Summer tourists, popular attractions 3 days in advance to reserve tickets.

3. Autumn (September-November)

Climate characteristics: cool and pleasant (15°C-25°C), little rain, clear skies.

Recommended reasons:

Ginkgo Season: Ancient Guanyin Zen Temple's thousand-year-old ginkgo trees (golden in early November), Daci'en Temple's Ginkgo Avenue.

The best season for riding the city wall and hiking the Qinling Mountains (e.g. Southern Wutai).

Featured Activities:

Climbing on Chongyang Festival: Zhongnan Mountain or the city wall is recommended.

Enjoying the moon on Mid-Autumn Night: Chinese Costume Tour in Datang Hibiscus Garden.

4. Winter (December-February)

Climate characteristics: cold and dry (-5°C-10°C), occasional haze.

Recommended reasons:

Hot springs experience: Winter hot springs at Huaqing Pond (the performance of “The Song of Long Hatred” is suspended, but the hot springs are open).

Snow Scene Snacking: snow scene on Xi'an City Wall, snowy night photography at Bell Tower (need to pay attention to the weather forecast).

Festival highlights:

Spring Festival Lantern Festival (City Wall, Datang Hibiscus Garden), Guangren Temple congee-giving activities on the 8th day of the Lunar New Year.

II. Festivals not to be missed

1. Spring Festival (the first to the fifteenth day of the first month of the lunar calendar)

City Wall Lantern Festival:

The world's largest lantern show, featuring Chinese zodiac theme + Tang Dynasty elements, tickets 80 RMB, open at night until 22:00.

Social fire performances:

There are stilt and lion dance parades in the surrounding countryside (e.g. Tuxian County), which can be experienced by driving or signing up for a one-day tour.

Guangren Temple Prayer:

Tibetan Buddhist temple with bell-ringing on New Year's Eve and a ceremony of sunbathing Buddha on New Year's Day.

2. Qingming Festival (early April)

Ancestral Worship at Huangdi Mausoleum:

Participation: Reserve in advance on the official website, or go with a group (2 hours drive from Xi'an).

Activities: public ceremony, tour of the ancient cypress cluster.

Cold Food Festival Customs:

Some of the old neighborhoods in Xi'an sell “Zi Tui Buns” (a traditional noodle dish in honor of Jie Zi Tui).

3. Dragon Boat Festival (5th day of the 5th lunar month)

Dragon Boat Race at Qujiang Pond:

Location: Qujiang Pond Ruins Park, free to watch or sign up to experience dragon boat racing.

Specialty Foods:

Hui Min Street “honey cold dumplings” (chilled glutinous rice dumplings poured with honey, 5 yuan / copy).

4. Mid-Autumn Festival (15th day of the 8th lunar month)

Moon Worship Ceremony in Datang Hibiscus Garden:

Participate in the moon worship ceremony in Chinese costumes, and there are water dance performances at night.

Recommended places to enjoy the moon:

North Square of Big Wild Goose Pagoda (musical fountain with full moon), Chanba Houhai Observation Deck.

5. Other Specialty Festivals

Xi'an Silk Road International Film Festival (September):

Main venue: Daming Palace Ruins Park, free movie watching and meeting stars.

Xi'an International Marathon (October):

The course passes through the city wall and bell tower, and registration is required six months in advance.

Seasonal Experience Recommendations

1. Limited to Spring

Flower viewing map:

Cherry blossoms: Qinglong Temple (free), Daming Palace Ruins Park.

Peony: Xingqing Palace Park (mid-April).

Chinese dress garden tour:

Datang Hibiscus Garden and Qujiang Pond offer hanbok rentals (about 100 RMB/day) for ancient-style blockbusters.

2. Summer-only

Night Market Carnival:

Xiaonanmen Night Market (barbecue + cold beer), Durian Bar Street (a gathering place for young people).

Qinling summer vacation:

Recommended spots: Vermilion Bird Forest Park (hiking), Niu Bei Liang (streams to cool off).

3. Limited Autumn

Photography Hitting:

Ancient Guanyin Zen Temple Ginkgo (reservation required), Hanyangling Ginkgo Forest (outskirts of the city, entrance fee 60 RMB).

Agricultural Experience:

Pomegranate picking in Lintong (September-October), White Deer Plain Vineyard (August-September).

4. Winter Limited

Hot springs + skiing:

Hot springs: Huaqing Pond, Nanshan Hot Springs (RMB 150 per capita).

Skiing: White Deer Plain Ski Resort (closest to downtown, suitable for novices).

Waxed food:

Huimin Street “wax beef meat buns”, Yongxingfang “Jingyang Rang noodles” (steamed bowl of meat jelly).

Practical Advice

Dressing Guide:

Spring/Autumn: thin jacket + long sleeves, scarf to prevent wind and sand.

Summer: sunscreen + hat, museum cold enough to bring a shawl.

Winter: down jacket + warm shoes, wear a mask on foggy days.

Festivals Reservation:

Popular events such as the Spring Festival Lantern Festival and the Huangdi Mausoleum Ancestral Sacrifice need to be booked 1 month in advance.

Staggering Tips:

The first 3 days of the National Day and Spring Festival holidays have the most tourists, so it is recommended to schedule your trip in the second half.

By mastering the rhythm of seasons and activities, your trip to Xi'an will not only avoid the crowds, but also deeply experience the historical flavor and folklore of the ancient city! If there is a specific month of travel, we can further help you refine your itinerary oh~ ✨