Surrounding the city center is a 14-kilometer long and 15-meter wide wall, built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It is the best preserved ancient city wall in China, and one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world.

Today the wall serves a far less martial purpose: It is a magnet for throngs of eager tourists, and in good weather, travelers can rent bicycles and ride along the wall that separates the city center from the outlying areas.

In addition to its myriad cultural attractions, the city also has numerous characteristic, delicious local snacks to tickle tourists' taste buds. Due to its position on the Silk Road, Xi'an's local foods have been influenced by travellers from far and wide. Being a growing base of wheat, Xi'an is home to many kinds of flour-made food, and even the humble noodle appears in different shapes, sizes and tastes.

One such noodle dish is biangbiang mian. It is famous not only for its distinctive taste, but also for its name, which cannot be typed out on a computer.

Another iconic local snack is roujiamo, which looks like a Chinese version of the hamburger. This simple and fast food is believed to date back some 2,400 years.

In an authentic roujiamo, the pork inside is stewed for hours in a soup containing more than 20 kinds of spices and seasonings. It is then minced into fine shreds and mixed with coriander and mild peppers.

The meat is then stuffed in a mo, a type of flatbread made of wheat flour, and baked in a clay or mud oven. Many time-honored roujiamo shops are hidden in the small streets in the city center, keeping as low profile as the city itself.

Several blocks away from the shops is a Muslim community called Beiyuanmen Street, also known as Fangshang by local residents. There tourists can taste another famous food, yangrou paomo (pita bread soaked in lamb soup). The region is also a sightseeing destination featuring many centuries-old mosques built in the traditional Chinese, not Middle-Eastern, style. Replicas of the Terracotta Warriors, paper-cutting handicrafts and painted clay sculptures are some of the most popular souvenirs for tourists.