Wall? The Terracotta Warriors? Those are good questions. But after travelling through China with my daughter Elaine over many years, I slowly discovered another question: “What story is this place trying to tell us?” Because China is not only a country of famous attractions. It is a civilisation built layer by layer. A small village. An ancient writing system. A forgotten king. A philosopher. An emperor. A merchant town. A capital city....
Why ChinaTravelBug believes the best journeys begin with curiosity, stories, and understanding civilisation Many years before travelling deeply through China with my daughter Elaine, I discovered something important while walking through the streets of London, Amsterdam, Paris and Istanbul. A meaningful journey is never only about visiting famous attractions. A castle is not only a castle. A museum is not only a building full of old objects. A river, bridge, railway, market,...
Great Wall, Forbidden City or Terracotta Warriors? Discover how China’s two greatest ancient capitals tell one amazing civilisation story. Planning your first trip to China and wondering: “Should I visit Beijing or Xi’an first?” You are definitely not alone. For many travellers preparing their first China vacation or holiday in China, these two cities usually appear at the top of every China travel itinerary. And for very good reasons. Beijing. 北京 (Běijīng). The characters literally...
A hidden historical place beyond Xi’an where Sima Qian, ancient temples, and a forgotten old city turned a simple stopover into one of our most meaningful China journeys Sometimes, the most unforgettable travel memories are not the ones we carefully plan. Sometimes, they are the places we almost miss. Hancheng (韩城) was one of those places for Elaine and me. When most travellers plan their first China vacation, Xi’an (西安) is naturally...
After reading our discovering Baoji’s amazing bronze history story, you may be wondering : “Can I include Baoji in my Xi’an travel itinerary?” The answer is yes. In fact, Baoji is one of the easiest historical side trips from Xi’an. Many travellers visiting Xi’an China (西安) focus on famous Xi’an tourist attractions such as the Terracotta Warriors (兵马俑), Xi’an City Wall (西安城墙), Xi’an Muslim Quarter (回民街), and Xi’an Museum (西安博物院). But if...
Most travellers planning their first trip to Xi’an China (西安, Xī’ān) usually arrive with a familiar list. And understandably so. Xi’an is one of the greatest historical cities in the world. There are so many famous Xi’an attractions: Walking on the ancient Xi’an City Wall (西安城墙). Exploring the lively Xi’an Muslim Quarter (回民街). Visiting historical museums. Discovering ancient pagodas. And of course, standing face to face with the world-famous Xi’an Terracotta Warriors...
When you think of Xi’an (西安 Xī’ān), the Terracotta Army (兵马俑 Bīngmǎyǒng) or the ancient city wall (城墙 Chéngqiáng) probably comes to mind. But tucked away in a quiet neighborhood east of the city lies a lesser-known treasure: the Banpo Museum (半坡博物馆 Bànpō Bówùguǎn). To our surprise, it ranks among the Top 20 attractions on TripAdvisor—a clear sign that travelers, despite what many think, actually love museums when they bring history to...
The lights flickered to life just as dusk folded into night. A warm golden outline traced the rooftops of the ancient gate towers, standing proudly on the mighty Xi’an City Wall (西安城墙 Xī’ān Chéngqiáng). It was a calm evening, and as Elaine and I stepped onto the cobbled sidewalks near Yongning Gate (永宁门 Yǒngníng Mén), we felt like we had quietly walked into a painting — the kind filled with history, poetry,...
📍 Location: Shaanxi History Museum – Qin and Han Civilizations Hall (秦汉馆 Qín Hàn Guǎn)🕰️ Best for: Terracotta Warrior fans, Silk Road explorers, curious families, and first-time visitors to Xi’an (西安 Xī’ān)📸 Top photo spots: Grand ceremonial staircase, Terracotta Warrior exhibit, rare Roman-China artifacts Planning a trip to Xi’an China? Whether you’re sketching out your Xi’an tourist attractions itinerary or hunting for hidden gems beyond the Xi’an City Wall (西安城墙 Xī’ān chéngqiáng),...
We thought we were just going for dinner. But sometimes, a night walk through the backstreets of Xi’an reveals more than what’s on the plate. The glow of neon, the smoke of grilled meat, the loud chatter of local voices — it’s easy to get distracted by the sensory overload. Yet for me, what stood out most that night wasn’t the food or the scenery. It was Elaine. And how she quietly,...
.. with my special need and self-learning (homeschooling) daughter, Elaine. We are China-focused travelers and have visited more than 20 interesting historical places/cities in China. And we enjoy bringing you useful & practical travel stories to help you enhance your experience traveling in China.. do follow us for more interesting travel stories..
