Article by Matthew Green

Hi all! As an avid explorer, it is my duty to inform you all of cool or quaint places to find around Xi’an. A quick disclaimer. First of all, all suggestions are within 2 hours drive of the city but were through private transportation. This means that you will need to determine for yourselves the best way to get there if you don’t have this luxury. An article by a fellow writer regarding how to obtain a license and a use of a car rental app (like GoFun) can soon solve the aforementioned problem though. This disclaimer aside, let’s get to it.

Famen Si
法门寺

FaMen Town is located 120km west of Xi’an and is a quiet place with a beautiful temple located just outside. The town is mainly like any other town in China – void of many foreign food places. That said, there is a beautiful little café just behind the main central square. Toward the end of the town, there is a little ‘traditional street’ with all the kao-rou you can eat and lot of local fruit drinks. The streets are clear and the hustle and bustle of the city completely disappears. I highly recommend this place and definitely a visit to the temple known as the “No. 2 Cultural Symbol of Shaanxi”, as well as the huge museum, which holds one of the Buddha’s finger bones, considered an important relic.

Shangluo
商洛

Shangluo City (although it feels more like a town) is in the far east of Shaanxi and is only an hour and a half away from Xi’an. The short time I spent there was very pleasant and we even took the dogs. The city is built into the mountain, and if you get a chance to go yourself, I suggest the large park built into the back of the city, because it is half-Chinese-style leisure park (Basketball courts, exercise equipment, etc.) and half-natural, whilst been completely empty. Honestly, the natural park felt like I was walking in the hills back in Yorkshire – it was great! The city itself isn’t too far away from a few reviewed parks from previous issues- such as CiTangWan. Also, whilst you’re there, I hope you come across the street vender who bakes cakes from the back of his van. So tasty!

Ankang
安康

AnKang is the furthest on this list- over 200km and a 3 and a half hour drive south. Having visited there only once, I’m leaving this paragraph to someone who lived there as they have more insight. I will say, however, that the Dragon Boat race there is EPIC! The following is from an old colleague who used to live there: “AnKang is a nice city, but probably only for a visit, as there isn’t much to do, but if you want peace and quiet then maybe it is for you. During my time there I had my fair share of drinking with kao-rou, but the chilled days were spent near the lake in the middle of the city surrounded by coffee shops. In the evenings, we’d go down to the riverside to have a few drinks on the bar street down there, but beyond that, the thing AnKang will get most travelers is the offer of the famous green tea – it makes a good brew and can be an appreciated gift.”

Lintong
临潼

Probably the closest location on this list is LinTong – only 45 minutes away by car. Although it’s still technically in Xi’an, it’s hard to leave it out, especially if you have a car. The small places to explore are endless, with tons of old cave houses (i.e. houses carved from the hills) and a few national parks scattered around. If you’re wanting more of city feel, then that’s there too, as just a few kilometers away there’s the town park and a Western-style shopping village which sports only the high-end western brands and western food chains. The town also has an inner city park which leads to the highest point around, allowing you to get the best views of the surrounding area. The biggest advantage is that it is accessible by bus from the Chanba or Fanzhicheng subway stops- but it’ll be hard to get around once you’re there.

Lantian
蓝田

Last on this list is Lantian. Again technically in Xi’an, but at nearly an hour out of the city, I’d say it wasn’t. Having ridden my motorcycle there several times, I would say it is one of the nicest rides out of the city, with nice open fields and the sporadic traditional village spotted in-between the town and city. You’ll know you’re there once you get to the brow of the hill which allows you to look over the whole town, and the view shows the spaciousness that makes this town famous. Once there, my first suggestion is a park adjacent to the river, getting a clean riverside air feel and it is also a relatively quiet place to relax. Inside the town there isn’t too much to be done, but the people are friendly and there are places to get foreign food, as well as some local noodles, which are substantially different to those in Xi’an. Also, if you go in March, there is a famous hill full of apricot trees which have a stunning blossom. Get that camera ready for your selfies!