Xi’an:a paradise for food lovers

As Mike Peters, an editor with China Daily, said in his article about Xi’an, “The Terracotta Warriors are a must-see whether you are Chinese or a foreigner, and attractions like the Big Goose Pagoda and the still-intact city walls are a treat to explore by foot or bicycle. But the thought of going to Xi'an makes me smile for a different reason: It makes me hungry."

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The Huiminjie or Muslim Street is where you can find many famous local foods and snacks. The warren-like streets between the Drum Tower and Great Mosque have been home to the Hui community for centuries. [Photo/Januarybaby]

Steamed pea flour cake [Photo/Januarybaby]

Steamed cold noodle [Photo/Januarybaby]

You can buy local dry noodles for traveling.[Photo/Januarybaby]

Pita bread soaked in lamb soup or Yangroupaomo, one kind of famous local food.[Photo/Januarybaby]

A worker uses a big wooden mallet to make local candies with peanut and gingili in Huiminjie Street.[Photo/Januarybaby]

Local candies are made by drawing dough mixing with peanut and gingili in Huiminjie Street.[Photo/Januarybaby]

Roadside shops at the Hui community in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, are a street-food paradise.[Photo by Mike Peters / China Daily]

Dried persimmons are sold in the local market at the Hui community in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, are a street-food paradise.[Photo by Mike Peters / China Daily].

Roadside shops at the Hui community in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, are a street-food paradise.[Photo by Mike Peters / China Daily]

Steamed dumplings in a bamboo basket at the Hui community in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, are a street-food paradise.[Photo by Mike Peters / China Daily].

Tips for your schedule in Xi’an:

I have been at least 12 times with groups from Nanjing by inexpensive flights and from Beijing by overnight sleeper trains.

One has to visit the famous Terracotta Warriors museum. but it is not in the center of Xi’an - it is an hour away by bus and needs at least two hours to visit the museum.

While there, it would be a shame to miss the HuaQing Hot Springs palace and grounds not far from the museum.

So one needs to allow a morning and afternoon just for that. Xi'an cannot be a one-day visit. Minimum two days, better three, which is how I did it with my students.

Visiting Xi'an by Colin Speakman, a blogger in chinadaily.com.cn from UK.