Xi'an's city wall is one of the largest and best preserved in China, a complete rectangle of rammed earth faced with brick, built in the Ming dynasty on the foundations of the Tang city. It runs for close to 14 kilometres, stands about 12 metres high, and is between 12 and 14 metres wide along the top - wide enough for bicycles, and in earlier centuries for carts and troops.
The ride
Renting a bicycle on the wall is straightforward. Several rental points operate at the main gates, including the South Gate, the West Gate and the North Gate, and you can return the bike at a different gate from the one where you started. A single bicycle and a tandem option are both available, with hire charged by the hour and a deposit. The full circuit at an easy pace, with stops for photographs, takes around two hours; most people do it in about ninety minutes of actual riding.
What you see
The wall gives you a continuous elevated view over the old city on one side and the modern city on the other, which is the real reason to ride it. Along the way there are guard towers, corner towers, embrasures and the four main gatehouses, each with its barbican and archery tower. The surface is stone and brick and slightly uneven in places, with a gentle rise at the corners. Watch for the tree canopy on the inner side and for the gap where the wall was breached in the twentieth century.
Doing it well
Go early in the morning or in the last two hours before sunset. Midday in summer is hot, with no shade along long stretches, and the stone radiates heat. Carry water; there are small shops and toilets at several of the gate towers. The wall is also a promenade, so expect pedestrians, children and people stopping abruptly for photographs. If you would rather not ride, an electric shuttle bus covers the circuit for a fee.
Getting there and tickets
Yongningmen, the South Gate, is the most convenient entry and is served by Line 2 at Yongningmen station. The wall charges an entrance ticket, with bicycle hire priced separately. The South Gate area is the busiest, with queues at opening and again in the late afternoon, so the West or North Gates make a quieter start.
