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Completed in 1994, the Oriental Pearl TV tower was the tallest building in Shanghai until 2007 and is still arguably one of the most recognizable towers in Shanghai’s skyline. The tower actually has 15 observation floors but the highest is at 350m and is affectionately known as the “Space Module”. The tower also includes a revolving restaurant, a shopping mall, a museum and even a 20+ room hotel. There’s also a glass-floored observation deck for the brave-footed. Open 8:30-21:30 daily Ticket prices vary (depending on what you’d like to see/do) from RMB 120-220

There are a number of old neighborhoods in Xi’an that are lovely to explore on foot, especially between the Bell Tower and the Great Mosque, and west of the South Gate. Wandering around, you’ll see old houses and stumble upon amazing stonework and doorways—such as this one we found that leads into a temple.

The Muslim Quarter of Xi’an is famous for its vendors of dried fruits and nuts. These aren’t just any old packs of nuts. They are of the finest quality, selected and dried by hand. A pound of shelled walnuts goes for the equivalent of around $10.

The story of the Emperor Qin reads something like Game of Thrones, with hostages, feuding brothers, wars, and the ultimate unification and creation of what we know as China today. Wanting to protect himself in the afterlife, Emperor Qin created an army of 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses, and 150 cavalry horses made of terra-cotta. The first lineup of soldiers were said to be the “Dare to Die” soldiers as they were quick and sharp like a knife. They wore less armor than the rest of the warriors. This is one of the most massive archaeological finds on the planet and is found an hour outside of Xi’an China. Restoring the warriors was like putting together a complex puzzle— it’s really amazing to see how meticulously everything was recreated.

The Xi’an Banpo Museum preserves artifacts excavated from the neolithic site of Banpo, settled 5,600 to 6,700 years ago. The museum provides access to the excavated buildings and has several houses reconstructed in the style of the prehistoric settlement. It’s well worth a stop when you’re traveling to or from the Terracotta Warriors.

The main royal residence for emperors during the Tang Dynasty (from the 600s to the 900s), Daming Palace was discovered in 1957. After excavations and restoration work, the palace, also known as the Palace of Great Brilliance, opened to the public. Visitors learn about the Tang Dynasty and can admire the palace’s cultural relics and elegant architecture.

Derick Avenue in Cyrildene on the Eastrand of Johannesburg, is home to a whole host of different Asian run stores and restaurants. It is the new home of the original Chinatown which started in Commissioner Street (Now Albertina Sisulu Street) in Newtown. You can get a good bargain on a whole lot of cheap “Made in China” goodies here and once you’re done shopping you can grab some bubble tea from the corner store at the bottom of Derrick Avenue or rest your weary feet and fill your empty tummy at one of the numerous restaurants along the road. If you get to Cyrildene early, get yourself into a restaurant and have some mid-morning brunch or ‘Yum Cha’ which literally translates to Drink Tea in Cantonese. Don’t be too scared to try out something out of the ordinary, it may be the best thing you’ve ever tasted! Derrick Avenue is also a great place to watch Chinese New Year Celebrations as the whole road is closed off to traffic and vendors come out onto the sidewalks to sell the food and wares.

Delhi Darbar is an excellent Indian restaurant in Xi’an. I usually order palak paneer and malai kofta when trying a new Indian restaurant, because unlike curries, it’s really hard to make these without fresh ingredients. (In China, you either need to make your own paneer or serve something with shelf-stable cheese in it.) The dishes were perhaps a bit bland and safe, but they unambiguously passed the quality test. We also had some veggie raita and garlic naan, both of which were highly delicious. We knew this place was legit when we asked for some pickles and they brought us a half-full jar of imported spicy Indian pickles.

An interestingly curated museum, the Forest of Stone Steles Museum (also called the Steles Forest or Beilin Museum) focuses on displays of steles (commemorative slabs), epigraphs, and stone sculptures from throughout history. The museum’s collection of inscribed tablets offers a unique window into ancient ways of life. Located inside the Wenchang Gate of the Xian City Wall, the museum was constructed similarly to Xian’s Confucian Temple, which dates to 1087.

Giant Wild Goose Pagoda is a very cool historical site to visit in Xi’an. It was built in the seventh century to house Buddhist scriptures, statues, and other relics that were brought back to China by the Buddhist scholar and traveler Xuanzang. Extended, rebuilt, and renovated over the years, the pagoda currently leans noticeably to the side. There is an interesting legend about how the pagoda got its name. A group of Buddhist monks had no meat to eat (then, as now, not all Buddhists were vegetarian). As some wild geese flew overhead, one monk hoped that the Bodhisattva would provide some meat—at which point, the front goose fell to the ground. The monks believed this was a sign that they should be more pious. They decided to give up eating meat, and established a pagoda at the point where the goose had fallen. Visitors can pay to climb to the top of the pagoda. We took a pass on the day we were there because there were so many tourists waiting to buy tickets, but the view from the top is said to be excellent.

On the east side of Tiananmen Square sits this massive museum, its dozens of halls filled with rare artifacts and antiquities. The exhibitions span Chinese history, beginning nearly two million years ago, with two teeth belonging to Yuanmou Man, up through 1912, the final year of China’s last imperial dynasty, the Qing. The permanent collection has more than a million pieces, including bronzes, coins, porcelain and ceramic objects, tools, and even clothing. Especially impressive are the cases of jade pieces, many several hundred years old, which shine bright as ever. The museum can feel a bit overwhelming but, as it’s free, you can return as many times as you like, taking it in in more manageable bites.

Located in the Muslim Quarter in Xi’an, China is the Great Mosque, the country’s oldest and most renowned mosque. The mosque dates back to 742 AD. From all outward appearances, it looks like a Chinese temple and not a mosque; pagodas have replaced minarets. Look closely though and you will see the Arabic lettering that tells you that this is an Islamic mosque through and through. If you happen to be visiting in the afternoon, you might even catch the call to prayer. The start of the Muslim Quarter begins at Beiyuanmen Islamic Street, which is located just around the corner from Xi’an’s Drum Tower. The mosque itself is tucked inside a neighborhood street and while there are signs that point you in the right direction, the signs can be hard to spot so you will likely have to ask for help. If you decide to visit the mosque, remember to dress appropriately before you go and if you’re a woman, make sure you bring along a scarf to cover your head. Only about 2% of China’s population is Muslim so it is rare to see a mosque. The Hui people are the predominant race of Muslims in China and their lifestyle is very different from that of the dominant Han race. If you have never had a taste of Chinese Islamic life, spend some time visiting the mosque and walking Beiyuanmen Islam Street. Try sampling some of the Chinese Islamic food specialties.

Xian’s art district is called Shuyuanmen, 书院门, and there are some local artists here that sell paper cut art. Paper cutting began as a major art form in Xi’an around the seventh century, which was the city’s heyday. People in China place cut paper on their windows and doors to celebrate various auspicious events. For a wedding, red paper cuttings are traditional and are required as decorations for the service. A big red paper character, 喜喜, (double happiness) is crazy-popular for newlyweds. The little stands on the street in Shuyuanmen are probably selling mass-produced paper cut art, so be sure to haggle. Don’t pay a lot unless you see the master at work.

Flee the crowds in central Chinatown for an authentic and inexpensive Vietnamese or Thai meal on Baxter Street, which is lined with several eateries. Here on this quiet side street, no-frill restaurants are filled with locals enjoying flavorful “pho” beef noodle soup, summer rolls, barbecued pork and other specialties. The smell of mint, basil, and jasmine rice hits your senses when you walk in the door. Not much to say about the decor, but service is quick and a huge bowl of steaming pho noodle soup averages $6 or $7. Restaurants include Nha Trang One, Thai Son and Pho Pasteur. If you are looking for “xiao long bao” or savory “soup dumplings”, try Joe’s Ginger on nearby 25 Pell Street.

Shops, a market, and a truly pan-Asian food court wrap around a busy plaza at this classic Chinatown stop on the corner of Hotel and Maunakea streets. Note: Don’t even try to enter the Maunakea Marketplace during Chinese New Year—a 15-day festival that starts on the new moon between January 21 and February 20—unless you’re agile and adept at navigating tight-packed crowds.