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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.

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.

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.

This is a great little market directly across the street from the Westin and south of the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda. It’s oriented towards visitors and tourists, so there are lots of cheap souvenirs. However, there are also plenty of cool, locally handmade things like fabrics and carved statuettes.

Built in the grand architectural style of the Tang Dynasty, the huge Shaanxi History Museum offers a comprehensive overview of the history of the ancient capital. The museum houses over 370,000 precious relics unearthed in Shaanxi Province. Highlights include sculptures of the twelve Chinese zodiac figures, murals depicting a polo match, and four original terracotta warrior statues.

The Underground Palace is one of the strangest places I have ever visited. We stumbled upon it by chance while wandering along the west side of the wall around the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda. Despite not knowing what it was, we bought tickets and went in. The first part was a very long hallway lined with old Chinese paintings under glass. We reached a fork and turned right, heading down more creepy tunnels with stone walls and old carpeting. Displayed along the hallway were relics collected by Xuanzang, a Buddhist monk who traveled the world in the seventh century. Everything was labeled in Chinese, including photos of mummies. There were only a few other people around, which is a very odd feeling in China. At the end of the tunnel was a shrine/temple. We doubled back and took the other tunnel. First, there were funhouse mirrors. This tunnel was even weirder and creepier than the others, because every 50 meters or so there was a little alcove. One alcove had an erotic exhibition that you had to pay to enter; we didn’t go in. Another was dark, with mirrors. I got scared and my friend and I started screaming, and then the two other female tourists down here started screaming. What can I say? A dark tunnel with mirrors deep underground is really scary! Another alcove had what looked like a tombstone exhibition. There was a sign that said we were 1,370 meters below ground. I loved this, whatever it was. Definitely a must-visit.

Just through the heavy wooden doors of this Sichuan pop-up-turned-brick-and-mortar is the Pour House, an always-busy music venue where early evening soundchecks often fill the dining room with drum and bass noise. Even louder are the explosive flavors on the plate—the kitchen is unrepentant about not toning down the spice on the Sichuan beef and Yu Xiang pork slivers. For the full lip-numbing cocaine-face experience, start with the dry-rubbed Shaoxing chicken wings, which balance sweet, salty, savory, and spice with plenty of crunch. A few noodle bowls are adaptable for the more spice averse, but this is a place for adventurous fire hounds. On Sundays, brunch offers one of Charleston’s only dim sum experiences, including plenty of dumplings, scallion pancakes, and turnip cakes. After a meal, head to the Pour House deck for free daily concerts by local bands, before bigger-name bands take the indoor stage at night.

Housed in a 100-meter-tall, concave building in the heart of Xintiandi, the 24-story property has rooms with enduring views over the neighborhood’s Shikumen storefronts. Accommodations combine dark woods, floor-to-ceiling windows, green and gold wool carpets with a paisley-like motif, and dual-basin bathrooms with oversized bathtubs. Shanghai’s Art Deco period and Xintiandi’s courtyard houses inspire interiors, while color schemes of black and green appear throughout, from the dark local granite used as flooring and walls to green glass detailing. Another recurrent theme is the horse, a key Han symbol, laser-cut into large lobby columns and bronze beams to resemble bark on a tree.

The Chinese take their tea seriously. A meal at Zifei, a courtyard restaurant on Wide Street in Chengdu, begins with an acrobatic tea ceremony.

Defu Lane is peppered with eateries and bars, but aside from being a good option to enjoy Xi’an’s nightlife, it’s also home to Fubaoge, a five-story traditional Chinese teahouse. Rest your feet after a long day of exploring and sip hot cups of Chinese tea like Longjing and chrysanthemum. Fubaoge’s crosstalk comedy shows are also popular with the crowds.

Want to know more about Taoism? About 70km west of Xi’an, in Tayu Village, is the Louguantai Temple, where it’s said that Lao Tze, the founder of Taoism, wrote the Tao Te Ching and set the fundamentals for the religion. Built over two thousand years ago, the temple is located within a park, with numerous structures inside, and a statue of Lao Tze nestles among beautiful greenery, so expect so spend a day—if not more—wandering around to take it all in.

If visiting the site of the Terracotta Warriors wasn’t enough to fulfill your Xi’an excursion, carry on the adventures at Park Qin. The popular Shuyuan International Party Hostel, near South Gate, is home to this Terracotta warriors-themed bar. Here, you’ll find the city’s hipsters catching up over drinks and live music, nestled among replicas of Xi’an biggest attraction. If you get hungry, the restaurant at the hostel will take care of your midnight cravings.

Vice Versa is the best of many worlds. It serves Western fare by day as a cafe and restaurant, and at night it morphs into an underground bar serving cocktails and local and foreign beers. The bar also hosts a variety of bands for intimate live music nights. Frequented by both locals and expats, Vice Versa also has a stellar rooftop space for those sunny days and breezy nights. Still not enough? There’s also a skate shop run by pro skater Xiao Jian on the premises.

North of the Yangtze, it’s all about wheat instead of rice. Named after China’s northeasternmost region, this beloved chain serves hand-rolled wheat dumplings stuffed with savory pork or fresh veggies and boiled until the center is juicy. As delicious as the pork jiaozi are, the vegetarian dumplings might be the real stars: Try the tangy mushroom and bok choy dumpling or the green pepper, cilantro, and white cabbage. Warning: Prices here are scandalously cheap, so you’re probably going to order...a lot. Locals also love the stir-fried eggplant and potatoes (di san xian) and smashed chicken (xiang su ji).

This two-story nightclub knows how to throw a party, and is one of the best venues in Xi’an to experience the city’s nightlife to the fullest. Party girls show off choreographed routines while the crowd grooves to both Chinese and English music spun by house and guest international DJs. A large video screen overlooks above one of biggest dance floors in Xi’an. There’s also karaoke, if you fancy. Themed evenings are super popular here, as are weekends, so it’s a good idea to make a reservation before you head over.