Lintong: Terracotta Army country

Lintong (临潼, Líntóng) is empire country — the First Emperor's tomb county, a district 35 km east of downtown Xi'an that holds two of the region's heaviest hitters: the Terracotta Army and Huaqing Palace, with Mount Li (骊山, Líshān) rising behind them. It has been the imperial getaway ever since the First Emperor chose the foot of the mountain for his tomb — the hot springs did the marketing.

Understand its character before you plan: Lintong is a day-trip district, not a base. The sights fully justify the journey; the town itself is a functional sprawl with little reason to linger after dark. Sleep in Xi'an proper — ideally inside the city wall — and treat Lintong as a single well-organized day.

Here's how the day works. Leave Xi'an around 8:00. Metro Line 9 is the spine: ride it to Huaqing Pool (华清池) station, then hop a taxi or local bus (602/613) for the last 15 minutes to the Terracotta Army. The classic budget alternative is tourist bus 306 from the railway station's east square (about ¥7, roughly an hour); a DiDi runs ¥120–150 door to door. Do the army first, before the tour-bus waves, then double back to Huaqing Palace for the afternoon, when the light drops onto Mount Li. You're home for dinner — our 3-day itinerary lays the whole day out hour by hour.

One evening footnote: in season (roughly April to October), Huaqing Palace stages The Song of Everlasting Sorrow (长恨歌, Chánghèn Gē), an open-air drama performed against the mountain itself. It's worth staying for — but pre-book a car home, because the last metro won't wait.