Nowadays, many friends choose self-driving tours when traveling, which allows for more flexible time. There are many great places suitable for a one-day self-driving trip around Xi’an. Here are some of the best routes for you. See details below.
1. Route One: Xunyi Humanities Journey
I have been to Xianyang Xunyi County many times at different times of the year. This county, located in the gully area of the Loess Plateau in the Weibei region, has a long history and rich cultural heritage, with both historical sites and natural scenery. If you haven’t been here, I recommend checking it out!
There are many interesting places in Xunyi. Today, I recommend a travel loop with ancient mansions, mysterious grottos, and red tourist attractions, covering all the highlights without backtracking. You will also drive along a “most beautiful rural road in Shaanxi.” It’s truly a rich experience.
The specific route is: Xi’an – (G69 Yinbai Expressway) – “Xunyi” expressway exit (G211) – 13 kilometers – Tang Family Compound – Xunma Road – (passing Zhao Family Cave Grottoes and Black Cow Nest Grottoes along the way) – Malan Revolutionary Memorial Hall – S306 Provincial Highway – “Shimen” expressway exit – return.
There are two expressway exits in Xunyi. This self-driving route avoids backtracking and covers some of the most classic attractions in Xunyi. Actually, when returning via Provincial Highway 306, you will pass by Shimen Mountain Forest Park, Qin Straight Road Ruins, Fusu Temple, and other attractions along the way. However, the scenery of Shimen Mountain is not great in winter, and the time for a one-day trip is limited. I recommend focusing on Tang Family Compound, Xunyi Grottoes, and Malan Revolutionary Memorial Hall.
Tang Family Compound, also known as Tang Family Folk Museum, is one of the few well-preserved Qin merchant courtyards in Shaanxi. When it was built, Tang Family Compound had 87 courtyards and over 2,700 rooms, with a grand scale and luxurious decoration. It is known as the “Forbidden City on the Loess Plateau.” Today, two courtyards remain, but you can still feel the exquisite architecture of this Qin merchant compound. Humanities enthusiasts should not miss it.
After visiting Tang Family Compound, you can head towards Malan Revolutionary Memorial Hall along Xunma Road, where you will see many mysterious grottos. Some are located right by the roadside and you can enter and visit them. It’s quite interesting. It’s worth mentioning that Xunma Road is one of the top ten most beautiful rural roads in Shaanxi. The scenery along the way is beautiful, making it perfect for a self-driving tour.
I won’t say much about the red tourist attraction Malan Revolutionary Memorial Hall. It’s free to visit. After visiting Malan Memorial Hall, you can head back.
2. Route Two: Tongchuan Ancient Town Journey
This route mainly recommends Chenlu Ancient Town. With ample time for a one-day trip, you can also visit the nearby Jinsuo Pass Stone Forest Scenic Area, making the trip even richer.
Chenlu Ancient Town is located in Yinda District, Tongchuan City. For self-driving tours, simply navigate to “Chenlu Ancient Town.” The town is about 120 kilometers from Xi’an, a 2-hour drive with good road conditions. The ancient town is free of admission fees and parking fees, which deserves a ten-out-of-ten rating. In addition, the town has a strong cultural heritage and is visually appealing, making it highly recommended.
Chenlu Ancient Town is an ancient town that thrived because of pottery kilns. It has a history of over 1,400 years. This is the only kiln site where the ancient Yaozhou kiln continued production after the Song and Yuan dynasties. With over a thousand years of uninterrupted kilns, its culture has a long history. Today, visiting Chenlu Ancient Town, you can see that the houses, brick walls, and even the roads are almost entirely made of broken porcelain and earthenware, creating a unique characteristic. In addition, several old kiln factories, such as Wang’s Porcelain Workshop and Li’s Porcelain Workshop, remain in the ancient town, allowing tourists to witness the process of making porcelain by artisans, offering a truly immersive experience.
About a half-hour drive from Chenlu Ancient Town is the Jinsuo Pass Stone Forest Scenic Area. It was a strategic pass in ancient times and is now known for its stone forest landscape. To be honest, the stone forest is not very large, but there are many amusement facilities built around it, making it suitable for children. By the way, this attraction is also free.
3. Route Three: Sanyuan Food and Sightseeing Journey
Sanyuan County has a deep cultural heritage and abundant cuisine. Many people have been here. Here’s a recommended sightseeing route, taking the expressway to go and the lower speed road to return. You will travel from north to south without backtracking.
The entire route is: Xi’an – Sanyuan Bash Village Pit Houses – Li Jing’s Former Residence – Sanyuan City God Temple – Xi’an.
From Xi’an, take the expressway to Sanyuan Bash Village, approximately a 1-hour and 10-minute drive. Sanyuan Bash Village is a national historical and cultural village, and its most distinctive feature is that it is one of the areas in China where sunken pit houses are concentrated for protection. It is known as the “Museum of Earth Architecture in China.” Even today, some elderly people still live in pit houses, which you can visit.
After visiting the Bash Village Pit Houses Scenic Area, continue along the provincial highway towards Sanyuan County. Along the way, you will pass by Li Jing’s Former Residence. You can choose whether to visit this attraction, while Sanyuan City God Temple, located in the county seat, can be considered a priority for your visit.
Sanyuan City God Temple was built in the eighth year of Hongwu during the Ming dynasty (1375) and has a history of over 600 years. The entire City God Temple architectural complex is well preserved, becoming the only complete City God Temple ancient architectural complex in China and one of the most complete Ming and Qing dynasty architectural complexes in China. Its grand scale and exquisite architecture left a deep impression on me.
After visiting the City God Temple, you can have a meal in Sanyuan County. Sanyuan is a famous food capital in the Guanzhong region. Some of its specialties include Lyaohua sugar, bubbly oil cakes, golden thread oil towers, pig trotters, and more.
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