New life in old city

Xi'an is hailed as the easternmost hub from which the Silk Road's land route webbed westward to reach Rome. Armies of tourists besiege the modern metropolis to view the Terracotta Warriors, but Mike Peters discovers other marching grounds worth exploring.

Few getaways from China's capital beat Xi'an. Its laid-back lifestyle and distinct culture are very different from the big cities of the east coast. It's reasonably close to Beijing, and you can see and do a lot in a short time.

Chang'an - as the city was known in its heyday - was the capital of the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907) and has long been acclaimed as the gateway to the old Silk Road. It was the biggest city in the world when ancient Chinese culture was at its peak, and many of Xi'an's best experiences for visitors hark back to the caravan days.