There are few things in the world that make you feel as powerful as riding a bicycle on top of a city. Not on the street in the city, but on the wall that defines it. The Xi'an City Wall (Ming Dynasty City Wall) is one of those places that defies expectations. You think, "It's just a wall, how exciting can it be?" Then you get up there, and you realize it’s a highway through history.
It was a crisp autumn morning when I rented a slightly rusty mountain bike at the South Gate (Yongning Gate). The cobbles on the top of the wall are uneven, grey, and worn smooth by centuries of boots and tires. As I started pedaling, the first thing I noticed was the width. This isn't a garden fence; it’s as wide as a four-lane road. You could march an army up here, and they did.
The Rhythm of the Ride
The loop is about 13.7 kilometers (8.5 miles). It’s the perfect distance—long enough to be a workout, short enough to enjoy. The ride became a rhythmic meditation. Bump-bump-bump went the tires over the bricks. To my left (the inside), I saw old tiled roofs, low-rise apartments, and courtyards where laundry fluttered like prayer flags. To my right (the outside), the modern city roared with skyscrapers, traffic jams, and shiny shopping malls.
I was riding on the borderline of time. At the corners of the wall, I stopped at the watchtowers. Peering through the arrow slits, I tried to imagine being a Ming Dynasty soldier, freezing in the winter wind, watching for Mongol raiders. Now, the only raiders were tourists with selfie sticks, but the vantage point remains commanding.
A Moment of Connection
About halfway through, near the East Gate, I got a flat tire. Just my luck. I was straddling the bike, looking hopeless, when an older local man cycling past slowed down. He didn't speak a word of English. I didn't speak much Mandarin. But he saw the tire, chuckled, and hopped off his bike. With the efficiency of a pit crew mechanic, he pulled out a small tool, fiddled with the valve, and pumped it up with a hand pump he had strapped to his frame.
He patted me on the back, pointed forward, and shouted, "Jia You!" (Add oil/Keep going!). That 3-minute interaction was the highlight of the ride. The wall isn't just a tourist trap; locals use it for their morning exercise, their escapes. It’s a living park in the sky.
Sunset at the South Gate
I timed my ride to finish back at the South Gate just as the sun was going down. The lanterns along the wall began to flicker on, casting a warm red glow on the grey stone. The city below transformed into a grid of lights. Standing there, leaning on the parapet, legs slightly jelly-like from the ride, I felt a deep appreciation for the sheer stubbornness of this structure. It has survived wars, revolutions, and urban development.
Cycling the Xi'an City Wall gives you a perspective you can't get from a bus or a subway. You feel the scale of the city in your quads and calves. You breathe the air at the height of the rooftops.
It’s the best way to understand Xi'an: a city that honors its past by letting you ride a bike all over it.