China
Xi'an in December
🧥 WinterCold and mostly dry. Watch for hazy air.
🎒 Pack: winter coat, gloves & hat · N95 mask for hazy days
Why December scores 6.7What goes into the score
How it works- Weather comfort7.1
- !Cold (7°C highs / -3°C lows)
- ✓Comfortable humidity (dew point -5.1°C)
- ✓Mostly dry (~7 mm rain)
- Air quality2.2
- !Unhealthy (PM2.5 ~82 µg/m³)
- Seasonal hazards10.0
- ·No notable seasonal hazards
- Safety baseline7.5
- ·Increased caution
| Dec | May | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 6.7 Good | 8.7 Excellent |
| Season | 🧥 Winter | 🌷 Spring |
| High / low | 7° / -3° | 27° / 14° |
| Rain | 7 mm | 68 mm |
| Humidity | dew pt -5° | dew pt 11° |
| PM2.5 | 82 µg/m³ | 35 µg/m³ |
Typical-month data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis) 2015–2024 (modelled, not a forecast). Temperatures: Xi'an weather-station normals. Rainfall: Xi'an weather-station normals (national met service).
Holidays & crowdsDecember 2026
No long holidaysNo long public-holiday weekends this month. School holidays aren't counted, so check those if you want to avoid family crowds.
No national public holidays in China this month.
National holidays only; regional holidays and school breaks aren't included. Source: holidays (open-source public-holiday calendar).
Nature calendarBlossoms, leaves & seasons in Xi'an
- Snowy daysIn DecemberTypical datesSnow likely Nov–Mar (most in Jan: ~5 days)
Average number of days with snowfall at Xi'an.
Source: Xi'an weather-station normals (national weather service, via Wikipedia climate table)
Explore Xi'anEvents, sights, food & souvenirs
Check event dates locallyA former imperial capital in China's Shaanxi province and the eastern start of the Silk Road, famous for the Terracotta Army and its intact city walls.
No major events on our calendar for December.
Coming up later
Chinese New Year and lantern displaysDate variesLunar calendar — late January to mid-February, date moves each year
Lantern displays are installed on the city walls.
Why go: Attractions are very crowded during the holiday.
Where: City Wall and Tang Paradise
National Day Golden WeekEvery year1–7 October every year
A week-long national holiday.
Why go: The Terracotta Army sees huge crowds; avoid if possible.
Where: All major attractions
Terracotta Army
Thousands of life-size clay soldiers guarding the tomb of the first Qin emperor, about an hour from the city.
💡 Go early and book tickets ahead, especially in holiday periods.
City Wall
Ming-dynasty walls about 14 km around, which you can walk or cycle on top of.
Muslim Quarter
A busy food street area near the Drum Tower and the Great Mosque.
Big Wild Goose Pagoda
A Tang-dynasty Buddhist pagoda with a fountain show square to the north.
Shaanxi History Museum
A major museum of artefacts from Shaanxi's dynasties.
💡 Tickets are limited daily; book in advance.
Bell Tower and Drum Tower
Ming towers at the centre of the walled city.
Roujiamo
Stewed pork in a flatbread, often called a Chinese hamburger.
💡 Street stalls and the Muslim Quarter (beef or lamb versions there)
Yangrou paomo
Lamb soup with crumbled flatbread that diners break themselves.
💡 Muslim Quarter restaurants
Biangbiang noodles
Very wide hand-pulled noodles with chilli oil.
💡 Noodle shops
Liangpi
Cold noodles in a vinegar and chilli sauce.
💡 Street stalls
Dumpling banquet
A meal of many dumplings in different shapes and fillings, a Xi'an tradition.
💡 Dumpling restaurants
Terracotta warrior replicas
Small replicas of the soldiers.
💡 Shops near the Terracotta Army site
Shadow puppets
Leather shadow puppets from the Shaanxi tradition.
💡 Craft shops in the Muslim Quarter
Calligraphy and paper goods
Brushes, rubbings and scrolls.
💡 Shuyuanmen (Calligraphy Street) near the South Gate