Overview
The Muslim Quarter (Huimin Street) is a 1,000-year-old district founded by Muslim descendants who settled here via the Silk Road during the Tang dynasty. About 50,000 Hui people live in this center of Chinese Islamic culture. A 500m stretch starting from the Bell Tower is lined with street food stalls, souvenir shops, and mosques, making it Xi'an's top food street. You can sample Hui-Muslim specialties like lamb skewers, yangrou paomo (lamb bread soup), biang biang noodles, roujiamo (Chinese hamburger), and sweet bayberry tea. Tucked inside the district is the Great Mosque, founded in 743, a unique structure blending Chinese architecture with Islamic style. Free to explore. A 5-minute walk from the Bell Tower, or take Metro Line 2 to Zhonglou Station.
Opening Hours
Street 24 hours (food stalls 09:00-24:00)
Travel Tips
Evenings (18:00-22:00) are most lively with a true night market vibe. Weekday evenings are quieter. For yangrou paomo (around CNY 30), tearing the flatbread by hand is part of the fun.
Hotels near Muslim Quarter (Huimin Street)
Hotels and guesthouses in Xi'an, Lianhu, Xi'an
Other attractions in Xi'an
Terracotta Army
Emperor Qin Shi Huang's underground army — over 8,000 life-sized terracotta warriors and horses.
Xi'an City Wall
China's best-preserved ancient city wall, circumnavigable by bicycle.
Giant Wild Goose Pagoda
A seven-story brick pagoda built by the Tang monk Xuanzang to house scriptures brought from India.
Bell Tower & Drum Tower
Xi'an's iconic Bell Tower and Drum Tower built in 1384 — beautifully lit at night.
Huaqing Palace
The imperial hot spring retreat where Tang's Yang Guifei famously bathed.
Shaanxi History Museum
One of China's top four museums, telling 5,000 years of Chinese civilization through 1.7 million artifacts.