Joanna James
Although Xi'an is best known as the home of the terracotta warriors, there's more to the dynamic city than iconic heritage sites. Shopaholics heading to Xi'an may be surprised to find that the following shopping hubs are the top commercial streets and biggest local highlights in the city.
Also called Clothing Street, Luomashi Street is located in Xi'an Beilin District and has been a fixture in the city since it was first established in 1983. Considered the perfect shopping street for clothes and fashionable attire of all shapes and sizes, the area is a big hit with locals and tourists in search of the latest trends in casual, evening, and formalwear. Lined with shopping complexes and boutiques, Luomashi Clothing Street stretches across 500m and contains more than 700 stalls that pop up and are dismantled at the end of each day. Busy throughout the day, it is a bargain-friendly retail hub in Xi'an.
Thus named due to its location in the eastern direction of the Bell Tower, East Street or Xian Dong Da Jie is home to some of the largest department stores and malls in the city. Kaiyuan Shopping Mall and the massive Tangcheng Department Store are all part of the landscape of this busy retail Mecca where one also finds the Xian Antique Shop and the Xian Overseas Chinese Store. Travellers will find everything from souvenirs, footwear, handbags, perfumes and clothing down this commercial street where top-notch porcelain and branded wines are also available.
Xiangzi Temple Street is also called the Teahouse and Gallery Street. Grand Park Xian and some other hotels in Xian, China, are within close range of Xiangzi Temple Street, which is considered one of the most culturally rich shopping hotspots in the city. Some of the best buys down Xiangzi Temple Street include high-quality tea and paintings. The oldest and first book shop to have been set up in Xi'an is also located here alongside countless coffee shops where one can enjoy a cuppa after a tour of the Han Xiangzi Temple.
Situated close to the Small Wild Goose Pagoda, Antique Street, as its name suggests, is perfect for lovers of vintage items and exquisite craftsmanship from years gone by. Everything from furnishings, ornaments and kitchen utensils are sold in Antique Street, the largest antique market in all of Xi'an, which is occupied by hundreds of shops. Tourists can rest assured that the pottery, jade, ancient coins, and other items for sale at this antique wonderland are authentic and sourced from collectors.
Occupying pride of place behind Xi'an's Stele Forest, Shu Yuan Men Street is the ideal shopper's paradise for art and craft lovers visiting the city. Crowded and buzzing with activity for most of the year, the traditional crafts and artwork for sale at Shu Yuan Men Street are what sets it apart from similar markets in Xi'an. Conventional paintings, traditional crafts and oriental decorative arts are the staples of this bustling market, which is also a great place to pick up works of calligraphy.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
