Terracotta Army

In 1974, farmers digging a well outside Xi’an broke into one of the greatest archaeological finds of the 20th century: an underground army of clay soldiers, horses and chariots made to guard the tomb of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor to unite China, who died in 210 BC.

Three main pits can be visited. The largest, Pit 1, holds rows of infantry standing in battle formation beneath a vast hangar-like roof, and no two faces are alike. A museum displays the remarkable bronze chariots and horses found nearby.

Allow half a day with a guide. Xi’an is around five hours from Beijing by high-speed train, and its old city walls and Muslim Quarter food street make a good evening.