For foreign visitors, the best Xi’an base is inside the Ming City Wall, around the Bell Tower, Muslim Quarter, or South Gate. These neighbourhoods put you near the core sights, metro lines, and four-star hotels practised at handling foreign passports. The Terracotta Army is a day trip, not a base.
The best area for foreigners to stay in Shanghai is the central corridor along Lines 1, 2, and 10 linking the Bund, People’s Square, and Jing’an. These districts keep you near international hotels and the metro, with the river and main sights within easy reach. Avoid the far suburbs.
The best Chengdu base for foreigners is the centre around Tianfu Square or the riverside near Chunxi Road and Taikoo Li. These districts keep you on the metro, near international hotels that handle foreign passports smoothly, and within reach of the pandas, teahouses, and Sichuan kitchens. Avoid far suburbs.
For foreign visitors, the best Beijing base is inside the Second Ring Road — Chaoyang around Sanlitun, or Dongcheng near the Forbidden City and Houhai. These zones put you on clean metro lines, near English-speaking hotels, and within easy reach of the sights, avoiding suburban commutes.