A 600-year-old Bell Tower of Xi'an at night, next to the hotel that now bears its name. [Photo by Gao Tianpei\China Daily]

With summer on its way, China's nightlife lovers are getting ready to enjoy the long, balmy evenings.

But are you fed up with the same old sights? Fancy a change of scenery? Well, let's take a look at what Xi'an's nightlife has to offer.

Xi'an is one of the oldest cities in China, having served as the capital of 13 imperial dynasties. Its natives are rightly proud of their city's unique culture and heritage, which spans many thousands of years.

As the starting point of the old Silk Road, an ancient trading route linking East Asia with Central Asia and Europe, Xi'an was one of the most important cities of the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907). International trade gave it an exotic flavor, which we can see in different aspects of the city today.