Are you traveling to Taipei and wondering what to do once you arrive? The capital of the charming and welcoming island of Taiwan is a city that reminds me of a mixture between China and Japan, especially in its architecture, but with its distinctive, unique and attractive character.
Many things to do in Taipei: from delicious culinary experiences to cultural visits or nature excursions. The city requires several days to be discovered and for sure more visits to begin to understand how deep is the humble charisma of this place.
Modern but with a charm related to its millenary traditions, a pleasant metropolis with many green areas. The mountains are a step away from the center and reachable with super effective public transport that will take you everywhere around Taipei … and don’t forget about the population: the Taiwanese are genuinely friendly!
The climate is tropical, so it is never too cold, the months from January to April can be “fresh”, but certainly you will not need heavy jackets.
The following is a list of 10 things to do in Taipei + 1!
1 – Taipei 101!
One of the architectures that fascinated me most in Asia, along with the poetic and passionate Taj Mahal in India and the Petronas Towers, which represent a real jewel of Malaysia. The Taipei 101 is a skyscraper with a harmonious structure and full of charm that rises into the sky radiating an aura of serenity in the capital of the island of Taiwan.
The blue/green skyscraper, with its 508 meters high, has been the tallest building in the world since its opening in 2004 until 2010, it is home to a shopping center and observatories are on floors 88, 89 and 91, open to the public from which to have a great view on the capital.
Many corners of the city from which to contemplate the Taipei 101, one of the best is from the Elephant mount, reachable with a small climb of the hill.
During the New Year the skyscraper becomes a truly impressive pyrotechnic explosion, a sight that is worth seeing.
2 – Dine at one of the night markets.
Night markets are one of the major attractions of both Taipei and all of Taiwan. They are numerous and of various sizes, you can find a little bit of everything but they are mostly famous for their culinary delights.
Don’t miss a dinner at one of the many stalls serving tasty food in a fun atmosphere that will surely become one of the most memorable memories of your Taiwanese experience. Take a tour and a look at some food that might interest you before deciding what to eat, be a little daring and let yourself be guided by your sight and your sense of smell!
Taipei’s most famous night markets:
Ningxia Night Market : Probably one of the smallest night markets in Taipei but one of the most interesting, especially for a good selection of culinary special delights. It is located in the city center, many locals hang out here but is also becoming famous among tourists, the restaurants in front of the market are also excellent places to dine. Among the many specialties you can try the steak cooked with a cooking torch, a delicious soup of pork liver or fried taro balls.
Raohe Street Night Market : One of the oldest night markets in Taipei, in the Songshan District, easily reached by the green line of the Mrt. It has an excellent selection of tempting traditional foods in its 600 meters long, one of the most visited and beautiful in Taipei. If you are undecided you can try one of the crispy buns stuffed with pepper and cooked in an oven similar to the Indian tandoor, the Chinese ravioli or pork ribs cooked in traditional Chinese medicinal herbs. Don’t miss a visit to the Ciyou Temple, which is located at the market entrance.
Shilin Night Market : Probably the largest and most well-known Taipei night market, you will find many traditional dishes but also several little shops and stalls selling a bit of everything. You can try fried chicken steaks, oyster omelette or the stinky tofu … don’t let the smell of this dish scare you!
3 – A trek along one of the routes in the mountains around Taipei.
Taipei is surrounded by fascinating mountains rich in green subtropical vegetation that offer unforgettable views and pleasant walks, easily reachable by public transport and represent an opportunity for a day trip in nature. The routes are of varying difficulty, usually easy, but for those who feel in good shape there are also the more challenging and adventurous ones.
The Yangmingshan National Park has several trails with varying degrees of difficulty and is really close to the city, you can consult the the park’s official website to give you an idea and decide which path you may be interested in.
The paths you will find in the Niehu district around the Dahu Park are also very beautiful. There are stunning paths in the green, temples and excellent views of the city from the hill with a tropical flora that will make you feel as if you were in the jungle of Borneo, a few kilometers from the center of Taipei.
4 – Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall.
One of the most famous and important places in Taipei, I remember when I was looking for information on Taiwan, before going there, to have seen its image on the Internet and decided to visit it as fascinated by its majesty.
The imposing white monument with a blue roof was erected in honor and memory of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek. Surrounded by a beautiful park, at the entrance you will find the large main portal, the national theater and the concert hall : these last two are beautiful and colorful Chinese-style architecture where you can assist at various shows.
The main hall of the monument presents the bronze statue of the hero of Taiwan and at each hour there is a change of guard ceremony.
5 – Visit the beautiful temples in Taipei.
Taipei temples, as in all of Taiwan, are real jewels. Rich and colorful decorations, harmonious architectures full of charm, some nestled in the buildings of the city, others built in serene gardens and parks. You can spend days admiring the details of the sculptures and paintings in these religious structures that are present in every corner of the city.
Places of worship mostly related to Taoism and Buddhism, many of them dedicated to the goddess Mazu, the protector of the seas. People come here in search of serenity or answers from the various deities. There are also Confucian temples.
Some of the most beautiful and visited temples:
Longshan Temple, one of the most famous, beautiful and frequented by both locals and tourists. Dedicated to the deity Guanyin (goddess of mercy) is a Buddhist and Taoist temple. Don’t miss it!
The Confucius Temple, dedicated to the Chinese master in a fascinating, characteristic and classical Chinese architecture.
Bao’an Temple, next to the Confucius temple, a harmonious and picturesque structure with elegant and detailed decorations.
Ciyou Temple , if you are at Raohe night market you cannot miss this imposing colorful and well-lit structure dedicated to the goddess Mazu. Beautiful statues and also here the details are admirable, its roof is amazingly rich in architectural ornaments.
6 – A walk in Tamsui (or Danshui).
The last stop of the red line of the MRT will take you to Tamsui, an interesting area north of the capital, just outside the center of Taipei. Buildings with typical colonial and Japanese architecture mixed with pure Taiwanese style attractions.
You can take a walk along the river and to the old street where you will find Tamsui culinary specialties (such as the “iron egg”), attend some performances of street artists (usually on weekends) and you can buy some local handicrafts as a souvenir.
Visit Fort San Domingo , built by the Spanish in 1628 and then used by many other states that colonized the island. Next to the fort is the elegant Victorian-style building of the Former British Consulate . Not far from it there is the fascinating Japanese-style house of The Former Residence of Tamsui Township Head Tade Eikichi .
The beautiful sunset in Tamsui will end your pleasant visit to the area!
7 – A sunset at the Elephant mount – Xiang Shan.
Elephant mount is reachable by dropping off at the last stop of the red line of the subway, from here in 10 minutes you can start the easy hiking of about half an hour that will take you to the top of the mountain a few kilometers from the city center. The main path is on a stairway and not too steep, a simple climb, but it will give you a wonderful experience.
Go there during dusk for a spectacular view of Taipei at sunset, one of the best places to see the city with its lights and above all admire the Taipei 101.
8 – A day trip to Jiufen.
Jiufen was built by the Japanese on the mountain opposite Taipei, near what were the gold mines. You can tour the old street and its pleasant alleys with their red lanterns full of restaurants, cafes and tea houses in Japanese-style buildings (the most famous is the A-Mei Tea House).
The town, having been built on the mountain, will allow you to enjoy excellent views from one of the various viewpoints on the ocean.
You can reach Jiufen by taking a public bus from Zhongxiao Fuxing station in the city center of Taipei.
9 – Spend an evening at Ximending.
Lose yourself among the neon lights during an evening in Taipei in one of the most touristic areas of the city, you can take back home some souvenirs or taste some of the local and international culinary specialties.
Often there are performances by street artists and you can enjoy, while walking along the various stalls and shops/restaurants, the famous “bubble tea”, the Taiwanese drink made with tapioca pearls.
10 – Relax at the Beitou thermal hot springs.
If you love thermal hot springs in Beitu, just outside the city of Taipei, you can visit and immerse yourself in one of the public baths or in the various private spas that have been opened to the public in this area.
There are usually several tanks with various temperatures, from the warmest placed at the top to the least hot downstream.
11 – A visit to nearby Keelong and the North Coast of the country!
The port city of Keelung is about 40 minutes by bus or train from Taipei, from here you can access the beautiful Taiwan North Coast. Don’t miss a visit to Yehliu Geopark , with its fascinating rock formations and the famous “Queen’s Head”.
Other parks in the area with their green mountains that go straight into the blue ocean are advisable to visit if you have time and a private transport for an unforgettable day.
