Itineraries
Where to stay
Around Taipei Main Station for trains and the airport line; Ximending and Wanhua for old streets and late food; Xinyi for Taipei 101 and malls; Da'an for leafy lanes and Yongkang Street.
The areas: Taipei Main Station, Ximending and Wanhua, Xinyi, Da'an.
Where to stay in Taipei: areas and adviceHotels in TaipeiPlaces to see
All things to do in TaiwanNatureBeitou Thermal ValleyA steaming hot spring pool in a wooded valley, about 15 min on foot from Xinbeitou station.Entry: Free to visit
MarketBeitou Transitional MarketThe temporary home of Beitou Market and its long-running food stalls while the old building is rebuilt.Entry: Pay as you go
NeighborhoodBopiliao Historic BlockA preserved historic block on Kangding Road in Wanhua, a short walk from Longshan Temple.Entry: Closed Mondays
TempleDalongdong Baoan TempleA temple to Baosheng Dadi built by settlers from Tongan in Fujian, now a national heritage site.Entry: Open 6:30 AM to 10 PM
NatureElephant Mountain (Xiangshan) TrailheadThe Lingyun Temple entrance to Elephant Mountain, a steep urban trail with views toward Taipei 101.Entry: Partial closures during works; follow signed detours
MuseumFort San Domingo, TamsuiA historic fort above the Tamsui River, run by the Tamsui Historical Museum with two nearby sites.Entry: One ticket covers three sites
MuseumGold Museum, JinguashiA museum park on the mountain mining town of Jinguashi, telling the story of its gold mines.Entry: First Monday closure moves to next day if a holiday
NeighborhoodHoutong Cat Village, RuifangA former coal-mining town known for its cats, with mining relics and an old coal transportation bridge.Entry: Public village streets
FoodJiufen Old Street, JiufenA narrow hillside lane of snack stalls, teahouses and shops in the old gold-mining town of Jiufen.Entry: Pay as you go
TempleLongshan TempleA temple founded in 1740 in Wanhua, with hundreds of Buddhist, Taoist and Confucian deities.Entry: Open 6 AM to 10 PM
MuseumNational Chiang Kai-shek Memorial HallA white memorial hall with a blue roof and a vast plaza, built in memory of Taiwan's first president.Entry: Exhibitions free
MuseumNational Palace MuseumTaiwan's national museum of Chinese art and imperial collections, in Shilin.Entry: Normally closed Mondays; check special openings
MarketRaohe Street Night MarketTaiwan's first government-planned tourist night market, known for pepper buns and herbal pork rib soup.Entry: Pay as you go
MuseumShengping Theater, JiufenA theater first built in 1916, the first in northern Taiwan, with a retro ticket window and old posters.Entry: NT$[fee]
FoodShifen Old Street, PingxiA street of eateries and sky lantern shops where trains on the Pingxi Line pass right by the doorways.Entry: Pay as you go
NatureShifen Waterfall, PingxiA wide ledge waterfall on the Keelung River, often called Taiwan's Niagara, with a rainbow over its pool.Entry: NT$[fee]
ViewpointTaipei 101 ObservatoryIndoor and outdoor observation floors near the top of the Taipei 101 tower in Xinyi.Entry: Buy a general ticket
TempleTaipei Confucius TempleA temple to Confucius in Dalongdong, next to Baoan Temple and free to enter.Entry: Free to visit
TransportTaipei Main StationThe hub for the high-speed rail, Taiwan Railway trains, the metro and the Taoyuan Airport MRT.Entry: Station
FoodTamsui Old Street, TamsuiAn old shopping street and riverside walkway known for A-Gei, fish balls, iron eggs and sunsets.Entry: Pay as you go
FoodYongkang StreetA lane in Da'an famous for its food, from dumpling houses to teahouses and cafes.Entry: Pay as you go