Rather than listing individual Taipei attractions, this article aims to group the city’s top activities thematically. This way, you can set your heart less on visiting specific places, and more on having iconic experiences, no matter what form they end up taking.
Marvel at Taipei Landmarks
Most travelers plan on visiting the famous Taipei 101 (which, for a brief period in the recent past, was the tallest building in the world), but other Taipei landmarks are not as immediately obvious. A great place to visit after Taipei 101 is Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, a massive mausoleum built in a traditional Chinese style.
After this, continue heading west into Ximen, a bustling shopping neighborhood (you might think of this as Taipei’s Shibuya, if you’ve been to Tokyo and want to use it is as a point of comparison). Walk along the neon-lit and food-filled Ximending shopping street, or have a drink inside the historical Red House.
Discover Taipei’s Rich History
Speaking of Taipei history, one of the top Taipei museums provides a great glimpse into it. Specifically, the National Palace Museum is said to house as many as 700,000 ancient Chinese artifacts, many of which pre-date the establishment of an ethnic Chinese nation on the island of Taiwan.
This is not to say that you need to be inside a proper museum to include history on your list of top things to do in Taipei. Traipse through Dadaocheng, whose old shop houses and Chinese medicine markets are a great place to explore before watching sunset over the Keelung River. Or visit Huashan 1914 Creative Park, where modern creative installations live inside heritage buildings. Additionally, Taipei temples like Longshan Temple, Taipei Confucius Temple, and Bao’an Temple are very much worth a visit.
Discover Taipei With Your Tastebuds
Narrowing down the best Taipei night markets can be difficult, though one is definitely more popular than the most. Located a few stops north of Taipei Main Station by metro, Shilin is huge, colorful, and full of delicious food (not to mention delicious Taiwanese bubble tea).
Which is not to say you need to visit a night market (Raohe Street Night Market in Songshan is another good choice), if you’re in search of Taipei attractions that center around food. Head to Yong Kang Street, via Dongmen MRT Station, to sample classic Taiwanese dishes like beef noodles and dim sum at the original location of the iconic Din Tai Fung restaurant.
Enjoy a Break in Nature
Whether you’re on the hunt for Taipei hot springs or something more exhilarating than relaxing, nature is never far from Taipei. To take a relaxing dip, ride the MRT to Beitou Station, where dozens of local buses depart every hour for various hot springs day spas in the mountains just north of Taipei’s center.
One of these mountains is Yangmingshan, a volcano with literally dozens of hiking trails, which is also easily accessible from the city center. Furthermore, when it comes to beaches near Taipei, you can visit Baishawan Beach if you want to swim, or the Yehliu “Queens Head” nature park near Keelung if you simply want to admire the coastal scenery.
Take a Sunset Hike
When it comes to the best hikes in Taipei, at least within the city limits, most people put Elephant Mountain (aka Xiangshan, located near the MRT stop of the same name) at the top of the list. However, there are a couple of other options you can consider that offer less crowds at similarly good views.
The best view of Taipei might just be from Bishan Kaizhang Shengwang Temple, which is about 30 minutes north of the Neihu MRT station, and allows you to frame the Taipei skyline with colorful phoenix sculptures. Another great Taipei viewpoint is Fuzhoushan Park, in the southern part of the city center near Linguang Station.
Conclusion
The top things to do in Taipei are as colorful and dynamic as Taiwan’s capital itself. Balance out culinary and cultural experiences with exhilarating moments in nature, and split your time between mainstream attractions and ones of the more alternative sort. However you occupy your Taipei itinerary, make sure to search Skyscanner for flights to Taiwan below 👇
