Visiting Taipei, Taiwan for the first time? Here are all the places that you’ll need to see (and you can see them all in three days!) We’ve put together this itinerary with the assistance of Agoda Travel Guides. 

Day 1

#1 Lungshan Temple

Also known as Mengjia Longshan Temple, this is the most famous temple in Taiwan. Built in 1738 in Wanhua District, an older part of Taipei, the temple is one of the largest and oldest in Taiwan, having lasted through several wars and natural disasters. Pay attention to some of their finest examples of Chinese, Buddhist, and Taoist handiwork and you’ll understand why it’s declared as a Secondary National Heritage Site. Entrance is free but donations are welcome for the temple’s maintenance. 

Address: 211, Guangzhou Street, Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan 10853.

#2 The Red House 

The Red House used to be Taipei’s first public market. Now, it has been reformed into a voguish art centre and a prominent hangout spot for Taipei’s LGBT community. Enter the complex through the historic eight-sided red brick building to discover The Red House Market for Artists & Designers. You’ll then encounter sections such as 16 Creative Boutique, North and South Square where you’ll find art shops, trendy cafes, bars, and even interesting risqué stores. If you have the time, feel free to catch the daily performances at the Riverside Red House Theater Performance Hall.

Address: 10, Chengdu Road, Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan 108.

#3 National Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall

This iconic monument is built as a tribute to the founder of the Republic of China, Dr. Sun Yat-Sen. It contains exhibitions about his life and revolutionary accomplishments. If you are a culture geek, you might want to allocate more time here in your schedule to learn more about the historic period when Taiwan was ruled by the Qing Dynasty, before the country’s evolution into a modern China. Don’t forget take a stroll in the beautiful garden, too!

Address: 505, Section 4, Ren'ai Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City, Taiwan 110.

#4 Elephant Mountain

A hike up Elephant Mountain in Taipei is definitely a must for first-timers! The best time to do it is around late-afternoon by hiking through the Nangang District Hiking Trail (also known as Xiangshan Hiking Trail). The hike takes less than an hour but expect to climb a lot of stairs! You can always take a breather at the some of the viewpoints along the way. Once you reach the top, however, you’ll be able to enjoy a spectacular view of the city and the iconic Taipei 101. Getting there is easy. Just take the metro to the Xiangshan MTR Station and follow the signs when you are there. 

Address: 110, Xinyi District, Taipei City. 

Night Market Choices

Depending on where you stay, you could choose to end your night at the popular Raohe Street Night Market (Songshan District) or Tonghua Night Market (Daan District).

#5 Raohe Street Night Market

One of the oldest markets in the district, Raohe Street Night Market is rather popular among locals and visitors as it stretches almost 2,000 feet along Raohe Street in the Songshan District. Keeping true to its roots, the market displays a traditional yet easy to get about layout so you won’t miss a thing. Some of the food you should try are the oyster noodles, pork feet noodles, bubble tea, herb-steamed spare ribs, and small sausage inside big sausage. At the east end of Raohe Street Night Market, you’ll find the beautiful folk temple, the Songshan Ciyou Temple, dedicated to the sea goddess Mazu.  

Address: Raohe Street, Songshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan 105.

#6 Tonghua Night Market

The Tonhus Night Market is also known as the Linjiang Night Market since the entire night market is located at the intersection of Linjiang Street and Tonghua Street in the Daan District. Most patrons here are locals as opposed to tourists, making it a more authentic Taipei night market experience. Some of the food you must try here are the pork sausages, pan-fried dumplings, stinky tofu, and gua bao (Taiwanese hamburgers). 

Address: Alley 1, Lane 40, Linjiang Street, Da’an District, Taipei City, Taiwan 106.

Day 2 

#7 Maokong

It’s time to sit back, relax, and sip on some quality, locally grown tea. Maokong has one of the most scenic spots in Taipei due to its location on top of a mountain. The best way up is to take the glass-bottomed Maokong Gondola (Crystal Cabins), where you’ll be able to enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the Taipei Zoo, the Zhinan Temple, and the Jingmei Riverside Park. The gondola service usually operates between 8.30am and 9pm daily but is contingent to weather conditions for safety reasons. More info here.

Address: No.35, Ln. 38, Sec. 3, Zhinan Rd., Wenshan Dist., Taipei City, Taiwan 116.

#8 National Palace Museum 

After enjoying a relaxing morning on the mountain, it’s time to take a trip to a museum with one of the largest historic artifact collections in the world. This museum is also known as the second ‘Forbidden City’ as it was originally founded within the walls of the Forbidden City in Beijing. However, in 1949, it was moved to Taipei’s Shilin District following the Republic of China government relocation but it was only officially opened to the public in 1965. 

The modern museum is filled with nearly 700,000 pieces of ancient Chinese artifacts. First-timers should explore all four floors of this national icon but if you are in a hurry, the three must-see three artifacts are - the Jadeite Cabbage, the Meat-shaped Stone, and the Mao Gong Ding. Take the free guided tour book to learn more about each historical piece. More info at their website here.

Address: 221, Sec 2, Zhi Shan Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, Taiwan 111.

#9 Beitou Public Hot Spring

After all the walking, soothe your aching muscles in a warm hot spring. Beitou is not only a popular area for hot springs but is also the most convenient area for travellers to enjoy authentic thermal hot springs. Located at the base of Yangmingshan National Park, the area around the natural hot springs was developed during the Japanese occupation into a resort destination that’s filled with inns, tea houses, as well as private and public baths. The three types of hot springs available are green sulfur, white sulfur, and iron sulfur. Each bath may have its own rules, whether regarding gender separation, clothing, or food and drinks. Entrance fees for each bath differ. The cheapest and most popular is the outdoor Millennium Hot Spring. Feel free to walk around to find one that you like. 

Address: 6, Zhongshan Road, Beitou District, Taipei City, Taiwan 112.

#10 Shilin Night Market

Your final night in Taipei will not be complete without checking out the most famous night market in Taiwan. Located in Shilin District, Shilin Night Market has been in operation for more than 100 years. The cool part is that the night market doesn’t only happen outdoors but it also consists of a large underground food court. Some of the food you should try here are fried chicken fillet, pepper pork bun, oyster omelet, deep fried fish balls, and flame grilled beef cubes. This night market is also perfect for those who want to soak in the energy of Taipei’s hottest nightlife spot. 

Address: No. 101, Jihe Road, Shilin District, Taipei City, Taiwan 111.

Day 3

#11 Taipei 101

You may choose to sleep in and take a free-and-easy approach on your final day in Taipei. You could also spend your final few hours in Taipei by visiting the world famous Taipei 101! Officially known as the Taipei International Financial Center, the building’s distinct architecture resembles a bamboo tree which represents fast growth and flexibility in Taiwan’s economy and culture. It may not be the tallest skyscraper in the world anymore but it’s definitely still the tallest “green” skyscraper on the planet. Oh, did we mention that it also has the world’s second fastest elevator? Take the 37-second ride up to the 89th floor of the building, where you can order a cup of coffee and enjoy the view. 

Address: No. 7, Section 5, Xinyi Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City, Taiwan 110.

(Content and Images source: AgodaTravelGuides)

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