Taipei, Taiwan’s vibrant capital, captured my heart from the very beginning.
I have lived in Taipei for over 10 years (technically New Taipei City, which is like the suburbs of Taipei).
In that time, I have covered the city’s buzzing night markets and enticing attractions for the likes of CNN, BBC, and National Geographic. I’ve also helped thousands of visitors plan their visits in my Taiwan Travel Planning group.
In this article, I’m not giving you every possible thing to do in the city. Instead, I’ve narrowed it down to my personal favorites: the experiences I return to again and again, and the ones I think every first-time visitor should try.
I’ve grouped them into tourist musts, personal favorites, foodie & cultural experiences, and outdoor activities. And I’ve purposely left out a few that many think are musts but I don’t…
For more of a guidebook-style introduction to the city, please visit my Taipei guide.
Taipei Quick Tips
- Stay connected! Here are my recommended eSIMs, regular SIMs, and apps for Taipei
- Here’s how to get from Taoyuan Airport to Taipei, where to stay in Taipei, and the best hotels around Taipei Main Station
- Order an EasyCard for riding the MRT and read my EasyCard guide
- Or consider getting a Taipei Unlimited Fun Pass (see on Klook / KKday / read my guide), an all-in-one tourist pass which includes unlimited transportation, 30+ attractions, local experiences, discounts, and free gift, valid for 1-3 days.
- See my recommended itineraries for Taipei.
Also see my similar post: 20 Places to Visit in Taiwan that I’m Obsessed With
Tourist Essential Things to Do
As a first-time visitor to Taipei, these are some things you’ll most likely want to do. The above map shows all the places I’ll mention in this article.
Standing Atop Taipei 101
There’s no better way to start your trip than by surveying the Taiwanese capital from the city’s top landmark and tallest building: Taipei 101.
At 508 meters, Taipei 101 was once the tallest building in the world. It remains one of the tallest eco-friendly buildings and has one of the fastest elevators (see my guide to Taipei 101 for all the things you can do there!)
The 360-degree Taipei 101 Observatory is on the 89th to 91st floors of the building (buy your tickets here, with option to skip-the-line with fast track entry).
It’s an experience I always enjoy, and the views are breathtaking.
However, for a truly exhilarating Taipei 101 experience, I recommend splurging on Skyline 460 (book it here / read about my experience). For this, I got to walk around the actual roof of Taipei 101!
Note that there are only two entries per day and you get access to the regular observatory, too.
Hiking Elephant Mountain
Elephant Mountain, or Xiangshan, is one of four mountains named after animals (the “Four Beasts”) on the edge of the city next to Taipei 101.
The closest one, Elephant Mountain, offers the most classic view of Taipei City, with Taipei 101 dominating the view.
It only takes about 1.5 hours return to hike Elephant Mountain from Xiangshan MRT, the station named after it. The actual climb is short but steep – you’ll feel it in your calves, but the payoff is sky-high. Here’s my guide to hiking it.
From the lookout platforms, you’ll enjoy sweeping views of the city. And if you want to escape the tourist crowds, just continue on to the other Four Beasts or Nangang Mountain, the tallest of them all.
Morning is my favorite time for the hike, especially in hotter seasons, while sunset time is understandably popular. And don’t even try to get a spot for NYE fireworks – try these viewing locations instead.
If you prefer less touristy strolls, I cover my favorite hikes in Taipei here.
Praying with Locals in a Temple
Taipei’s temples are riotous explosions of color and detail. Most of them combine elements of Taoism, Buddhism, and folk religion.
Serious temple lovers could spend a full day exploring the city’s many religious sanctuaries – I recommend my favorite 30 temples in Taipei here.
But for visitors pressed on time, head directly to the city’s spiritual heart: Longshan Temple in Wanhua (Bangka) district, also known as the Old City of Taipei.
In my Longshan Temple guide, I cover the steps to praying like a local, including how to throw moon blocks, ask the god Yue Lao for love, and seal your request with a free red string.
If you can, try to time your visit with one of the three daily chanting ceremonies. These are from 6:00 to 6:45 AM, 8:00 to 8:45 AM, and 3:45 to 5:00 PM.
Feasting at a Night Market
If Taipei city is known for one thing and one thing alone, that would be its night markets.
Night markets are the beating heart of Taipei. Locals and visitors alike flock to them to sample a vast array of mouth-watering street foods (here are 101 Taiwanese street food examples).
With limited stomach space and so many temptations on offer, it can be tough to decide what to eat. Therefore, I suggest you make use of my night market guides, which introduce the most famous (often Michelin-rated) stalls, plus my personal favorites.
The “Big 5” night markets in Taipei are Raohe, Shilin, Ningxia, Tonghua (Linjiang), and Nanjichang. While food is the main focus at these, you can also find some cheap clothing and souvenirs.
Smaller ones worth considering include Huaxi, Gongguan, and Shida.
And don’t feel you have to do all your night market feasting in Taipei – you’ll have more opportunities around the country.
Photographing Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
Yes, the man was a former dictator who left behind a legacy of oppression. But there’s no denying that the huge monument and square dedicated to him is a highly photogenic attraction in Taipei.
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall often surprises visitors with how impressive it is. Not just in scale, but also the sprawling square and park built around it is full of surprises.
I love exploring CKS early in the morning, when the grounds and fish-filled ponds are serene and local elderly come to do tai’chi or qigong, or at night, when the memorial is lit up and takes on a totally different vibe.
Try to time your visit with the hourly guard-changing ceremony (9:00 AM to 5:00 PM). In winter and spring, you can see gorgeous plum blossoms and cherry blossoms there, respectively.
Riding Maokong Gondola
Maokong Gondola rounds out my list of essential tourist experiences in Taipei. The gondola starts next to Taipei Zoo MRT station and whisks passengers up to the tea-growing hills in the southeastern corner of the city.
The ride takes just over 30 minutes each way, with the option to choose a glass-bottomed Crystal Cabin for viewing the scenery below. It’s wheelchair accessible, kid-friendly, and you can swipe your EasyCard to ride it.
On the way up, you can get off at a lesser-known upper entrance to the zoo and/or a cool temple overlooking the city.
From the terminal Maokong Station, you can walk to dozens of traditional teahouses serving tea-infused foods and offering views of tea farms or the city.
My top tip is to hike from Maokong to Silver Stream Cave (Yinhe Cave), a small temple and waterfall buried in the jungle. The directions are in my guide (linked above).
My Personal Favorite Things To Do
While the above are musts for most visitors (and I love doing each of them as well), this section is devoted to my personal favorite things to do in Taipei – experiences that I never grow tired of.
Visiting Traditional Teahouses
I’m a bit of a tea geek, so it should come as no surprise that visiting traditional teahouses tops my personal faves list.
Traditional teahouses are meant to be places where you slow down and savor the experience – I budget at least an hour or two per visit.
If it’s your first time, the host will typically show you how to brew tea gongfu (kungfu) style.
This involves steeping the tea in multiple short infusions for optimal appreciation of the flavor and aroma – the temperatures and times will depend on the tea.
All the equipment needed to prepare the tea will be provided, plus your choice from a long list of Taiwanese and Chinese teas.
You’ll pay accordingly for this special experience, but you can offset the cost by bringing a friend.
Here are my personal favorite teahouses in Taipei. If you just want to buy tealeaves to take home, then here are my recommended places to buy tea.
Exploring Ximending & Wanhua
Ximending Walking District (or simply Ximen) is the coolest neighborhood in Taipei. Dubbed the “Harajuku of Taipei” (after the trend-setting district in Tokyo), it’s where Taiwanese fashions are born.
Ximen is chock-full of bubble tea shops, craft markets, street performers, fashionable youths, cocktail bars, some of the best beef noodles in Taipei, and impressive street art – here’s my list of fun things to do in Ximending and things to eat there.
Ximen is also home to Taipei’s main LGBTQ+ district, especially the collection of bar patios (one of my favorite hangouts) next to historic Red Theater and the recently repainted (mid-2025) Taipei Rainbow Flag.
Taipei has the largest Pride Parade in Asia, usually the Saturday before Halloween.
Nowadays, Ximending is also a tourist magnet. Besides the fantastic people watching, it also has some of the city’s best souvenir shops, budget hotels, 24-hour restaurants, and is walking distance (or one MRT stop) from Taipei Main Station.
Ximending is located in Wanhua (Bangka) district, the original Old City of Taipei.
I love exploring the whole district, with its countless multi-generational shops, atmospheric lanes, old-timey night markets, and several of the city’s most important temples.
Soaking at Beitou Hot Springs
Beitou Hot Springs lies at the foot of Yangmingshan, a volcanic massif and national park spanning Taipei and New Taipei City. It is the only hot spring village in Taipei.
While there are many great hot springs across Taiwan, Beitou stands out to me for several reasons.
First, it’s extremely convenient. Beitou is the only hot spring in Taiwan that you can get to by MRT. As the MRT rattles uphill and the sulfur scent hits your nose, you’ll know you’ve arrived in Beitou.
From Xinbeitou Station, you can walk to over a dozen hot spring hotels. Beitou Public Hot Spring unfortunately is closed for renovations until early 2026, but Spring City Resort (get highly discounted tickets on Klook) is my most recommended alternative.
See my other Beitou recommendations here.
Second, there is so much history behind Beitou. First developed by the Japanese, it has several cool Japanese-era buildings, including the beautiful (and free!) Hot Springs Museum and the original wooden Xinbeitou Station.
Last but not least, the steaming Thermal Valley is a sight to behold. Just avoid visiting Beitou on Mondays, when most of these things are closed.
See my running list of all the attractions that are currently closed in Taipei and across Taiwan. I update it constantly.
Finding Craft Beer and Speakeasy Bars
I’ve been in Taipei long enough that I’ve experienced it before and after its craft beer and cocktail revolution. As a self-professed alcoholic enthusiast, these were exciting transformations!
Beer is my first and longest true love. I’m no snob – I still drink my fair share of Taiwan Beer – but I’m also a sucker for fine artisanal beers. Here I list my personal top breweries and craft beer bars in Taipei.
And don’t look past convenience stores – you can find some excellent local and international brews at 7-Eleven (some, like this one, even have mini bars with draft beer), FamilyMart, and Hi-Life (watch for the Lithuanian beers at the latter!)
Taipei has also advanced leagues in its cocktail game. You’ll encounter truly world-class bartenders who apply the latest tricks to Taiwanese spirits and ingredients like tea, medicinal herbs, and local fruits.
The city has also embraced the Speakeasy cocktail bar concept – you’ll have to find the hidden doors to enter them. I uncork all the secrets in my Taipei speakeasy guide.
Also read: The best things to do in Taipei at night, with drinking and non-drinking options
Browsing Traditional Markets
Night markets usually get all the focus in Taipei media, but a better way to experience daily life in Taipei is to browse one of its traditional daytime (“wet”) markets. I introduce the best ones in Taipei and across the country in my Taiwan markets guide.
A great one for first timers is Nanmen Market, which is indoors (perfect activity for rainy days), air-conditioned, conveniently located near Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, and was recently renovated so it’s super clean.
For more of a classic, outdoor traditional market, try Shuanglian Market near Shuanglian MRT station anytime in the morning.
I also love exploring Dihua Street (see my walking guide to it), often called the “oldest street in Taipei”, which is more like a traditional shopping street than a market.
It is known for its many medicinal herb vendors, tea shops, and traditional souvenirs like lanterns, fans, and ceramics.
Also read about Sanfong Central Street, Kaohsiung’s version of Dihua Street
Doing Kid-Friendly Activities
Taipei is an amazing city to explore with kids – I know because I raised mine there! My kids have loved visiting the city’s classic sights like Taipei 101, Maokong Gondola, and Taipei Zoo – often on repeat.
But Taipei also has a dedicated Children’s Amusement Park, excellent playgrounds, and fun indoor playcenters (my kids’ absolute favorite is wood-themed Wooderful Life in the far south of the city).
We also love doing DIY activities, such as learning how to make paper, slime, or authentic pineapple cakes.
As my kids grow older, they are now more interested in cat cafés (we’ll get to that below), bubble tea, themed 7-Elevens (Hello Kitty, Bugcat Capoo, and so on), cute shops like Donguri Republic (Totoro) and Taipei Pokemon Center, and conveyor belt sushi joints.
Here are my family’s favorite kid-friendly things to do in Taipei, plus my kids’ favorite places in Taiwan, as chosen by them.
Foodie & Cultural Attractions
Food is a BIG DEAL in Taipei, so I’ve included some foodie-specific entries here, plus some cultural activities to enrich your Taipei experience.
Waking Early for Taiwanese Breakfast
Taiwanese breakfast is a cuisine of its own, and Taipei people take it very seriously. Wake up early and you will find crowds waiting for their orders around hole-in-the-wall breakfast shops.
Some stars of the menu include green onion egg crepes (danbing), salty soy milk (xian doujiang), and my favorite, sticky rice rolls (fantuan). Here’s my Taiwanese breakfast menu decoder.
To participate in the tradition, choose from my list of the best breakfast shops in Taipei, with five famous ones and five more local options. Or read about my visit to the most coveted of them all: Fu Hang Soy Milk.
I’ve also got location-specific guides: where to find breakfast in Ximending or near Taipei Main Station.
Snuggling Felines in Cat Cafés
Here’s a fun fact for you: the world’s first cat café started in Taipei, and it’s still running to this day! (read other fun facts about Taiwan here).
My kids and I are cat freaks, so we’ve been to lots of them. I introduce our favorite cat cafés in Taipei here, with information about which ones do or don’t allow kids.
And Taipei doesn’t stop at just cats – it’s also got a dedicated meerkat café and in New Taipei City, a capybara café.
Also read: How to visit Taiwan’s dedicated cat village, Houtong
Watching a Taiwanese Opera
Traditional Taiwanese opera is a performance style that combines elements of Fujianese folk traditions, Peking opera, traditional music, martial arts, and Taiwanese language.
The easiest way for visitors to experience it is at TaipeiEye (official site / buy tickets / read about my experience), a dedicated performance venue in Taipei.
The performance I saw at TaipeiEye was fantastic. The costumes and make-up were top-notch, storyline was fun, martial arts were impressive, and there were touches of humor throughout.
What’s more, I got the chance to meet and take photos with the costumed performers before and after the performance.
Celebrating Christmas, New Year’s, and Lantern Festival
Even though they traditionally were not important events on the Taiwanese calendar, Christmas and New Year’s Eve have grown into huge spectacles that draw millions to Taipei every year.
From around mid-November to January 1, you’ll see Christmas lights in various locations in Taipei, with the most over-the-top display being Christmasland at Banqiao Station in New Taipei City.
For New Year’s Eve, the spectacular Taipei 101 fireworks display is largest single gathering of humans in the country.
Hotels for that night double or triple in price and they all sell out months in advance – you’ve been warned! I cover both events in my guide to visiting Taipei in December.
It’s better to avoid Taipei for Lunar New Year, when most things close, but two weeks later, Lantern Festival is one of the most unmissable spectacles of the year.
It includes multiple events on different days – see my Lantern Festival guide for all the info.
Shopping for the Best Snacks
Hardcore foodie visitors to Taiwan already know this – Taipei has some seriously delicious packaged snacks, and you’ll want to bring some home.
Pineapple cakes are the hottest item. Because there are so many brands to choose from, I did a pineapple cake taste test to determine which one is really the best.
Spoiler: the winner for me is ChiaTe, but if you prefer a tarter cake you’ll disagree. The line at ChiaTe’s bakery can take up to an hour, but you can also order them to your hotel or the airport.
You can also make your own here!
Other popular packaged snacks include Taiwanese nougat, sun cakes, lemon cakes, and more – I introduce them here, including where to find the best ones.
Uncovering the Local Foodie Scene
Everyone’s a foodie in Taipei, including most visitors, too. On the plus side, this means there’s lots of info available about the best local eats in the city.
Street foods usually get all the attention, but there’s so much more than that.
- The Michelin Taipei guide is updated annually, with everything from small street food vendors to upscale restaurants. In 2025, two restaurants in Taipei clinched three stars.
- Beef noodles are one of the city’s most famous dishes. See my recommended beef noodle restaurants in Taipei
- Don’t eat meat? Here are my favorite vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Taipei
- Seafood lovers should visit Addiction Aquatic Development, an upscale seafood market with various dining options, including stand-up sushi bar
- Here’s a list of 80 restaurants I enjoy in Taipei, organized by category
- For local Taiwanese restaurants and mango shaved ice, try Yongkang Street
- I also love these regional Chinese restaurants in Taipei
- For a kitschy dining experience, try Modern Toilet, the poo-themed restaurant – just don’t expect high quality food.
Getting Active in Taipei
If you’re the type that can’t sit still on holiday, this section is for you.
Riding a YouBike Around
Taiwan has an excellent bike-sharing program called YouBike. The bicycles are made by Taiwan’s own Giant, which happens to be the largest bicycle manufacturer in the world.
With well over 1000 docking stations in the city, YouBikes are a convenient way to hop between the sights. They can be even aster and cheaper than the MRT, which is already very fast and cheap!
If it’s your first time, renting one can be a little confusing. In my YouBike guide, I cover all the steps to sign up for membership and connect your EasyCard (local SIM required) or do a single rental with credit card (no SIM required).
I also recommend some lovely riverside paths for a longer ride.
Hiking in Yangmingshan National Park
Yangminshan National Park protects an active volcanic massif that is half in Taipei and half in New Taipei City.
The park has a vast network of hiking trails, hot springs, seasonal flowers, and historic attractions. It’s large and can be overwhelming to tackle – I do my best in my Yangmingshan guide and how to get there.
If you don’t want to get lost in the options, then perhaps just skip to Qingtiangang Grassland – the best easy hike in the park.
If you add one more thing, make it the volcanic fumaroles at Xiaoyoukeng. For something more, then hike from the fumaroles to Qixingshan, the highest peak in the park.
Yangmingshan is also a top flower viewing location, especially cherry blossoms, calla lilies, and hydrangeas. I included a flower viewing timetable in the guide.
Viewing Cherry Blossoms and other Flowers
Taipei is one of the best cities in the world for flower viewing. Cherry blossoms are the biggest draw, but there are numerous other flower festivals throughout the year in Taipei.
Cherry blossoms first start appearing in a few locations around Taipei in late January, but the best months are February and March.
I’ve been tracking the exact blooming dates of the cherry blossoms at various locations for years to give you the most accurate cherry blossom forecast.
Top cherry blossom locations in Taipei include Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, LOHAS Park, Yangmingshan National Park, and Wuji Tianyuan Temple.
As the year progresses, there are other flower events related to camelias, tulips, roses, azaleas, calla lilies, wisteria, hydrangeas, lotus flowers, silvergrass, chrysanthemums, and plum blossoms.
Joining a Temple Parade
The Taiwanese calendar is dotted with traditional temple parades, often in celebration of the birthday of gods honored at certain temples.
These parades are not for the faint of heart — they’re loud, smoky, and gloriously over-the-top. Picture wild drumming, firecrackers, martial artists, oversized monsters, and god statues carried around on palanquins.
It can be tough to track the dates of most of these, as they are tied to the lunar calendar and seldom advertised in English. You may even come across one by accident during your Taiwan trip.
However, there are a few bigger ones every year in Taipei that are relatively easy to find. I usually update my monthly guides with specific info about when they will take place every year. Here are the biggest ones:
- Baosheng Emperor’s Parade: 14th day of 3rd lunar month, in April or May
- Xiahai City God Parade: 13th day of 5th lunar month, usually in June.
- Qingshan King’s Parade: 22nd day of 10th lunar month, in November or December
You can find other cool events and festivals in Taipei by the month here.
Well, that sums up my handpicked list of the very best things to do in Taipei — from can’t-miss sights to my own obsessions after more than a decade of exploring the city.
Did I miss one of your favorites? Share it in the comments below!