FROM MY TRAVELS
Taipei
Last updated: October 2026
My Taipei skyline memory is New Year's Eve in 2016, looking out over the city from Taipei 101. It made me want to come back.
Route overview
Stops are approximate. Dashed lines show the order, not the roads. Optional stops are swaps, not extras.
Select a stop below to locate it. Drag to pan; use the controls or arrow keys to explore.
Before you go
- Carry New Taiwan dollars for night markets, smaller restaurants and some admissions. Cards are useful at larger businesses but not every food stall.
- EasyCard is useful for Taipei’s MRT, participating buses and shops. Keep enough stored value and check top-up methods before leaving the station.
- Use the MRT for cross-city journeys and a taxi or supported ride-hailing app when a station connection adds too much walking.
- Save names and addresses in Traditional Chinese. Download a translation pack; ‘xièxie’ means thank you and ‘bù hǎo yìsi’ is useful for excuse me.
- A visitor SIM or compatible eSIM is useful for maps and pickup pins. Check passport requirements, data limits and whether the plan includes calls.
- Save the airport connection separately from sightseeing. Taoyuan and Songshan are different airports, so use the one on your booking.
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A route for your visit
Times are rough. Allow extra time for getting there, leaving and transfers.
Day 1 · Dihua Street at a browsing pace
Start in the Dadaocheng area and give Dihua Street and a few adjoining lanes roughly two hours, including a drink stop. Shopfronts and side streets are the focus, so an early start can be a walk first and browsing later as businesses open. Have lunch before travelling towards Longshan Temple. That keeps the two neighbourhood visits distinct and avoids turning the connection into a long hot walk.
Dihua Street’s trading heritage remains visible in its shop houses and businesses selling dried goods, textiles and other everyday items. Browse slowly and look above the signs as well as into the shops.
Longshan Temple is an active place of worship in one of Taipei’s older neighbourhoods. Watch the courtyard respectfully and give people who are praying their space.
Day 1 · Longshan Temple and the nearby streets
After lunch, catch transport to the Longshan Temple area. Walking across the city in the heat isn’t fun. Follow current visitor and photography guidance inside the temple, then leave time for its surroundings. Give worshippers space and follow the photography rules. Take the afternoon slowly.
At Longshan Temple, follow the visitor route and give worshippers room. Take your time looking at the setting and the details, then wander through the streets around it. This is enough for the main afternoon visit. One respectful hour here is better than ticking off lots of temple gates. If you've arrived in Taipei that morning, consider returning to the accommodation before heading out again for dinner.
An evening around Ximending
Continue to Ximending for dinner and a walk if you've got the energy. It keeps the evening connected to the afternoon around Longshan Temple. If you arrived that morning, have dinner closer to your accommodation and leave Ximending for another visit.
Ximending brings a lively pedestrian shopping district into the evening, contrasting with the older trading streets. Use it for dinner and people-watching, not a long shopping list.
Ximending gives the evening a livelier feel after the temple area. Have a sit-down meal before you browse, so dinner isn’t just queues and snacks. Keep the route loose and enjoy the streets that catch your attention. If shopping isn't appealing, a shorter wander and dessert are enough. Finish with the trip back to your hotel in mind. Don’t keep drifting further away until you’re exhausted.
Day 2 · Choose a collection or a climb
Select one museum for its collections and location, then check its opening day and the journey from your base. For an outdoor alternative, Xiangshan gives the day a stepped skyline walk: allow time to climb, pause and return, and omit it if conditions or mobility make the steps unsuitable. A short departure morning is better spent near the hotel. A museum and a hill walk both need more than the space left before checkout. For a museum day, I’d go to the National Palace Museum for its collections and give the trip and the visit plenty of time.
Xiangshan’s steps lead to a view that places Taipei 101 within the city and surrounding hills. Only add the climb if the weather’s good and you’ve got the energy.
What to budget
Prices checked September 2026. These are for the named ticket or service. Check your date and what’s included before you pay.
- Taipei Metro single journey: TWD 20–65 — Distance-based city metro fare; Taoyuan Airport MRT is separate. Price source
Budget TWD 100–300 per person for a simple meal. That’s a rough guide. Drinks and nicer restaurants cost more. Price transfers separately, especially private drivers, boats and airport trips.
A few photo tips
- Dihua Street’s façades photograph well in softer morning light from the public pavement.
- At Xiangshan, use an official viewpoint and keep the steps clear. Blue hour is popular, so expect company.
If the weather changes
Choose the museum option and a longer tea or lunch stop, leaving Xiangshan out in heavy rain or slippery conditions.
The final day and your flight
Morning flight: stay within reach of Taoyuan or Songshan, according to your ticket the night before, then keep the morning for checkout and the transfer. Allow for the airline’s check-in time as well as the trip.
Afternoon flight: choose breakfast or a small neighbourhood loop; the airport choice changes the transfer substantially, so check it before going out. Work out the transfer and bag pickup time before deciding when to finish.
Booking checks
Confirm museum hours and current trail notices. Tea tastings or popular restaurants may need reservations. Allow time for steps and breaks on the viewpoint walk.
Visitor information and official links
Useful booking links (optional)
Connected, from arrival.
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Make room for an experience.
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