7 things to do in Taipei (Taiwan)

So have you ever thought of visiting Taipei? You would get surprised by how fun this city actually is. In this article, I will share my favorite places in one of my favorite countries; Taiwan

What to expect in this article:

About my trip to Taiwan

I have an amazing Taiwanese friend who lives in Australia right now. Last February (2025), I had the chance to visit her and her family to celebrate Chinese Lunar New Year, how amazing!? After leaving them, we had a couple of days left, in the capital of Taiwan; Taipei!

Just a little background information about Taipei: Taipei is the capital of Taiwan and is located in the north of the island.

It’s a large, modern city, but what I liked is that it doesn’t feel modern everywhere. You’ll find skyscrapers and huge shopping areas around Taipei 101, while other parts of the city are filled with traditional temples, little food stalls and older streets.

Taipei is also a good place to base yourself if you’re travelling around northern Taiwan. You can easily spend a few days exploring the city and take day trips to places such as Jiufen.

Anyway, in this article, you can find 5+ places you should visit while staying in Taipei! Let’s start off with the most famous one, Taipei 101.

1. Taipei 101

Let’s start with the obvious one. Taipei 101 is THE landmark of Taipei.
Did you know it used to be the tallest building in the world!? Such a fun fact.

The skyscraper dominates the skyline and you’ll probably see it over and over again while travelling around the city. And yes, it really is that tall!

Taipei 101 is located in Xinyi, one of the more modern parts of Taipei. Around the tower you’ll find shopping centres, restaurants, offices and plenty of places to eat. You can enter Taipei 101 and visit its observatory for views across the city. But even if you don’t go up, I think the area is still worth visiting.

Personally, one of my favourite things wasn’t actually standing inside Taipei 101. It was seeing Taipei 101 from somewhere else… Which brings me to the next place.

Don't forget to book an activity in Taipei

2. Elephant Mountain

Want that classic photo of Taipei with Taipei 101 sticking out of the skyline? Go to Elephant Mountain, or Xiangshan.

Elephant Mountain is right in Taipei and has its own MRT station nearby. Taipei’s official tourism website lists Xiangshan Hiking Trail among the city’s main attractions. You will definitely find the start of the mountain, just follow the crowd 😉

But be prepared for stairs. So. Many. Stairs. I feel like Taiwanese people hike a lot in the mountains (at least my friend does), but I should have upgraded my cardio before coming here. Luckily, you don’t have to hike for hours before getting a good view.

3. The little temple before Elephant Mountain

There was something else I really liked here that doesn’t get nearly as much attention.

Near the start of the Elephant Mountain stairs you’ll pass Jingzong Temple right beside the trail entrance.

I remember seeing this small religious place and a female monk/nun there before we started climbing. It was such a peaceful contrast with Taipei’s crowd of everyone wanting to go up Elephant Mountain. So I had to go inside!

The expirience turned out to be cool. We actually had a tour from one of the monks through the temple and you see ”namo amitabha buddha” everywhere. She was juist so kind and at the end she kept giving gifts. It was almost like no other tourists ever come inside, while it is right next to the entrance of the Elephant Mountain.

So don’t immediately charge towards the mountain stairs. Have a look around the temple area first.

Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan: A beginner’s guide

4. Longshan Temple

Then a place my Taiwanese friend suggested.

Longshan Temple is one of Taipei’s most famous temples and is located in the older Wanhua district. The temple is from the 18th century and contains Buddhist, Taoist and Confucian deities.

Next to a touristic place, t’s still an active religious place, and you’ll see local people coming here to pray. My friend recommended us to pray to some gods with things we needed. She even learned the Taiwanese way how to do it 🙂

How to get to the Longhan temple? Well it is easy to reach because Longshan Temple MRT station is nearby on the blue Bannan Line.

5. Ximending – my favourite area in Taipei

If there was one neighbourhood where I just enjoyed walking around without having much of a plan, it was Ximending. This was probably my favourite area in Taipei.

Ximending is what I would think Japan looks like. Ximending is one of the city’s main shopping and entertainment districts, and it feels more modern than around Longshan Temple.

There are huge signs, shops, restaurants, cafés, street-food stalls, street artists and people everywhere. Which I loved! This is also the place where I had the best Bubble Tea in my life, at Xing Fu Tang. If you ever come across it, make sure to try it!!

There’s always food in Taiwan. One moment you are not hungry. Five minutes later you’re holding bubble tea and something fried on a stick. Taiwan has a food culture and I am happy I tried a lot (even at night markets!)and did not get food poisening!

What can you do in Ximending? Walk, shop, be amazed with signs, watch street artists and eat a lot. Ximending is perfect for all of that.

6. Visit a Taipei night market

If you visit Taiwan and don’t go to a night market… Did you even go to Taiwan? And have you visited Taiwan, if you have not smelled Stinky Tofu (try it, I loved it!)

Night markets are a huge part of the experience here. They’re filled with stalls selling food, drinks, clothes, games and sometimes things where you genuinely have no idea what you’re looking at.

Taipei has several night markets, one of my favorites was Xichang st Tourist Night Market. You also have Raohe Night Market and Shilin Night. These we heard most about. We might have been there, but we have visited so many Night Markets in Taiwan…

What should you eat at a Night Market? Well there is too much to try. They are basically dangerous if you’re the type of person who wants to try everything. You’ll find dumplings, fried chicken, noodles, grilled meat, pancakes, sweet snacks, bubble tea and, of course… Stinky Tofu. You can’t miss it! Your nose won’t miss it for sure 😉

7. Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall

Another place you should visit in Taipei is Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. It is a complete different place as places I have mentioned before, but it is worth visiting.

The memorial is surrounded by a massive public square, gardens and two traditional-style cultural buildings. At one end you’ll see the enormous white memorial building with its blue tiled roof.

There is also an important historical story behind it. The memorial was built in honour of Chiang Kai-shek, who ruled Taiwan for decades. Taiwan’s twentieth-century political history is complicated, so I think it’s worth learning a little about the history.

How long do you need for Chiang Kai-Shek? Well, I wouls say around 1–1.5 hours, depending on whether you want to go inside the exhibitions or mainly explore the square and surrounding buildings.

It’s also extremely easy to reach: the memorial has its own Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall MRT station.

Where to stay in Taipei

Taipei is big, so choosing somewhere near an MRT station will make your trip much easier.

If you are a budget traveller, I have the best accommodation for you! Backpackers Hostel – Taipei Changchun is so much fun! We actually had quite a big room with a bunk bed just for the two of us. It is super clean, has a good vibe, close to the metro station and stores like 7/11 (the most important store anyway). They did not even pay me to write this down, unfortunately.

If you are not a budget traveller I would recommend to stay near public transport and maybe in the area of Ximending, where everything is happening 🙂

How to get around Taipei

One of the things that made Taipei so easy for us was the public transport. We did everything by metro or bus. You really don’t need a car.

And there is one thing I would definitely recommend buying: Get an EasyCard. The EasyCard is a rechargeable transport card that you can use on Taipei’s MRT and other public transport. Stored-value EasyCards are available from Taipei Metro stations. Instead of buying a new ticket for every journey, you simply top up the card and tap in and out.

We used ours constantly. I liked this little card so much that I wrote an entire article about it.

Read my guide: 5 reasons why you should really get the EasyCard in Taiwan

5 Reasons why you should really get the Easycard in Taiwan!

Take a day trip from Taipei to Jiufen

If you have a few days in Taipei, it is fun to go for a day-trip.

One of the most famous day trips is Jiufen, a historic mountain town in northern Taiwan. It’s known for its narrow streets, old tea houses, red lanterns, food stalls and views towards Taiwan’s coast.

We went there ourselves, and I wrote a complete article about our experience, including the things I liked and some things you should probably know before going. So make sure to read: What’s it really like to visit the mountain village of Jiufen, Taiwan?

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How many days do you need in Taipei?

I would spend at least three full days in Taipei. If you have four days, even better because you can include Jiufen without rushing everything else. We only had 3 full days in Taipei and I still regret it.

This is how we did it.

Day 1: Taipei 101 → Elephant mountain → Longshan Temple → night market
Day 2: Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall → Ximending
Day 3: Day trip to Jiufen → Ximending

Don't forget to book an activity in Taipei!

So... is Taipei worth visiting?

I really enjoyed Taipei because the different sides of the city are so close to each other. Taipei is like how Taiwan is in general. Authentic and traditional, but also high-tec and moving fast. I loved Taiwan for the people. The people are super kind and make you feel at home instantly. Only for that, I would go back to Taiwan <3

Taipei 101 shows you modern Taiwan. Elephant Mountain gives you nature and one of the best views over the city. Longshan Temple introduces you to Taiwan’s religious traditions. Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall gives you a glimpse into the country’s history. The night markets give you the food. And Ximending? Ximending gives you the chaos.

If it’s your first time in Taipei, these six places give you a really nice introduction to the city without trying to see absolutely everything.

My personal favourites were Ximending and Elephant Mountain. Just don’t ask about my favorite Taiwanese dish, there are too many. Who knows, maybe I will write another article about that. Would you be interested? Let me know 🙂