Taipei

Taipei is a friendly city whose allure lies in its blend of Chinese culture with a curious fusion of Japanese, Southeast Asian and American influences.

Historical Journey

In many ways this 300-year-old city is like a living museum. The Taoist temples buzz with the prayers of the hopeful; the wooden boards of Japanese-era mansions creak under the feet of visitors; while the treasures in the National Palace Museum date back 5000 years. Merchant villas to military barracks have been restored, reworked and now live again as a museum or a shopfront. From the heirlooms of a tea merchant to the memories of a cemetery for the victims of the White Terror, Taipei is a city that takes great pride in celebrating its history – the triumphant and the tragic.

The Weird and Wonderful

Taipei's oddness is one of its charms. It may be inspired by the kawaii (cutesy) culture of Japan, but there's a lot of home-grown humour in there, too. In the puppet museum you will find a strip-tease marionette; the idea of chocolate sauce on a steak is nothing out of the ordinary; themed restaurants transport you to a world where hotpot is slurped from a toilet bowl; and a park installation invites you to cycle a stationary bike whose pedals power an eerie-sounding pipe organ.

Having Fun with Food

Dining out is so popular that many studio apartments in Taipei don't have kitchens: eating out is cheap, casual and tasty and many families do that or get takeaway most nights of the week. Indeed dining out is the best way to understand the Taiwanese. Whether you're getting your fingers greasy sampling snacks at one of the night markets or sharing dishes at a Taiwanese rèchǎo (stir-fried) joint, the defining characteristic is the element of fun. Yes, that is an invitation to try stinky tofu. While you're at it, you might as well have some Taiwan Beer, too!

People-first Taipei

With its lanes of blackened walk-ups and countless shopfronts, the city may look like it was thrown together in a hurry, but look again. Great care has been taken to make it a truly liveable place for people: public transport grids the city well and is fast, reliable and cheap; every few blocks there's a park with a generous supply of benches, shelters and flowers; good (and often great) coffee is available everywhere; the MRT has courtesy umbrellas free for rainy days; and a clean and free public toilet is never far away.

Must see in
Taipei

  • History

    Steeped in history of its own making as well as that imported from China and Japan, Taipei offers rich pickings for going back in time. The ultimate location, of course, is the National Palace Museum, where precious artefacts encapsulating 5000 years of civilisation have enchanted crowds for decades. The old district of Datong with its heritage shophouses, the merchant villas of the Qing dynasty in their genteel gardens, and the imposing colonial edifices of the government buildings in Zhongzheng District offer tantalising tasters on how Taipeiers used to live.

  • Skyscraping

    Like a ridged glass-and-steel spear, Taipei 101 can be seen emerging from the horizon from almost any vantage point in Taipei, which makes sense for a comparatively low-rise urban centre. It's as iconic for Taiwan as the Eiffel Tower is for France. No trip would be complete without some shots – Elephant Hill offers a choice perspective, as does a pew in a bar in the neighbouring new upstart tower, Breeze Nanshan – or a gander at the city from the observation deck of the tower itself.

  • Going Japanese

    Japan ruled Taiwan as a colonial power from 1895 to 1945 and its stamp on Taipei endures, not only in the magnificent and sometimes eerie architecture of Dihua St but more joyfully in the fantastic Japanese restaurants you'll find all over the city. The area around Linsen Rd is a modern-day Japantown: this is where you'll find the most authentic food, a jungle of Japanese karaoke bars and a good crop of Japanese visitors to the city.

  • Park Life

    Taipei is a gloriously green city; ancient trees, covered in vines and roots that mingle with paving slabs, create pockets of shade, welcome in the summer heat. You will also stumble across miniparks, gardens and richly wooded hillsides all over the city, some with pagodas and pools of frogs, others with hiking trails and, occasionally, vegetable patches. While giant-sized Da'an Forest Park is the picnic choice for most, 2-28 Peace Memorial Park is a lovely central green space that offers a dignified reflection on a recent tragedy.

Explore Taipei

0

Latest Stories from Taipei

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Taipei.

    Top experiences

    Whether it’s a guided tour of a historic landmark, private tasting of local delicacies, or an off-road adventure — explore the best experiences in Taipei.

      Featured videos