Roavina

City guide · Taiwan

Taipei

A photograph of Taipei
Photograph · Heeheemalu · CC BY-SA 4.0

Taipei is organised around a highly connected MRT grid rather than one single old centre. Ximending and the historic west side sit near Taipei Main Station, civic and commercial districts extend east toward Taipei 101, and the northern museum and hot-spring areas follow separate rail corridors. Riverside parks and mountain trailheads form another outer layer.

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

Practical information

Language spoken
Mandarin Chinese; Taiwanese Hokkien and other languages are widely used
National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code
+886
International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency
New Taiwan dollar (TWD)
Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number
110 police · 119 fire and ambulance
Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type
Type A and B · 110 V
Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water
Not recorded
No verified nationwide visitor drinking-water statement was recorded

Turn this list into a plan

Set your days, your pace and the hours you actually want to be out. The planner works around closing days and travel time, and leaves room to eat.

Plan Taipei

Planning a visit

Suggested stay
Not recorded
Getting around
Walking, MRT and city bus
  1. January: good time to visit
  2. February: good time to visit
  3. March: good time to visit
  4. April: good time to visit
  5. May: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  6. June: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  7. July: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  8. August: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  9. September: viable with meaningful trade-offs — current month
  10. October: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  11. November: best time to visit
  12. December: good time to visit
  • Best time
  • Good time
  • Viable with trade-offs
  • Difficult conditions

Sources

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

  1. Dihua Street Dihua Street
    02 1 hr 30 min

    Dihua Street

    Dihua Street is a historic commercial street in Taipei, Taiwan, dating to the Qing dynasty era.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  2. Shilin Night Market Shilin Night Market
    03 45 min

    Shilin Night Market

    士林夜市

    Shilin Night Market, known locally as 士林夜市, is a large evening market area in Taipei’s Shilin District rather than a single ticketed attraction.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  3. Huashan 1914 Creative Park Huashan 1914 Creative Park
    04 45 min

    Huashan 1914 Creative Park

    華山文創園區

    Huashan 1914 Creative Park is a cultural and creative industries complex in Taipei, Taiwan. The site occupies former industrial premises originally established as a winery during the Japanese colonial period.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  4. Songshan Cultural and Creative Park Songshan Cultural and Creative Park
    05 45 min

    Songshan Cultural and Creative Park

    松山文創園區

    Songshan Cultural and Creative Park is a cultural destination in Taipei’s Songshan District, created within a repurposed industrial site. Former industrial buildings now support exhibitions, design activity, and creative-industry events.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  5. Presidential Office Building Presidential Office Building
    06 45 min

    Presidential Office Building

    中華民國總統府

    Taipei’s Presidential Office Building is a working seat of Taiwan’s presidential administration and a distinctive civic landmark in the capital. Its red-brick Renaissance-style façade, formal windows, and prominent corner tower give this government building a recognisable presence in central Taipei.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  6. National Revolutionary Martyrs' Shrine National Revolutionary Martyrs' Shrine
    07 45 min

    National Revolutionary Martyrs' Shrine

    國民革命忠烈祠

    The National Revolutionary Martyrs’ Shrine is a solemn Taipei memorial complex dedicated to military personnel and civilians who died in service to the Republic of China.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  7. Liberty Square Liberty Square
    08 45 min

    Liberty Square

    自由廣場

    Liberty Square, or 自由廣場, is a monumental public plaza in central Taipei. Its broad open space is framed by the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, National Theater, National Concert Hall, and a ceremonial entrance gate.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  8. Taipei Story House Taipei Story House
    09 45 min

    Taipei Story House

    台北故事館

    Taipei Story House, locally called 台北故事館, is a small heritage house with a distinctly European-influenced appearance in Taipei’s museum district. Its steep roof, patterned half-timbering and intimate domestic scale make the building itself the central attraction.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  9. Yongkang Street Yongkang Street
    10 45 min

    Yongkang Street

    永康街

    Yongkang Street is a renowned commercial and dining destination in Taipei's Da'an District, officially recognized in the city's attraction inventory. The street has developed significant visitor appeal through its concentration of local eateries, specialty shops, and neighborhood atmosphere.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  10. Bopiliao Bopiliao
    11 45 min

    Bopiliao

    剝皮寮歷史街區

    Bopiliao Historic Block, known locally as 剝皮寮歷史街區, preserves an old streetscape in Taipei’s Wanhua district. Its buildings and lanes connect visitors with the city’s Qing dynasty and Japanese colonial-era development.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  11. South Gate of Taipei City South Gate of Taipei City
    12 45 min

    South Gate of Taipei City

    臺北府城南門

    South Gate of Taipei, also known as 臺北府城南門, is the principal southern gate associated with the former Taipei Prefecture walls.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  12. Taipei City Wall-East Gate Taipei City Wall-East Gate
    13 45 min

    Taipei City Wall-East Gate

    臺北府城東門

    The East Gate of Taipei, known locally as 臺北府城東門, is a surviving remnant of the city’s historic fortifications.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  13. Little South Gate of Taipei City Little South Gate of Taipei City
    14 45 min

    Little South Gate of Taipei City

    臺北府城小南門

    Xiaonanmen is a preserved gate from old Taipei’s Qing-era city wall, known in Chinese as 臺北府城小南門. It gives a compact, highly visible glimpse of the fortified city that once shaped this part of Taipei.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  14. Forty-four South Village Forty-four South Village
    15 45 min

    Forty-four South Village

    四四南村

    Four Four South Village, locally called 四四南村, is a preserved military dependents’ village in Taipei’s Xinyi District. The compact settlement represents residential quarters built for Nationalist military personnel and their families who arrived from mainland China in the late 1940s.

    • High
    • Historic monument
  15. Kishu An Forest of Literature Kishu An Forest of Literature
    16 45 min

    Kishu An Forest of Literature

    紀州庵文學森林

    Kishu An Forest of Literature, known locally as 紀州庵文學森林, is a Taipei literary and cultural destination where Taiwanese literary heritage meets a public setting.

    • High
    • Historic monument

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

How the city is laid out

Group Longshan Temple, Bopiliao and Ximending on the west side, then use Taipei Main Station as the interchange for other zones. Plan Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall separately from the eastern Taipei 101 and Xinyi cluster. Beitou, National Palace Museum, Maokong and Yangmingshan each require a deliberate transit leg beyond the central grid.

Checked 2026-08-26

Getting around

Taipei Travel identifies the MRT as the city’s most convenient public transport, with frequent services and connections to buses. Walk within each neighbourhood cluster and use rail between them. QR single-journey tickets and other accepted fare media are available, but check current operator guidance before travel. Buses or final walking sections are needed for several hillside attractions.

Checked 2026-08-26

Common questions

How many days should I spend in Taipei?

A fixed stay length is not recorded. Build the visit around the west side, civic centre and Xinyi, then add Beitou, Maokong and Yangmingshan only when the available time supports a separate journey.

What is the best way to organise sightseeing in Taipei?

Group places by district instead of crossing the city repeatedly. Start with the west side, civic centre and Xinyi; treat Beitou, Maokong and Yangmingshan as separate routes with their own travel allowance.

How do I get around Taipei?

Use Walking, MRT and city bus. Walk within compact clusters and consult the linked official transport information before making longer transfers or relying on a particular route.

Can I explore Taipei mainly on foot?

Only within individual neighbourhood clusters. The main visitor areas are separated by distances, waterways, major roads or regional approaches, so longer links normally need public transport or a licensed vehicle.

Which Taipei sights need separate transport planning?

Plan Beitou, Maokong and Yangmingshan separately from the west side, civic centre and Xinyi. Check the current route, return connection and any access requirements on the official source before departure.