Taipei, Taiwan

Evergreen city guide with quick facts, travel, business, and culture.

TaiwanTaipei

Overview

Taipei balances tradition and modernity in constant close contact — centuries-old temples burning incense in the shadow of Taipei 101, night markets serving world-class street food a few blocks from volcanic hot springs. It's a compact, efficiently connected capital that rewards both a focused weekend and a much longer stay.

Taipei 101 and modern Taipei

The former world's-tallest tower, its observatories, and the Xinyi district's shopping and dining core built up around it.

Night markets

Shilin (largest), Raohe (temple-gate-bookended) and Ningxia (locals' favorite) — Taipei's night markets are central to how the city eats.

Museums and temples

National Palace Museum's imperial Chinese art collection and Longshan Temple's centuries-old working Buddhist and Taoist worship hall.

Beitou hot springs

Volcanic thermal springs, Japanese colonial-era bathhouse heritage, public and private soaking options a short MRT ride from the center.

Elephant Mountain hike

A short, steep trail from Xiangshan MRT to Taipei's best skyline viewpoint, especially striking at sunset.

Day trips

Jiufen's lantern-lit alleys, Yehliu's coastal rock formations and Wulai's hot springs, all reachable within a half-day from central Taipei.

History

Taipei grew from a walled Qing-dynasty city established in 1875 into Taiwan's economic and administrative center under Japanese colonial rule (1895-1945), when much of the city's infrastructure and several landmark buildings (including what became the Beitou hot-spring district's bathhouse culture) were developed. Taipei became the capital of the Republic of China government after its 1949 relocation from mainland China, bringing with it much of the imperial art collection now housed in the National Palace Museum. Since the late 20th century, Taipei has developed into a major technology and finance hub, with Taipei 101 (completed 2004) standing as the clearest symbol of that transformation.

Culture

Taipei's night markets (Shilin, Raohe, Ningxia) are the city's culinary heart — oyster omelets, stinky tofu, braised pork rice, pepper buns and bubble tea (invented in Taiwan). Beyond the markets, Taipei has one of Asia's densest concentrations of Michelin-recognized restaurants, from street-food-tier Bib Gourmand picks to full-star fine dining. Festivals: Taipei 101 New Year's Eve fireworks (31 December), Lunar New Year (dates vary, late January–February), Taipei Lantern Festival (following Lunar New Year), Dragon Boat Festival (May–June, races on the Keelung and Tamsui rivers). Museums: National Palace Museum (imperial Chinese art and artifacts), Beitou Hot Spring Museum (restored 1913 Japanese-era bathhouse), Taipei Fine Arts Museum, National Taiwan Museum.

Practical Info

Safety: Taipei is an extremely safe city by international standards — violent crime against visitors is rare, and walking at night poses little concern in most neighborhoods. Standard urban precautions apply in crowded night markets, mainly regarding pickpocketing. Language: Mandarin Chinese is the primary language; English signage is common on the MRT and in tourist areas, though less so in smaller local shops and traditional markets. Currency: New Taiwan dollar (TWD). Cards are widely accepted in restaurants and larger shops; cash and the EasyCard remain useful for night markets and smaller vendors. Tipping is not customary.
Travel Overview

Taipei packs centuries-old temples, a former world's-tallest tower, sprawling night markets and volcanic hot springs into a compact footprint that the MRT connects in minutes. Xinyi's modern core sits a short ride from Wanhua's older, temple-dense streets, and half-day trips reach the coast and mountains beyond the city. It's a capital that rewards both a focused weekend and a much longer stay.

Discover Taipei

At 508 metres, Taipei 101 held the title of world's tallest building from its 2004 opening until Dubai's Burj Khalifa surpassed it in 2010, and its distinctive segmented, pagoda-inspired design (nodding to traditional Chinese architecture while using a massive tuned mass damper to withstand typhoons and earthquakes) still dominates Taipei's skyline. The indoor observatory (89th floor) and outdoor deck (91st floor) offer panoramic city views, best on clear days or after sunset when the city lights spread out below. The surrounding Xinyi district has grown into Taipei's premier shopping and dining core — department stores, international boutiques, and a dense restaurant scene cluster within walking distance of the tower, alongside Taipei's World Trade Center convention facilities. New Year's Eve fireworks launched from Taipei 101 itself are one of the city's signature annual events, drawing huge crowds to the surrounding streets and parks.

Frequently asked questions

Three to four days covers the city center well — Taipei 101, a night market or two, the National Palace Museum, Longshan Temple and Beitou hot springs. Adding a day trip to Jiufen or Yehliu brings it to five days for a fuller trip.

Shilin is the largest and most famous, good for variety and volume. Raohe has a more traditional, temple-gate-bookended atmosphere. Ningxia, smaller and quieter, is often considered the most locally authentic. Visiting more than one in an evening is realistic given how well-connected they are by MRT.

Yes — English signage is thorough throughout the system, trains run frequently, and the EasyCard (a rechargeable transit card) covers MRT, buses and many convenience-store purchases. It's genuinely one of the easier metro systems in Asia for a first-time visitor.

Diplomatic missions in Taipei

4 embassies based in this city, grouped by region.