Things to do in Taipei: 15 places and 3- or 4-day plans
Fifteen places in and around Taipei with hours and fees checked against official sites, plus 3-day and 4-day plans grouped by area.
Itineraries
3 days
Day 1 · Zhongzheng and Wanhua
National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial HallBangka Lungshan TempleXimending
Day 2 · North Coast day trip
Day 3 · Xinyi
4 days
Day 1 · Zhongzheng and Wanhua
National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial HallBangka Lungshan TempleXimending
Day 2 · Beitou and Shilin
Beitou Hot Spring AreaNational Palace MuseumShilin Night Market
Day 3 · North Coast day trip
Day 4 · Xinyi
Elephant Mountain (Xiangshan) TrailTaipei 101 ObservatoryRaohe Street Night Market
Things to do 15
Taipei 101 Observatory
Indoor observatory in the Taipei 101 tower with views over the city.
- Hours
- Daily 10:00-21:00 (official site)
- Time needed
- about 1.5 hours
- Getting there
- MRT Taipei 101/World Trade Center Station (Tamsui-Xinyi Line)
Elephant Mountain (Xiangshan) Trail
Short, steep stair trail with a view of Taipei 101 from above.
- Time needed
- about 1-1.5 hours
- Getting there
- MRT Xiangshan Station (Tamsui-Xinyi Line)
Raohe Street Night Market
Night market along a single street next to Ciyou Temple.
- Time needed
- about 1-1.5 hours
- Getting there
- Near MRT Songshan Station (Songshan-Xindian Line)
National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
Memorial hall and 25-hectare park. The honor guard drill runs hourly from 9:00 to 17:00 on Democracy Boulevard, cancelled in rain.
- Hours
- Memorial Hall 9:00-18:00; park 5:00-24:00. Closed Lunar New Year's Eve and Day, and Feb 28.
- Time needed
- about 1 hour
- Getting there
- MRT Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall Station (Red and Green lines)
Bangka Lungshan Temple
Historic temple in Wanhua where locals come to pray.
- Time needed
- about 40 minutes
- Getting there
- MRT Longshan Temple Station (Bannan Line)
Ximending
Pedestrian shopping district with street food, shops and cinemas.
- Time needed
- about 2 hours
- Getting there
- MRT Ximen Station (Bannan and Green lines)
Dihua Street
Old trading street with dried goods, tea and fabric shops in restored shophouses.
- Time needed
- about 1.5 hours
Huashan 1914 Creative Park
Former winery turned into a venue for exhibitions, shops and cafes.
- Time needed
- about 1-1.5 hours
National Palace Museum
Museum of Chinese imperial art and artifacts.
- Hours
- Exhibition Hall I: Tue-Sun 9:00-17:00 (tickets until 16:30). Closed Mondays except listed special opening days.
- Fee
- Regular ticket NT$350; free for visitors 17 and under
- Time needed
- about 2-3 hours
- Getting there
- MRT Shilin Station Exit 1, then bus R30 (to B1 entrance), 815, 304, 300, 255 and others; about 15 minutes
Shilin Night Market
Large night market with food stalls and an underground food court.
- Time needed
- about 1.5-2 hours
- Getting there
- Near MRT Jiantan Station (Tamsui-Xinyi Line)
Beitou Hot Spring Area
Hot spring district with the Beitou Hot Spring Museum (a 1913 public bathhouse building), Beitou Library and the restored Xinbeitou Historic Station.
- Time needed
- about 2-3 hours
- Getting there
- MRT Xinbeitou Station
Tamsui and Fort San Domingo
Riverside town at the end of the MRT red line. One NT$80 ticket covers Fort San Domingo, the Little White House (former customs officer's residence) and Hobe Fort.
- Hours
- Fort San Domingo: Mon-Fri 9:30-17:00, weekends and holidays 9:30-18:00. Closed the first Monday of each month.
- Fee
- NT$80 (covers three sites same day)
- Time needed
- about 3 hours
- Getting there
- MRT Tamsui Station (Tamsui-Xinyi Line terminus)
Maokong Gondola
Cable car up to the Maokong tea-growing hills.
- Hours
- Weekdays 9:00-21:00, holidays 9:00-22:00. Closed Mondays for maintenance except national holidays and the first Monday of each month.
- Time needed
- about 2-3 hours
- Getting there
- Near MRT Taipei Zoo Station (Wenhu Line)
Yehliu Geopark
Coastal cape with wind- and sea-eroded rock formations.
- Hours
- 8:00-17:00 year-round; 8:00-18:00 in summer (last ticket at closing time)
- Fee
- Adult NT$120
- Time needed
- about 1.5 hours
- Getting there
- Kuo-Kuang bus 1815 from Taipei Main Station to Yehliu stop
Jiufen Old Street
Former gold-mining hillside village with narrow lanes of teahouses and snack shops.
- Time needed
- about 2-3 hours
Good to know
- Monday closures: the National Palace Museum (most Mondays) and Maokong Gondola (maintenance) close; Fort San Domingo closes the first Monday of each month.
- An EasyCard works on the Taipei MRT and buses.
- Yehliu Geopark closes at 17:00 outside summer; plan the North Coast in the morning.
- The Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall honor guard drill is cancelled in rain.
- Visitors 17 and under enter the National Palace Museum free.
FAQ
Is 3 days enough for Taipei?
Three days cover the city center and one North Coast day trip. Add a day for Beitou, the National Palace Museum or Tamsui.
How much is the National Palace Museum?
A regular ticket is NT$350. Visitors 17 and under enter free.
How do I get to Yehliu by public transport?
Take Kuo-Kuang bus 1815 from Taipei Main Station and get off at Yehliu stop.
What time does the Taipei 101 observatory open?
It is open 10:00-21:00 every day.
Does the Maokong Gondola run on Mondays?
It closes most Mondays for maintenance. It runs on national holidays and the first Monday of each month.