A One-Week Itinerary For Taipei, Taiwan
Published November 23, 2025
Last updated March 2, 2026
This blog post was proudly created without the use of generative AI. It was 100% written and edited by a human, for humans. Enjoy, and thanks for your support!
Taiwan is one of my favorite destinations in Asia, which is why I’m so excited to finally feature Taipei on my travel blog! I recently spent a week there, and I found a fun, bustling city with excellent tourism infrastructure and lots of cultural attractions.
My first trip to Taiwan was in 2019, when I visited Kaohsiung and Kenting National Park in the south. This 2025 visit was my second trip to Taiwan. Taipei, the nation’s capital, is in the north, so I’ve officially seen multiple parts of the island. I’m already dreaming about going back for a third time to continue to “fill in the gaps” and see cities such as Taichung or Tainan!
This blog post will highlight all of the attractions I saw during my week in Taipei. To skip down to any particular one, click or tap the corresponding link below!
Monuments and Landmarks
Taipei 101
台北101
Address: No. 7, Section 5, Xinyi Rd, Xinyi District, Taipei City, Taiwan 110
Website: https://www.taipei-101.com.tw/en/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Taipei101.official/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taipei101_official/
Taipei 101 is Taiwan’s most iconic landmark. You simply can’t visit Taipei without going up to the observation deck here! Completed in 2004, Taipei 101 (named for its 101 floors) was the tallest building in the world for about five years. In 2009, the Burj Khalifa in the UAE took first place. As of late 2025, Taipei 101 is the 11th tallest skyscraper globally.
To visit the observatory, you’ll need to enter the mall connected to Taipei 101 and follow signs for the ticket counter. If I remember correctly, this ticket vendor was on the fifth floor of the mall. Admittedly, the layout was a little confusing, and it took me a little while to find the right spot. If you’re lost, I’m sure any staff member in the building can help direct you.
Once you get to the ticket counter, you’ll have the option to purchase a basic or premium ticket. I opted for a basic ticket, which included a visit to the 89th floor and cost 600 NTD (approx. 19 USD as of November 2025). There is also an option to visit both the 89th and 101st floors for 980 NTD (approx. 31 USD). A friend advised that the views would be similar, which is why I purchased the cheaper one.
As far as observation decks go, the one on Taipei 101’s 89th floor was pretty standard. It’s decently spacious, and there are a number of restaurants and food stalls up there. In terms of views, Taipei 101 is almost completely surrounded by dense city, except to the southeast. In that direction, Taipei 101 looks toward Elephant Mountain (Xiangshan).
One interesting thing to see on the 89th floor is Taipei 101’s tuned mass damper (TMD). This giant metal ball suspended by cables helps minimize the building’s sway during strong wind or earthquakes. Most buildings that have TMDs keep them out of sight, but Taipei 101 offers visitors a rare look at one. I didn’t actually see the damper move, so there must not have been much wind on the day I went!
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
國立中正紀念堂
Address: No. 21, Zhongshan S. Rd., Zhongzheng Dist., Taipei City 100012, Taiwan
Website: https://www.cksmh.gov.tw/en/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cksmhfb/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cksmh/
Taipei’s most prominent historical monument is arguably the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. It was constructed in the second half of the 1970s to honor Chiang Kai-shek (1887 – 1975), who was the leader of the Republic of China from 1928 until his death. The memorial hall is a large white structure with an arched entry and an octagonal navy-blue roof.
If you’re here on the hour between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm, you can watch the “Military Honor Guard Ceremonial Patrols and Drills” that take place in front of the monument. They last for about ten minutes.
Inside the main hall of the memorial, there’s a big statue of Chiang Kai-shek. The overall layout of this main room sort of reminded me of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.
On the lower levels of the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, you’ll find some galleries and exhibits (plus souvenir shops, cafes, and even a post office). Most of the exhibitions I saw appeared to be temporary art and calligraphy. However, the memorial’s official website indicates that there are permanent exhibits showcasing the life of Chiang Kai-shek and the history of the Republic of China. I must have missed those.
Liberty Square (Freedom Square)
自由廣場
Address: No. 21, Zhongshan S Rd, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, Taiwan 100
Liberty Square (also called “Freedom Square” in English) gets its name from the fact that pro-democracy protests happened here in the 1980s and 1990s. These culminated in Taiwan’s transition from authoritarianism to democracy with popular presidential elections beginning in the mid-90s.
This huge public plaza is beautifully tiled and surrounded on all four sides by important monuments: the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall to the east, the Liberty Square Main Gate to the west, the National Concert Hall to the north, and the National Theater to the south. Of those, the National Concert Hall and National Theater have very similar, almost mirrored designs, giving the square a nice sense of symmetry.
Liberty Square also has manicured gardens, ponds, and a covered pathway that walls off the plaza from the surrounding city streets (although there are numerous gates that allow you to enter or exit on foot in all directions). I recommend strolling around these grounds after visiting the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall.
National Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall
國立國父紀念館
Address: No. 505, Section 4, Ren’ai Rd, Xinyi District, Taipei City, Taiwan 110
Website: https://www.yatsen.gov.tw/en/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sunyatsenMH/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunyatsen_mh/
Sun Yat-sen (1866 – 1925) was the founder of the Republic of China and the Kuomintang (KMT). This memorial hall dedicated to him was built in the early 1970s, less than a decade before the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. The National Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall is relatively close to Taipei 101 in the city’s Xinyi District.
Unfortunately, as of November 2025, this memorial hall is closed for renovation, with projected reopening dates online ranging from mid-2026 to 2027. If I get a chance to go back to Taipei after the National Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall reopens, I’ll be sure to update this post and share what’s inside!
The silver lining is that the adjacent outdoor spaces are still open to the public, so I circled the building and briefly explored Zhongshan Park (中山公園) in front of the memorial.
Lungshan Temple
艋舺龍山寺
Address: No. 211, Guangzhou St, Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan 10853
Website: https://www.lungshan.org.tw/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LungShanTP/
Travelers interested in local religious traditions should set aside an hour or so to check out Lungshan Temple in Taipei. It dates all the way back to the 1700s, but has been destroyed and rebuilt a few times over the centuries. It combines elements of multiple spiritual traditions, including Buddhism and local folk religions.
When I visited, I encountered large crowds. This is an active temple that people pray at, so just be mindful of that if you’re visiting as a tourist. There are different sections of the temple where people pray to specific deities based on what they’re seeking.
The neighborhood surrounding Lungshan Temple is also worth exploring. It’s got a Bohemian vibe that feels pretty distinct from other parts of the city. That might be because Lungshan Temple is located in Wanhua, Taipei’s oldest district.
Parks
Taipei has no shortage of lush, urban parks to check out. Below are the ones I had time to visit during my week in the city.
Da'an Forest Park
大安森林公園
Address: No. 1, Section 2, Xinsheng S Rd, Da’an District, Taipei City, Taiwan 106
This is one of the largest parks within the heart of the city. It even has its own dedicated metro stop on the Tamsui–Xinyi (Red) line. In Da’an Forest Park, there are groves of palm trees, wide open fields, and some wooded areas. There’s also a pond, but it was closed for landscaping when I walked through.
228 Peace Memorial Park
二二八和平公園
Address: No. 3, Ketagalan Blvd, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, Taiwan 100
228 Peace Memorial Park is a short walk south of Taipei Main Station. There are lots of natural areas in this park, but one noteworthy thing here is the Tsui Hang Pagoda (翠亨閣), pictured below. The National Taiwan Museum is also located on the northern edge of 228 Peace Memorial Park. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to go to that museum on this trip.
This park’s name honors victims of the February 28 Massacre, in which an estimated tens of thousands of Taiwanese people were killed in a crackdown on an anti-government uprising in 1947. To read more about the February 28 Massacre and see what some Taiwanese people did on the 2026 anniversary of 228, click or tap here.
Elephant Mountain (Xiangshan)
象山
Trailhead location: Click or tap for Google Maps link
If you’re looking for that iconic view of the Taipei skyline that puts Taipei 101 front and center, you’ll have to climb up Elephant Mountain! It’s not a terribly long hike, but it is almost all stairs, so I definitely worked up a sweat making my way to the top.
The beginning of the trail is pictured below, right on a seemingly random city street. Eventually, you’ll reach a couple of different panoramic viewpoints. After enjoying the view and taking some pictures, I turned around and headed back down. If you keep hiking west, the pathway turns into a vast network of wooded trails. Luckily, you don’t have to go deep into the mountains to see the city skyline.
Museums
I’m not a big “museum person” when I travel, but I’ll usually try to visit one or two museums per trip. I went to two in Taipei: one featuring older works and one specializing in contemporary art. This was a great way to see both historical artifacts and modern Taiwanese works.
National Palace Museum
國立故宮博物院
Address: No. 221, Sec 2, Zhi Shan Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, Taiwan 111
Website: https://www.npm.gov.tw/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/npmgov/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/national_palace_museum/
The National Palace Museum is home to a giant collection of imperial art. According to the official website, these pieces come from the “Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing courts.” There’s also an interesting history of these collections being taken from Beijing immediately after the Chinese Civil War.
As you can see in these pictures, I visited the National Palace Museum on a rainy day. The friend I was staying with in Taipei recommended I do that, and I have to agree that it was the right call. It’s such a large museum that it’s an easy way to spend an entire rainy afternoon indoors, which is exactly what I did.
The amount of ceramics, calligraphy, and other historical relics on display at the National Palace Museum is immense. I think I saw every exhibit there, but to be honest, after a while everything did start to blur together. There were a few really memorable pieces on display, such as the “puzzle ball” shown below, but some things basically went over my head (especially the calligraphy… and this is coming from someone who studied Chinese for a number of years in high school and college).
Outside the museum, you’ll find Zhishan Garden (至善園), a cozy little spot that was nice to meander through even in the rain. There are some covered walkways overlooking the ponds here, but I wasn’t able to stay completely dry out there.
The one thing to keep in mind if you visit the National Palace Museum is that it’s not near any metro stop. The nearest stop is Shilin (士林) on the Tamsui–Xinyi (Red) line, and from there, you can take a number of public buses east to the museum. Alternatively, you can walk about 40 minutes or take a taxi/Uber.
Taipei Fine Arts Museum
臺北市立美術館
Address: No. 181, Section 3, Zhongshan N Rd, Zhongshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan 10461
Website: https://www.tfam.museum/index.aspx?ddlLang=en-us
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/taipeifineartsmuseum/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tfam_museum/
If ancient art isn’t your thing, consider visiting the Taipei Fine Arts Museum (TFAM) instead of the National Palace Museum. TFAM specializes in contemporary Taiwanese art, and I found most of the pieces here to be really engaging and thought-provoking.
TFAM has a nice variety of modern art that touches on both heavier and lighter subjects. There were also quite a few digital works here, such as short films and other immersive experiences. Also, the general admission ticket price is only 30 NTD (approx. 1 USD) as of November 2025!
Dihua Street
迪化街
Address: Dihua St, Datong District, Taipei City, Taiwan 103
I’m glad I spent one of my afternoons in Taipei walking up and down Dihua Street, a historic shopping area in the city’s riverside Datong District. Shops here mainly sell traditional herbs and food products, but there are also restaurants, cafes, a visitor center, a temple, and much more.
As you can see in these pictures, Dihua Street has unique architecture that utilizes a lot of red brick. Because it’s such an old street, efforts have been made to preserve this architectural style here. No other street I saw in Taipei looked like Dihua Street.
Visit a Night Market
夜市
I wrote earlier in this post that you can’t visit Taipei without going to Taipei 101, and I’d say the same thing about night markets! They’re an integral part of Taiwanese culture that you just shouldn’t miss. Taipei has a number of famous night markets, including Ningxia Night Market, Linjiang Night Market, Le Hua Night Market, and many others.
The friend I was visiting here and I decided to go to Shilin Night Market (士林夜市) because it was easy to get to on the Tamsui–Xinyi (Red) line. It was raining the night we went, so the market area wasn’t packed. We tried a bunch of different street food, and we ended our night at a fun camping-themed bar called Noobtent!
Day Trip to Tamsui
淡水區
If you’re spending a week or more in Taipei, consider doing one or two day trips! I went on one to Tamsui, a seaside district in New Taipei City. It takes about an hour to get there from Taipei Main Station on the metro, so it’s easily accessible from the heart of the city.
I’ll be writing a separate blog post about my day in Tamsui, so keep an eye out for that! I’ll link it here as soon as I publish it.
Getting Around
Taipei’s public transportation is one of the best systems I’ve used in many years. It’s clean, affordable, and easy to navigate even if you speak little to no Chinese. Signs and announcements are made in multiple languages including English, and transferring between lines is straightforward.
On this trip, I also used Taiwan High Speed Rail (HSR) to visit Kaohsiung from Taipei for a few days. (In total, I spent about 10 days in the country on this visit, with seven of those days based in Taipei. That’s why I wrote up a one-week itinerary for the capital city.) The HSR experience was pleasant and comfortable. It cost roughly 100 USD for a round-trip ticket between Taipei and Kaohsiung, and travel time on the HSR was about two hours each way.
Beyond that, I think I may have taken one or two Ubers during my week in Taipei. I only rode the bus twice, to get to and from the National Palace Museum. I also took a light rail in Tamsui, but I would say 97% of the time, I was moving around Taipei by metro and on foot. As a public transit enthusiast, I was so happy to find a top-notch transit network in this amazing city!
Make the Most of Your Week in Taipei!
Taipei is one of those cities that’s easy to enjoy as a visitor even if you haven’t done a ton of research before arriving. It’s safe, clean, welcoming, and lively. My list of compliments could go on!
If you’re in Taipei now, or you’re planning a trip, leave a comment below to let me know how it’s going! I personally can’t wait to go back someday soon to explore some more neighborhoods and districts in Taiwan’s capital city!
Share This Post With Fellow Travelers!
This post was published on Nov 23, 2025
This post was updated on Mar 2, 2026
This blog post was proudly created without the use of generative AI. It was 100% written and edited by a human, for humans. Enjoy, and thanks for your support!
Meet Your Caffeinated Blogger: Kevin!
Where I’ve Been
