Taipei, Taiwan, is a veritable urban jungle – ferns and giant elephant ear plants grow inTaipei is quietly experiencing a renaissance, despite the fact thatRegional tensionsYoung artists, chefs and curators are redefining Taiwanese identity.Treat it as a unique category,There is a careful pursuit of food and design that is unique to the island’s history. Crime rates in Taipei are low, and there are brightly lit convenience stores everywhere, so you don’t have to worry about your safety when you go out to hang out at any time. If I have to give you some advice, it is to sleep in. Except for breakfast shops and the vegetable markets where locals go early in the morning, many stores and cafes don’t open until 11 am.
recommend
Must-see recommendations

• Chifeng StreetIt is a fashion-forward shopping street with many vintage stores and cute coffee shops.
• DadaochengIt is the oldest neighborhood in Taipei and is a good place to buy textile fabrics, northern and southern dry goods, and bamboo products.
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• Yangmingshan National ParkIt is covered with green grass and has natural hot springs and volcanoes.
Restaurants and bars
• NkụIt is a fine-dining restaurant serving Nordic cuisine using locally sourced ingredients.
• Xinchao HotelWith an Art Deco design, it offers a variety of delicious fried rice.
• Three paths are desertedIt is a remote and peaceful place where beginners can master the meditation-like art of tea tasting and enjoy Taiwan’s wide variety of oolong teas.
• Chao stir-fry vegetablesIt is a vegetarian stir-fry restaurant, which is perfect with cold beer.
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• Fridge BarHidden behind a sandwich shop, bartenders cleverly create cocktails using local fruits and flowers.
• PlaceboIt is a peculiar bar with a decoration reminiscent of an old Chinese medicine shop.
• Old Uncle Fat SquidFamous for its various traditional seafood soups.
Shopping and Markets
• Shennong LifeIt is a shop that sells a variety of groceries and handmade foods.
• Travis Vintage and Used ClothingIt’s a paradise for vintage fashion lovers. One of the most eye-catching finds: a Taiwanese bomber jacket from the 1960s.
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• Ningxia Tourist Night MarketThere are many open-air food stalls full of fireworks.
• Lin Fengyi Trading Co.a century-old shop specializing in traditional bamboo and wooden utensils.
• Printing FunUsing Taiwanese elements as inspiration, we create textiles that are full of modernity.
Attractions and Outdoor Activities
• Qixing MountainIt is a dormant volcano and the highest mountain in Taipei.
• Songshan Cultural and Creative ParkOriginally a tobacco factory, this creative center now hosts various art exhibitions focusing on local design.
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• Taipei Xiahai City God TempleThere are more than 600 statues of various kinds, attracting many young singles to come and seek marriage.
• National Photography Cultural CenterShowcasing the talents of contemporary photographers in an old building from the Japanese colonial era.
transportation
• Taipei has a first-classMRTandBusThe system is impeccably clean and easy to navigate with Google Maps. Each MRT station is equipped with bilingual ticket machines. Taxis and Ubers are readily available and affordable. Taipei is also very walkable and safe at all times.
stay
• San Er HotelNestled in the northernmost suburbs of Taipei, this luxurious resort features therapeutic geothermal baths and lush greenery. It is a 30-minute drive from the city center. Five suites have hot springs piped into the rooms. Double rooms start at around NT$19,400 (US$633).
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• Kimpton Da An HotelIt is a stylish boutique hotel located on a quiet residential street in the city center, right next to the subway station. It has one of the best Western breakfasts in the city and is within walking distance of many major attractions. Double rooms start at around NT$8,500.
• If you want to go somewhere more eccentric, you can consider DadaochengOriginn SpaceThis is a very small inn located in a century-old Baroque-style mansion with vintage furniture. There are only four rooms, starting from NT$1,440.
• Star Hostel Taipei Main StationA cozy central hostel suitable for families and solo travelers. There is a fully equipped shared kitchen and plenty of lounge space. Shared rooms start from NT$680 per person, private rooms start from NT$2,150 per person.
journey
Friday
17:00 Discover vintage gems
Chifeng Street, once a gathering place for scrap metal parts and auto repair shops, is now one of Taipei’s trendiest shopping streets.Shennong LifeSelling artisanal foods including jams, sauces, noodles and vinegar, as well as island specialties such as baskets woven from moonflower leaves.Dembo CoffeeRelax at this place that specializes in drip coffee and cinnamon buns and is always packed with a fashionable clientele. (Taipei takes its coffee culture very seriously.) Finally, browse the many vintage shops, such asTravis Vintage and Used Clothingwhich has a rare collection of 1960s Taiwanese bomber jackets (it usually opens at 6 p.m. on Fridays, but times can vary; message their Facebook page in advance to check).
6:30 p.m. Grab a bite at the night market
A short walk away is the bustlingNingxia Night Marketwhere there are many open-air food stalls that are always crowded with people.Most night markets today aren’t as lively as they were decades ago, thanks to gentrification and noise complaints. Ningxia Night Market is a notable exception; many of the stalls here are run by second-generation operators. And unlike other night markets in Taiwan, which also feature clothing stores and arcade games like claw machines, Ningxia sells only food, and it’s delicious. Snack lightly, because there’s dinner to come: try deep-fried taro balls stuffed with salted duck egg yolk (NT$30) and freshly squeezed sugar cane juice (NT$30).
7:30 p.m.Indulge in high-end Taiwanese cuisine

The pace of Taiwanese cuisine is being led by classically trained chefs who are infusing their dishes with the island’s rich subtropical flavours.NkụThis is the case in the quiet, intimate restaurant with an open kitchen run by German-born Taiwanese chef Lin Li-Han.The tasting menu (NT$2,900) is highly seasonal: On a given day, you might get a potato cream flavored with milkfish (a popular fish in Taiwan that is often fried) spread on a thin sourdough cracker, or a creamy “risotto” made with lotus seeds instead of rice. Dessert: sweet-and-sour guava ice cream served with a lemony Taiwanese pepper called ma-gao.

Saturday
9 am Crossing the volcanic hills

TaipeiThe city is located in a basin and is surrounded by mountains, so a large number of hiking trails are only a short train ride away.Qixing MountainClimb Taipei’s highest peak. It is located in the northernmost part of the city.Yangmingshan National ParkInside,There is active geothermal activity there, suitable for easy to moderate hiking. Take bus No. 1717 from Jiantan Station toarriveSmall oil pitAt the start of the trail, there are sulfur vents that are constantly spewing steam. The trail is about 4 kilometers long, and if you walk leisurely, you should be able to reach the top of the mountain in less than two hours to enjoy the city view below.LengshuikengAt the visitor center, you can enjoy a free foot bath and then take bus S15 back to the city.
1:30 p.m. Eat a plateNot so simpleFried Rice
In Xinyi, Taipei’s affluent financial district, adding a dash of luxury can really help a restaurant stand out.Xinchao Hotelis a master at this; it makes a simple plate of fried rice look luxurious. For example, on the menu: pink rice mixed with mullet roe and topped with medium-rare scallops (520 yuan).NT$1,200). And a buttery rib-eye steak, sliced and fanned over a simple plate of egg fried rice (NT$1,200). The restaurant, with its Art Deco interior, earth-toned banquettes and velvety teal cushions, is as inviting as its splendid cocktail list (try the Scotch with papaya, cinnamon, lime and soy milk).
3 p.m. Relax with a cup of tea

Taiwan’s tea planting and manufacturing industry began in the 19th centuryRecently, a new wave of tea houses have opened that serve single-origin loose “Kung Fu tea,” referring to the traditional style of brewing in small teaware and drinking from small teacups.Three paths are desertedTea tasting is a meditative experience, and this is one of the least-accessible places to experience this elegant tea ceremony. Each tea here is carefully labeled with its tea-tasting notes (buttery, fruity, orchid, milky). It comes with detailed brewing instructions in Chinese or English, explaining how to achieve the perfect brew, and comes with a teapot or brewing cup (depending on your tea of choice), hot water, a timer and cups. Staff are on hand to guide novices through each step. Tea prices range from 450 to 850The amount varies from New Taiwan Dollar to New Taiwan Dollar.
4 pm Find local design and independent cinema in a converted factory
Next door isSongshan Cultural and Creative Parkan exhibition and retail space converted from an old tobacco factory, with a huge courtyard next to it, providing a quiet space in a city that lacks quiet pedestrian areas. There is a cute souvenir shop in the old factory, selling postcards and Taiwan-themed fisherman hats. There is also a promotionalLocal DesignThere are pop-up exhibitions such as fashion pop-up stores or typographic design exhibitions.Eslite Cinemasthis cinema rotates between new and old independent films (310NT$) – some of them have Chinese and English subtitles. While Taiwan’s contemporary independent film industry isn’t as strong as it was in the 1980s, you might get lucky and stumble across a little-known gem.
7 p.m. Relax with a vegan stir-fry and a cold beer (in a shot glass)

Many people decompress after get off work at a “hot stir-fry” restaurant – a noisy, affordable, dinner-only establishment where large, flaming woks cook typical, oily dishes. Here, cold beer is served in shot glasses. For something a little different, try the vegan hot stir-fry restaurant “ChaoStir-fry New Asian Veggies. There’s sweet and sour fish with colorful bell peppers (290NT$1,000), and garlic-nibairou (NT$330)—but instead of real fish and pork, their protein comes from soy or mushroom products. Taiwan has long been a vegetarian country, with strong influences from Buddhism and Taoism, and artificial meat is common on the menu. At Chao, it’s common to see a table of nuns dining next to a large group of businessmen relaxing over beer.
9 pm Stop by the sandwich shop to sample creative cocktails
It’s said that Taiwan’s cocktail culture dates back to the 1950s, when a row of Western-style bars were erected near the ship port to serve American sailors and marines coming to the island for supplies during the Vietnam and Korean wars. A lot has changed since then, and today the best cocktail bars are concentrated in Taipei’s financial district. These bars use the flavors of locally grown flowers and fruits, such as roselle, guava and white ginger lily, to infuse their syrups and drinks. For a sophisticated lounge experience, tryFridge Bar(Cocktail 380New Taiwan Dollar), a cocktail lounge hidden behind the metal doors of a sandwich shop. If you want something a little more creative, try thePlaceboIts decor is reminiscent of an old Chinese medicine shop, where the drinks (about 400Both bars are willing to make something not on the drink list; feel free to request flavors (sour, sweet, herbal, spicy) or quirky ingredients (basil, sesame oil, chili) and let the bartender surprise you.

Sunday
10 o’clock in the morning Enjoy seafood soup in an ancient trading port

While Taiwanese egg pancakes and sesame pancakes are synonymous with modern Taiwanese breakfast, it is more traditional to start the day with seafood soup.Old Uncle Fat Squidbite-sized squid piecesCoated in fish paste and boiled; then added to thin rice noodles in a fresh broth (NT$90). Optional extras include smoked pig ears and blanched greens. After breakfast, explore this neighborhood, once an important trading port in the 19th century and long a center for textiles, dried goods and tea. Dihua Street—Taipei’s oldest street—can be seen amidst the faux-Baroque architecture (from the Japanese colonial period) and the 19th-centuryThe “Lin Fengyi“Bamboo and rattan baskets for sale.”Printing FunMore contemporary than ever, it produces colorful fabric prints with patterns inspired by Taiwan’s nature, architecture and cuisine.
12 o’clock noon Worship Yue Lao
The island’s ornate temples (which blend Taoist, Buddhist and Confucian traditions) are home to a hodgepodge of folk deities, each with a unique history and role.Xiahai City God TempleThe density of statues in a single building is very high, with more than 600 statues crammed into an area of only about 150 square meters. One in particular stands out: a five-meter-tall statue of Yue Lao, who is famous for matchmaking. It is common to see groups of young people (or overly anxious parents) burning incense (50NT$) in the hope of gaining true and everlasting love. Visitors can get multilingual volunteers to guide them on their tours by donating a small amount of money.
1 pm Viewing Taiwanese life through the lens of art

National Photography Cultural CenterIt is a quaint free museum hidden inHoused in a building built in 1937, it features a Japanese-style curved roof and elaborate decorations. The museum manages to pack a lot into a small space (a visit only takes about an hour). Exhibits are updated every three months, often featuring work by local photographers who excel at recreating the mundane aspects of everyday life. Photo collections include family portraits with old water pumps, depictions of exquisite city temples, and never-before-seen black-and-white photos of Taiwanese couples during the Japanese occupation. Bonus: a great gift shop and cafe on the first floor.