Taipei, Taiwan 🇹🇼 is officially recognized as a part of the Republic of China. A few countries, including the US, recognize Taiwan as its own country, but many others, including the UN do not see it as its own independent country. Either way, I think Taiwan has its own identity, history, and culture, therefore in my opinion it is it’s own unique country. With a population of nearly 2.5 million people, 7 million including the metro, Taipei is a huge city offering visitors an endless amount of things to do and see. If you are into history, there is plenty to see here, if you are a foodie like me, then you better come hungry, or if you simply like exploring a city with no plan in mind, Taipei is the perfect city.   **This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links throughout the page, whether it be TripAdvisor, Booking.com. Agoda.com, or any other affiliate, I might receive commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, you can visit my affiliate link page here. Thanks for the support! Taipei on a Map Taiwan is an island country in East Asia, situated to the east of the People’s Republic of China, south of Japan, and north of the Philippines. Taiwan is not a small island, it is nearly 250 miles in length and 90 miles at its widest point.  Most of eastern Taiwan is dominated by mountain ranges while western Taiwan is very urbanized. Taipei is located in the northern portion of Taiwan. Taipei is fairly close to the ocean, not far from the mountains, and close to the airport, making it an ideal destination for travelers wanting to explore both the city and its natural surroundings. Taipei is a large city with 2.5 million in the city and 7 million people in the metro. There are twelve districts that make Taipei. These districts are Wanhua, Datong, Zhongzheng, Zhongshan, Daan, Xinyi, Songshan, Beitou, Shilin, Neihu, Nangang, and Wenshan.  The international airport that serves Taipei, is Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport. There is a rail line that goes directly from the airport to downtown Taipei.  Transportation and the EasyCard Taiwan, especially Taipei has great public transportation. Taipei has an efficient metro that branches out all around the city. Our last visit to Taipei (February 2023) we noticed many people riding YouBikes. YouBikes are rental bikes that can be used throughout the city. There are stations strategically located around Taipei where you can pick up and drop off the bikes.  If visiting Taipei for an extended period of time or if planning to go back, it’s highly recommended to get an EasyCard. The EasyCard is a rechargeable card that can be used on the metro, trains, buses, and the YouBikes.  For us, the EasyCard was a life saver and made traveling around Taipei a breeze! We picked up our cards at a service help desk at the airport prior to the boarding the metro. We then went to one of the ticketing machines at the airport and loaded money on the card. We put about 1,000 New Taiwan Dollars on the card which is about $30 USD. This lasted us the whole trip and we still have money on the card. We took a train from Taipei to Houtong Cat Village and back, a bus from Taipei to Yehliu Geopark, hopped on the metro to and from the airport, and took numerous metro lines around Taipei. Needless to say, taking public transit in Taiwan is very affordable.  3 Days in Taipei, Taiwan Taipei is a vibrant city rich in culture and traditions combined with modern skyscrapers and districts. If you are planning a trip to Taipei and want to maximize your time in the city, our 3 Days in Taipei itinerary will cover the basics for what you need to do and see in Taipei. From immersing yourself in the culture and walking the bustling streets to enjoying mouthwatering food at the local night markets. I’ve even included day trips from Taipei in case you want to explore outside of Taipei and see more of this beautiful country!  Day 1 When visiting a new city, I always recommend just walking around the area you are staying at. Get to know the area, discover new restaurants, and see what attractions are nearby.  When we first stayed in Taipei, Jill and I were in the Wanhua District of Taipei. Our second time in Taipei, we stayed in the Zhongzheng District, third time was in the Shilin District. Great thing about Taipei, is that the public transportation is phenomenal, so no matter where you stay, you can still follow my 3-day Taipei itinerary.  Day 1 in Taipei should be easy going, I recommend checking out the Wanhua District and Zhongzheng District as there is a lot to see and it’s walkable for the most part. I’ve broken this itinerary down further by morning, afternoon, and night. Obviously, you don’t have to follow the same order as we did, but I hope this helps when it comes to you managing and organizing your trip to Taipei.  Morning Why not start the morning off in Taipei with some architecture, culture, history, and nature. I recommend heading to 228 Peace Memorial Park. Here you will find the National Taiwan Museum, Peace Bell, and the famous Pagoda in the pond (pictured above). The National Taiwan Museum is home to many interesting exhibits on anthropology, science, botany, and research. For more information, including entrance times and fees, feel free to visit the National Taiwan Museum website. After a visit to the museum, and taking phots of the pagoda, stroll through the park to check out some of the architecture, sculptures, and monuments.  After exploring the 228 Peace Memorial Park you can easily walk to the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall which is one of my most recommended things to do and see in Taipei. About a 15-25 minute walk, visitors will find themselves at the Liberty Square Arch This massive Gate is the main entrance to the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. Included within the walls is Liberty Square, the National Theater, National Concert Hall, and the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall.  There is not a whole lot to do here but walk around and take photos. The Liberty Square is massive. I always enjoy taking photos of the Concert Hall and National Theater. Walk up the stairs to the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial and if lucky, you can witness the changing of the guards.  With all these attractions to include Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Longshan Temple, and Taipei 101, I do recommend visiting them both during the day and at night as these major attractions are brilliantly lit up at night.  Afternoon After a visit to Kai-shek Memorial Hall, you can stop at the Donmen Market or Nanmen Market for an afternoon snack. These places are open early at 7 am but close in the late afternoon. The later you go the more limited options there are. But you can find great street food here, enough to satisfy your cravings until later on.  After a quick meal, head over to Daan Forest Park for a little nature escape. At Daan Forest Park you can walk the many trails here or take a breather and find a nice place to sit around the pond.  If it is the weekend, I recommend heading over to the Jianguo Flower and Jade Market. This market is located underneath the Jianguo Elevated Road and it stretches for several blocks. There are vendors here selling all things jade from jewelry to artistic sculptures. The Flower Market has everything you can think of like cherry trees, bonsai trees, and any flower imaginable. Even if you don’t plan on buying anything, it’s still a joy to wander around and see what the vendors have for sale.  At this point, between the walking and checking out some of the sites and markets, it’s been almost an entire day. I’d recommend adding a few more stops on the itinerary for the day which would include Longshan Temple and dinner at either one of the night markets or Hot Pot.  From the Jianguo Market area, you can head to the Daan Park Metro Station and take it to Taipei Main Station. From Taipei Main Station, head to either Ximen or Longshan Temple Station.  Evening/Night To wrap up day 1 in Taipei, I would head to Longshan Temple to see it at night. Again, this temple is stunning and worth a visit both during the day and night. Once you get familiar with Taipei and the metro, feel free to tack on a quick trip here on one of the other days.  Longshan Temple is in the Wanhua District and is Taipei’s most famous temple. It’s free to visit and open to visitors. This temple was built in the 1700’s for both Buddhist and Taoist deities.  The Wanhua District is pretty interesting and well worth exploring. Other then Longshan Temple, you can find the Bopiliao Historic Street, The Red House, Ximending Pedestrian Zone, and several Famous Night Markets in Taipei. For dinner, there are several options. On Day 1, I would recommend either exploring the Night Markets or trying Hot Pot, both are unique food experiences in Taipei.  For Night Markets, you have Snake Alley, Guangzhou, and Ximending.  When exploring Taipei’s night markets, I first recommend walking the entire market and see what you are craving, then go back and order food from the vendors. Don’t be afraid to try the “Stinky Tofu.” It smells horrendous but tastes pretty good!  For Hot-Pot in Taipei, they are scattered throughout the city and pretty easy to find. We had one outside our hotel room in the Wanhua District. Hot-Pot in Taipei was probably one of my favorite food dining experiences. The varieties of food available was astonishing!  Hot-Pot is a Chinese method of cooking, where you have a large pot of broth in the center of the table, you can then cook the meats and vegetables in the boiling broth. It is similar to the Japanese Shabu-Shabu. Hot-Pot is generally buffet-style. I was shocked and impressed by the quality and variety of food. They had everything from chicken testicles to shark. They had unlimited beer and an ice cream bar. I highly recommend trying out Hot-Pot at least once while in Taipei.  One more thing to wrap up the end to the perfect night in Taipei. I recommend getting a foot massage. It’s tradition now for both Jill and myself to get a foot massage in Taipei at the end of every night.  The foot massage parlors are everywhere in Taipei and they are dirt cheap. I’m talking like $10 for 45 minutes to an hour. You get to relax in a comfortable chair, with warm water at your feet while getting a relaxing foot massage. Perfect way to end the night!  Day 2 Morning After breakfast whether it be from the hotel, convenience store, or a local bakery I recommend making your way toward Taipei’s most famous skyscraper, Taipei 101.  Prior to visiting Taipei 101, I recommend getting on the metro and take the Blue-Line to Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall or another nearby station.  After exiting the station, there is a large park named Zhongshan Park. Zhongshan Park has a few walking trails, ponds, and is home to the National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial. This memorial was dedicated to Dr. Sun Yat-sen who is considered the Father of the Republic of China.  The memorial building is massive and beautifully designed. Visitors can access the inside of the memorial and see the statue and guards.  From Zhongshan Park, you can get great views of Taipei 101. Even on cloudy days, when the tip of the skyscraper is within the clouds, it’s still a sight to see.  Afternoon No Taipei itinerary is complete without a visit to Taipei 101. After visiting Zhongshan Park and the National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial, Taipei 101 is a short walk away!