Affordable food and a range of activities make Taipei all the more fun, especially for families
In as little as 3 nights, you can get an excellent metaphorical and literal taste of Taipei, Taiwan. The more nights you can stay on this island about the same size as Maryland or Scotland, the better too. Based on our family’s two months in Taiwan, we’re going to share a Taipei itinerary you can build on for your own excellent trip to Taipei.
“As the cultural and trade hub of Taiwan, Taipei is one of the world’s great cities.”
Why visit Taipei?
Affordable food on practically every street. One of the world’s tallest buildings. Deep cultural roots in a city that’s quite happy to combine preserving tradition with living in the here and now.
Taipei brings together delicious and budget friendly everyday food, fascinating sights and destinations, and cultural attractions. Our time in Taipei broadened our perspective of Chinese culture, while the city’s walkable neighborhoods and excellent public transport made it easy to get around.
Plan your trip to Taiwan
Plus, Taiwan’s culture of safety helped us feel at home and at ease (despite dodging the occasional motorbike pulling up on the sidewalk to park).
As the cultural and trade hub of Taiwan, Taipei is one of the world’s great cities. While we didn’t get to other parts of Taiwan during this visit, our time in Taipei has us ready to check out more of Taiwan the next time we visit.
Taipei itinerary ideas: How long should you stay?
Whether you’ve arrived in Taiwan from a nearby region or from around the world, we’d suggest at least 3 nights for your Taipei itinerary.
Things to keep in mind when planning how many nights to visit Taiwan
If you’re already in the overall East/Southeast Asia region, 3 nights could be a good minimum, since you may not be having to travel as far to get to Taipei. (For example, our flight from Fukuoka, Japan, to Taipei took about 3 hours, which is similar to flying from Portland, Oregon, to Denver, Colorado, in the USA.)
If you’re coming from farther away, we’d suggest bumping up to at least 5 nights, and preferably at least 7.
After all, a longer travel distance means getting over jet lag due to time zone changes, especially if coming from Europe or North America. Plus, if Taiwanese culture and Chinese language are outside of your overall cultural experience, you may need some time to get used to this new normal for your travels.
Find out more about our suggestions in our guide to Taipei.
Length of stay suggestions
As you plan your Taipei itinerary, take into account some recharge time, sightseeing, and more. That way you can balance enjoying the city without feeling overwhelmed and over-scheduled:
- 3-4 nights: Minimum for enjoying a few major attractions, especially when visiting Taipei with kids
- 5-7 nights: This duration gives you more opportunities for a day trip and other activities, while keeping a more relaxed pace
- 8+ nights: Maximize downtime while getting more out of Taipei, plus you can block in more day trips, other sightseeing and activities, and possibly some days/nights in other parts of Taiwan
As you plan your Taipei itinerary, also check out our other Taiwan guides and experiences:
- Taipei guide
- Best things to do in Taipei
- Taipei tea tour: Relax with nature on a Taiwan day trip
- Taipei cooking class with kids: Worth it in Taiwan?
We’re going to list out our overall suggestions for attractions based on the number of nights. We rarely recommend specific dining locations or accommodation. In general in Taipei, good eats are pretty much everywhere, and you can find a range of quality stays from hotels to vacation rentals.
In other words, your best sightseeing is something tasty. Round out any part of your day with a snack, bite, or meal.
3-4 nights
When visiting Taipei for 3-4 nights, here are suggestions for your itinerary.
For starters, staying in the area around Taipei Main Station can position you for easier access to attractions throughout the city, such as:
- Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, Liberty Square Arch, and Changing of the guard at the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial: Combines iconic historical and cultural landmarks, with a serene park. The lower levels of the National Concert Hall also offer casual and fine (but not too fancy) dining options.
- Taipei 101: Book tickets online in advance for faster entry and less waiting in line. Consider coming later in the afternoon. The light can be lovely from the 89th Floor Observation Deck (as well as the nifty but not essential 101st Floor Observation Deck). The free-moving damper, which helps Taipei 101 withstand typhoons and earthquakes, is an amazing sight. After your time up high, head to the basement food court (also the home of a Din Tai Fung dim sum location).
- Ximending Shopping District: From the iconic octagonal Red House to the street art along America Street, the fun of watching through windows as folks make Xing Fu Tang Bubble Tea, to the serenity (and amazing dragon tableaux) at Taipei Tianhou Temple, Ximending is a shopping area, but much more.
- Dihua Street: Row after row of shops, street stalls, and eateries make this one of Taipei’s most popular hubs. With helpful guides, info, and historical displays, Dadaocheng visitor center is a great starting point. Above all, bring an empty bag or backpack, and don’t be surprised if you leave Dihua Street with them brimming full.
- Dadaocheng Wharf: Near Dihua Street, this waterfront area is a pedestrian zone with walking and cycling paths, a temple, and a range of food carts by the water. Along with people watching, it’s a great chance to sit and chill while the kids romp, or head to any of the stalls for a bite, especially as the sun goes down.
- Tour a night market. Whether on your own or with a guide, enjoy at least one evening at one of Taipei’s 3 main markets (Nanjichang, Raohe, and Shilin). Personally, our evening on a private tour of Shilin Night Market combined helpful tips on picking food stalls and insights into dishes.
If you only did these things, you’d leave Taipei with a great sense of the city from the street and from the sky. Combined with general dining out and some downtime, you could feel confident that you’d gotten a good initial taste of Taipei.
5-7 nights
With a little more time, it’s easier to add in the travel times to a few points farther out from central Taipei itself, or include a longer activity or two:
- Ride the Maokong Gondola up into the hill country. From the outskirts of southeastern Taipei, your ride will take around 20-30 minutes, and your view might include anything from Taipei 101 to macaque monkeys on the forested hillsides. The village at the top has shops and cafes to wander, and the Camphor Tree Trail is a kid-friendly hike that pays off in excellent panoramic views of Taipei.
- See the pandas at Taipei Zoo: And if you want, check out the rest of the zoo. However, if you’ve seen zoos aplenty, it’s also okay just to come for the Giant Panda House.
- Take a cooking class: In 3-4 hours, you can prep, cook, and tuck into some amazing Taiwanese dishes. We spent a morning with the lovely (and English-speaking) teachers at CookInn Taiwan, learning the secrets of soup dumplings, beef noodle soup, cucumber salad, and even bubble tea.
- National Taiwan Museum and Peace Memorial Park: Especially if the day is hot, rainy, or both, the museum offers culture, history, and indoor space to explore. Yes, most exhibits are only in Chinese, but don’t worry: There’s so much to check out visually, and the basement children’s area is a great space for kids. Also head outside to the Peace Memorial Park area, for the walkways and playground.
- Check out another night market: Perhaps you check out one of the 3 main markets you haven’t been to yet. However, check around where you’re staying too. Many Taipei neighborhoods have their own local night markets, and they’ll give you a great slice of life of Taipei, along with more delicious food.
8+ nights
With at least a week, you have so much more breathing room to enjoy a greater swath of Taipei and even points beyond the city:
- Tea tour day trip: With bubble tea shops on practically every block, all that tea has to come from somewhere. Much of it is grown in the hillside tea country right outside Taipei itself. A tea tour makes a lovely day trip from the city, combining nature, history, and a tasting of the good stuff. We chose a tour that went through the Pinglin area, including hilltop tea terraces, a museum, and a tea tasting.
- Day in Tamsui/Danshui: North of the city center, you’re at the edge of Taiwan itself, complete with seaside promenades, bike rentals, boardwalk trails through the mangroves, and the sprawling Guandu Temple, which has so many rooms and nooks we couldn’t keep track.
- Lungshan Temple, Bopiliao Historic Block, and Huaxi Street Night Market: Personally, we don’t do much temple tourism, but Longshan is one of the most iconic temples to check out in Taipei. It’s a good base to also check out the cultural and historical exhibitions of the restored Qing Dynasty-era Bopiliao Historic Block, and if you time your visit for the evening, dinner awaits at the Huaxi Street Night Market.
- Beitou Hot Springs day trip: A therapeutic hot spring soak is always welcome. You can even check out the area’s hot springs museum or wander the Beitou Thermal Valley, which has blue thermal pools reminiscent of Yellowstone National Park’s thermal pools or the jigoku or hells of Beppu, Japan.
- Day trip or overnight in Jiufen: Near the northeastern coast of Taiwan, Jiufen is similar to the visuals and village setup in the Ghibli anime Spirited Away. Sea views, tea shops, and the winding lanes are the draw—but this area can get crowded.
Getting to Taipei
You can fly to Taipei from major destinations worldwide. We headed there on a 3-hour flight from Fukuoka, Japan. Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) is about an hour to hour and a half drive to central Taipei itself.
Where to stay in Taipei
The more you stay in Taipei, the more you’ll be glad you came
Our time in Taipei filled us with amazing night markets, street food, cafes, and bubble tea. We breathed in fresh air from the city’s parks, plus getting into green spaces outside the city was easy. Taipei was a joy to travel with kids, and the friendly people we encountered deepened our affection for Taipei every day we were there.
However long you can visit Taiwan, get the most out of your Taipei itinerary, but build in some downtime so you don’t overdo it, especially if you have jet lag or are adjusting to a different place and culture.
For us, we left fulfilled, but hungry for more. And we know that we can come back to Taipei ready for more.
Want to know more about visiting Taipei?
Check out all our Taiwan guides and videos:
