One day in Taipei

Day by day

1. Day 1: Taipei 101 Observatory and Elephant Mountain (Xiangshan)

   Taipei 101 Observatory, Elephant Mountain (Xiangshan), Songshan Cultural and Creative Park and National Palace Museum, then Longshan Temple in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Taipei 101 Observatory

      Go on a clear afternoon and stay through sunset; check visibility before buying tickets, as low cloud often hides the view. Allow 1.5 hours.

   2. Late morning

      Elephant Mountain (Xiangshan)

      Climb about 45 minutes before sunset and stay until the city lights come on; bring water and a torch for the descent. Allow 1–1.5 hours.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Beef noodle soup

      Specialist shops across the city, including several on Taoyuan Street near Ximending and around Yongkang Street.

   4. Afternoon

      Songshan Cultural and Creative Park

      Visit after Elephant Mountain or Taipei 101; the factory's baroque courtyard garden is easy to miss. Allow 1–2 hours.

   5. Late afternoon

      National Palace Museum

      Arrive at opening or in the late afternoon to avoid tour groups, and use the audio guide; check which highlights are on display before you go. Allow 3 hours.

   6. Evening

      Longshan Temple

      Come in the early morning or around evening prayers to hear the chanting; visitors are welcome to watch quietly.

Before you go

If it rains

• Swap in Beitou hot springs (Beitou): Bring swimwear for the public bath (it is mixed and requires costumes), or book a private hotel bath for a more relaxing soak.
• Swap in Huashan 1914 Creative Park (Taipei Main Station (Zhongzheng)): Check what exhibitions are on before you go; the grounds are free to wander.
• Swap in National Taiwan Museum (Taipei Main Station (Zhongzheng)): Combine it with a walk through 228 Peace Memorial Park and the memorial to the 1947 incident.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 7–9 hours of visiting over one day, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10.6 hours in December to 13.7 hours in June.

Getting between stops: Metro. Taipei Metro's colour-coded lines connect almost every sight, including Taipei 101, Longshan Temple, Shilin, Beitou, Tamsui and the zoo for Maokong.

More or fewer days

• 2 days in Taipei
• 3 days in Taipei
• 4 days in Taipei
• 5 days in Taipei
• 7 days in Taipei

Questions travellers ask