2 days in Taipei and Jiufen

Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.

1. 1
   MorningWorth the time

   Shifen Old Street

   A street where trains run through the middle of the shops on a small branch line. Visitors write wishes on large paper lanterns, and stalls sell snacks. Step well aside when a train comes, and check the local rules before you release a lantern.

   Go when Morning, before the street gets busy.

   Local tip The tracks are a live railway, so step well aside when a train comes. Check the local rules before you release a lantern, and write your wish before you let go.

   

   About 24 min by car or transit10.2 km
2. 2
   AfternoonWorth the time

   Jiufen Old Street

   A hill town that grew with a gold rush, now a tangle of narrow stair lanes, tea houses and lantern-lit shops above the sea. The lanes are packed at weekends and on holidays, and mist and rain are common, so the view down to the coast comes and goes. Wander the stairs and the side lanes.

   Go when Late afternoon, so you see the lanes by day and then as the lanterns come on, around sunset.

   Local tip Mist and rain are common, so wear shoes with a grip and carry a light rain jacket. The lanes are crowded at weekends, so a weekday is calmer, and mind your footing on the steps.

   

   About 42 min by car29.7 km
3. 3
   AfternoonPick your galleries

   National Palace Museum

   A large museum of Chinese art and imperial objects from many periods, set on a hillside in Shilin. The building is big and the pieces are many, so pick two or three galleries. Displays rotate, so check ahead for what is out.

   Go when Afternoon, when you want a cool, calm room.

   Local tip Choose two or three galleries instead of trying to see everything. Pieces rotate, so check ahead for what is out.

   

   About 19 min by car or transit7.7 km
4. 4
   AfternoonCheck the sky first

   Taipei 101

   The tall tower with stacked, bamboo-like sections that has stood over the Xinyi district since the early 2000s. Walk around the base and the shopping hall, or go up to the observation floors, which need a ticket. Cloud often hides the view from the top, so look at the sky first and be ready to skip it.

   Go when Afternoon, if the sky is clear, with the evening still ahead of you.

   Local tip Cloud and haze can hide the view completely, so look up at the tower first. If the top is in cloud, spend the time at the base and keep the observation floor for a clearer day.

   

5. Dinner

   Beef noodle soup

   A big bowl of wheat noodles in a rich broth of slow-cooked beef, with tender chunks of meat and pickled greens on the side. A dish the city takes seriously, from red-braised and spicy to clear and mild.

   Local tip Add the pickled greens a little at a time. Ask for a milder broth if you do not like heat, and tell the staff about any allergy, since soy and wheat are in the base.

   

Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.

1. Travel from Taipei 101About 17 min by car or transit6.5 km

   Where Day 1 ended.
2. 1
   MorningWorth the time

   Longshan Temple

   A busy temple in Wanhua, the oldest part of the city, where Buddhist and Taoist gods share one set of halls. Families bring fruit and incense, and carved dragons crowd the roofs. Go early, keep your voice low and step around people who are praying.

   Go when Early morning, before the tour groups arrive.

   Local tip Walk in through the side door and keep to the edge of the courtyard, since worshippers use the middle. Look up at the carved roof, and ask before you photograph a person who is praying.

   

   About 26 min by car or transit11.3 km
3. 2
   MorningWorth a short visit

   Thermal Valley

   A steaming green-blue pool of hot spring water at the head of the Beitou valley, with a smell of sulphur and a path along its edge. Look from the path, since the water is very hot. Check ahead, because the path closes at times.

   Go when Morning, before the day warms up.

   Local tip Stay on the path, because the water is very hot. Check ahead, since the valley closes at times, and keep a few minutes in hand to wander the stream below it.

   

4. Lunch

   A home-style set lunch

   A tray with rice, soup and three or four small dishes of vegetables, tofu, egg and a little meat, the kind of set meal that small restaurants in Beitou serve to bathers. Warm, simple and enough.

   Local tip Ask what the set includes and say if you avoid any dish. After a soak, drink plenty of water and sit a while before you move on.

   About 22 min by car or transit9.1 km
5. 3
   AfternoonWorth the time

   Dihua Street

   A long old street in Dadaocheng lined with narrow shophouses that have sold tea, herbs, dried goods and fabric for generations. Browse the doorways, taste before you buy, and look for tea to carry home.

   Go when Afternoon, when the shops are open and the street is lively.

   Local tip Step into a tea shop and ask to taste before you buy. Carry a little extra room in your bag, since dried goods and tea are easy to take home.

   

   About 12 min by car or transit3.9 km
6. 4
   EveningWorth the time

   Shilin Night Market

   One of the biggest night markets in the city, with a food hall below ground, crowded lanes of food stalls above and clothes and game stalls between. Loud, bright and a fitting last evening.

   Go when Evening, once the stalls are lit and the lanes are full.

   Local tip Start in the food hall below ground and then wander the lanes above. Share plates, keep a hand on your bag in the crowd and tell the cook about any allergy before you order.

   

7. Dinner

   Fried chicken and grilled skewers

   A crisp fried chicken cutlet as big as your face, then grilled skewers of meat, squid and mushrooms, shared in the lanes. Finish with a cup of sweet tea over ice.

   Local tip Eat the cutlet hot, with the spice on the side if you like it mild. Wheat, soy and shellfish are common in the sauces and coatings, so tell the cook about any allergy before you order.