Taipei - 3 day itinerary to explore Taiwan's bustling capital

When I reminisce about my trip to Taiwan, one of my most fond memories is experiencing its capital - Taipei, in all of its’ glory. I spend a few days there and I came to realize that Taipei has it all - a rich cultural and historical background, a robust coffee and tea scene, bustling shopping districts and night markets, all without compromising on safety and cleanliness. It amazed me how organized and clean the city is and how much its residents care about it. Taipei is also considered one of Asia’s most progressive cities, with a lively LGBTQ scene and widely seen rainbow ally flags.

I’d love to show you why Taipei stole a piece of my heart with an itinerary that would fit perfectly a 3-day stay and my recommendations for where to go, what to experience, eat and drink, and what shopping to do on your trip here. And believe me, once you come here, you may not want to leave it so soon!

So, grab a boba, sit back, relax and let me show you my version of Taipei.

How to spend 3 days in Taipei?

I only had a few days to spend in Taipei and I feel like I got a good glimpse on the city, however I’m certain that there is so much more to explore and discover than what I was able to do during my trip. But, to be honest, I love this feeling of not quite ‘completing’ a destination. I love it when I have so many reasons to come back somewhere and, in a way, I believe that I feel this unresolved connection - like the door is always open to come back. That being said, let me walk you through my experience in Taipei.

Day 1

I recommend starting the day with a traditional Taiwanese breakfast at Fuhang Soy Milk, located near the Shandao Temple MRT station. It’s a very popular spot, so the queues are usually long, but the service moves quickly. Even though the line stretched all the way to the station when I arrived, it still only took about 20 to 25 minutes to order. Once you get upstairs, you can see everything in action: the making of the sourdough-like bread, the rapid pace of taking orders, and a huge crowd enjoying the food. This breakfast spot is known for its thick bread sandwiches with egg omelets and donut dough, plus soy milk that you can order hot, cold, or in a savory version. I tried hot soy milk, savory soy milk, a sandwich with chives and donut dough, and a chive omelet, and it was all delicious. Make sure you know what you want before you reach the counter, since things move fast, and keep in mind that the portions are quite generous.

After a hearty breakfast, it’s time to start exploring. For your first day in Taipei, I’d begin with a bit of history at the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, located near the MRT station. It’s a vast complex dedicated to a former President of Taiwan and a prominent figure in the country’s modern history. I definitely recommend entering the main hall to see the enormous statue and the ornate ceiling. When I visited, I was lucky enough to catch the changing of the guard, which happens every hour on the dot. The choreographed movements with their weapons are truly majestic.

After visiting the Memorial Hall, the next stop is the 228 Incident Museum, just a 15-minute walk away. The museum itself is small, and when I visited, entry was free. Most of the information panels are in Chinese, so I’d recommend reading a bit about the 228 Incident beforehand. Still, it’s well worth a stop, as it vividly depicts the events and helps you imagine everyday life at the time, as well as the aftermath of the massacre and the uprising that followed.

After a historical morning, it’s time for lunch and coffee with a view. Next on the list is one of the most recognizable buildings in Taiwan: Taipei 101. Before Burj Khalifa in Dubai was built in 2009, Taipei 101 was the tallest building in the world. The building has a distinctive design, symbolizing an Asian pagoda and a stalk of bamboo. It is equipped with one of the fastest elevators in the world, reaching over 60 km/h, and a huge seismic damper designed to withstand earthquakes and typhoons.

Inside, you can find a shopping mall with mostly luxury brands and a food court. If you’d like to go upstairs, there are three ways to do it. First, and most commonly, you can book a ticket to the observation deck on the 89th floor (or the 91st if you’re booking a more private experience). You can buy tickets inside the building on the ground floor, or book them online via the website or Klook. Second, if you enjoy a bit of thrill, you can book the “Skyline 460” Taipei 101 Adventure Experience and go to the highest floor of 101 to take in the views from the highest possible point, strapped into a harness. Tickets can be bought on the official website or on Klook. I chose option number 3, which combines the view with a bit of rest and a cup of great specialty coffee. On the 87th floor of Taipei 101, there’s a cafe called Simple Kaffa. It’s a chain widely known in Taipei, and its founder even won the World Barista Championships in 2016! You can buy a voucher on the ground floor of the building for either a takeaway order or to sit inside. For takeaway, you can ride the elevator to the 87th floor, collect your drink, and stay for a short while in the common area. If you decide to sit inside, you need to reserve a table either online beforehand or at the front desk on the ground floor, and spend a minimum of 300 NTD per person. You can then spend around 1.5 hours inside, taking in the views while sipping on a specialty coffee, and maybe ordering some sweets or lunch. There are also front-row tables meant for larger groups, with a higher spending minimum per table. I really recommend this option, because you get a chilled, beautiful experience instead of having to rush through the crowds at the observation deck. And the coffee is truly divine!

For the afternoon, I recommend visiting the Ximending shopping district. It gets more and more crowded toward the evening, and it’s a joy to stroll around, pop into little souvenir shops, or stop by a PopMart. You can do some shopping, listen to local street musicians, grab a snack or a drink, and relax. For dinner, I recommend trying a conveyor belt sushi chain called SUSHIRO. The prices are fair, the food is delicious, and grabbing plates off the conveyor belt is a lot of fun. For a nightcap, I recommend Taihu, a craft beer bar I tried and enjoyed. They have different craft beers and beer drinks on tap, plus tasty bar snacks to go with your drink.

Day 2

I’d start the next day with breakfast of your choice from a convenience store like 7-Eleven. They have a wide variety of snacks and breakfast options, from yogurts and herbal eggs to burgers and onigiri.

The first stop on the itinerary is Longshan Temple. It’s one of the most well-known places in Taipei, and one of the biggest temples in the city. It’s close to the MRT station, so I recommend taking your time and exploring at an easy pace.

There’s an interesting prayer ritual you’ll notice many people performing here, both locals and tourists alike. You take two wooden blocks shaped like half-moons, with one flat side and one rounded side, called jiaobei (moon blocks). Then you ask the deities a question and toss the blocks. Depending on how they land, the answer is either yes or no. If both fall on the opposite surface, it means your question was ill-posed, so you’ll need to ask again in a different way. For the answer to be considered real, you need to get the same result three times in a row.

After exploring the temple, I recommend stopping for a freshly brewed tea in a tea house nearby. The one I tried out is located in the underground metro station en face the temple, and it’s called LiuYu Teahouse. The experience is really wholesome, I ordered two types of tea and the lady working there explained how to properly brew the tea to bring out all the flavor and aromas. I tried a green and oolong tea and both were amazing. You can sit and enjoy the tea in a peaceful atmosphere.

Next point of the agenda is the National Palace Museum, located a bit farther away from the city center. In order to get there, you need to take the metro to Shilin station and take a bus from there to the museum. The National Palace Museum is an art museum where you can see first hand all the beautiful calligraphy, china, jade and jewelry from Taiwan’s history. It’s very well-maintained and allows you to appreciate the history of Taiwan, it’s art and the chinese legacy.

I don’t know about you, but I always get soo hungry after spending a day in a museum! So my recommendation for dinner that day is Hasumentei Ramen, near Shilin station, so you can grab a bite after coming back from the Museum. I came across this place a bit randomly, while looking for a dinner place quickly before I got hangry. And it was one of the best ramens I have ever tasted! The soup was delicious, creamy and made me squeal with joy. I tried the classic Tankotsu ramen and that’s what I recommend!

For the evening, my proposition is exploring Eslite bookstore - there are many stores located around Taipei, so you can find one that fits your location best. There’s even one store that’s open 24h, in Songyan. It’s in a great location too, because it’s close to Taipei Dome - the biggest stadium in Taipei, where you can even catch a game of baseball and a beautiful view of Taipei 101 by night.

I love browsing bookstores, so if that’s something that resonates with you, give Eslite a try. It has books and magazines in both chinese and english, as well as stationary, souvenirs and some niche brands of items like perfume, jewelry or clothing.

Day 3

On the third day of this itinerary, I recommend either starting the day or catching the sunset on Elephant Mountain. It’s one of the best viewpoints in all of Taipei, and it’s quite popular! The best way to get there is to take the red MRT line to Xingshan station and start your walk from there. The trail is well-marked so you won’t get lost. The hike itself is brisk but short, only around 30-40 minutes and around 2 kilometers to the top. It does require climbing somewhat steep steps, but the views overlooking the city are worth it! You can enjoy a little picnic on top, as there are several spots with tables and benches, as well as walk around and take beautiful panoramic shots of Taipei 101 and other skyscrapers.

Additionally, for the last day of the itinerary, I wanted to show you a couple of places I would visit if I wanted to do some serious shopping in Taipei. Depending on your interests, there may be many different places you might want to visit, but here are some of my recommendations.

If you’re a tech geek, or want to buy electronics, there a really cool multiple-story Guang Hua Digital Plaza, located near Zongxiao Xinsheng MRT station. There are actually two buildings - Guang Hua Digital Plaza with both official stores and a huge variety of private sellers with a great selection of electronic gadgets and computer parts; and Syntrend - where you can indulge in some shopping from official stores, like DJI, Nintendo, etc. There are also many stores with anime and manga, as well as toys and figurines from games and shows.

If you’re into stationary at all, I urge you to visit TY Lee Pens, near Daan Park. And while we’re at it, Daan Park is also worth mentioning - it’s a serene space in the middle of the city and during my time in Taipei, there was even a festival of azaleas! The Park looked and smelled wonderfully. TY Lee Pens is a small but well-equipped store specialising in fountain pens and inks, but you can find a wide selection of other stationary here as well. One of my most treasured souvenirs from the trip is a fountain pen from a Taiwanese brand called TWSBI. They have a big selection of different lines of these pens and will guide you to choose your perfect one. And I definitely recommend going downstairs and picking up a few inks - either from Taiwanese brands or choosing some from their assortment of international brands.

After that, you can take a stroll through Daan Park and walk towards Yongkan street. It’s filled with little souvenir shops where you can buy all the presents for your loved ones at home. There’s a wide variety teas, pineapple cake treats, umbrellas, clothing and everything you could hope for, and more. But one of the shops I truly recommend checking out is P. seven - a niche perfumery from Taiwan, which specialises in tea-inspired fragrances. It’s a beautiful concept, paying homage to the country’s legacy in a non-traditional, thoughtful way. And they make a wonderful souvenir for you or your loved ones!

And if you’re a tea enthusiast and want to bring some of Taiwan’s finest leaves home, you must visit Lin Mao Sen Tea Co. It’s a shop where you can buy tea by weight and it’s vacuum-packed so you can safely transport it back home. They have a wide selection of teas, but my recommendation is Oolong Tea and Jasmine Tea. I’m drinking them every day since my return!

While in Taipei, I encourage you to take advantage of the huge variety of bubble tea shops - you can find them everywhere! My favourite shops were: 50lan - for a basic, cheap and tasty milk tea with boba and ComeBuyTea - if you’re looking for a shop with a sleek design and some premium oolong teas.

And that wraps up my Taipei 3-day itinerary! I can’t wait to come back there and explore even more of the city. I feel like it’s one of those places that you can visit many times and always come across something new and exciting.

Let me know what you think, would you like to visit Taipei? Or maybe you’ve already been there and have some recommendations? Leave them in the comments!

See you soon,

Adriana