Top Things to Do in Taipei: The Definitive 2026 Guide

Iconic Landmarks and Skyline Views

No list of things to do in Taipei starts anywhere other than Taipei 101. Standing 508 metres tall, this pagoda-inspired skyscraper was the world's tallest building from 2004 to 2010, and its indoor observatory on floors 88 and 89 remains one of the most visited attractions in Taiwan. The standard adult ticket is NT$600, which includes the floor 91 viewing area. If you want the open-air Skyline 460 experience on floor 101, a combined ticket runs NT$980. The elevators are among the fastest in the world, reaching the 89th floor in under 40 seconds. Last entry is typically around 21:15–21:30, but this can change during typhoons or private events — always confirm on the official Taipei 101 website before you go.

For a free alternative with arguably better framing of the city, Elephant Mountain Trail in Xinyi District is a 20-minute uphill hike that delivers the classic Taipei 101 photo with the full skyline as backdrop. It's crowded at sunset on weekends, but arriving 30 minutes before golden hour on a weekday is often enough to secure a good spot on the rock platforms. No entrance fee, no ticket queue. Our Taipei viewpoints guide covers eight more options across different price points and effort levels.

Museums Worth Your Time (and One to Skip)

The National Palace Museum in Shilin holds one of the largest collections of Chinese imperial artifacts in the world, including the famous Jadeite Cabbage and Meat-shaped Stone. Admission is NT$350 for most adult visitors, with discounted rates for seniors, students, and groups. Critical detail that many guides miss: the museum is closed every Monday, except on national holidays. Hours are Tuesday to Sunday, 09:00–17:00, with last ticket sales at 16:30. Budget at least two to three hours; the permanent collection alone spans 12 galleries. Online booking through the official site or platforms like Klook reduces waiting time significantly on peak weekends.

Beyond the Palace Museum, Taipei has a strong secondary tier of cultural institutions. The Taipei Fine Arts Museum in Zhongshan charges NT$30 for permanent collections and hosts internationally significant contemporary exhibitions. The National Taiwan Museum near NTU Hospital MRT is worth an hour for its natural history and indigenous cultures coverage. For something genuinely unusual, the Miniatures Museum of Taiwan near Zhongshan MRT is one of the best specialist museums of its kind in Asia — not for everyone, but consistently impressive for detail-oriented visitors.

• National Palace Museum Tue–Sun, 09:00–17:00. NT$350 adult. Closed Mondays. Allow 2–3 hours minimum.
• Taipei Fine Arts Museum Tue–Sun. NT$30 permanent collection. Free on Saturdays. Near MRT Yuanshan.
• Miniatures Museum of Taiwan Tue–Sun. NT$180 adult. Near MRT Zhongshan. 1–1.5 hours recommended.
• National Taiwan Museum Tue–Sun. NT$30 adult. Two buildings: main hall and Railway Department Park. Near MRT NTU Hospital.
• Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei (MOCA) Tue–Sun. NT$50–100 depending on exhibitions. Walking distance from MRT Zhongshan.

Temples, History, and Old Taipei

Wanhua District is the oldest settled part of Taipei, and Longshan Temple is its spiritual anchor. Built in 1738 and rebuilt multiple times after wartime damage, it's an active place of worship dedicated to Guanyin alongside dozens of other deities. Visitors are welcome throughout the day (typically 06:00–22:00), but the atmosphere is richest during morning and evening prayer sessions when incense smoke fills the air and worshippers crowd the central courtyard. Admission is free. Dress modestly and step around rather than through prayer groups.

A short walk from Longshan Temple, Bopiliao Historic Block preserves a stretch of Qing Dynasty and Japanese colonial-era shophouses that survived Taipei's rapid development. It's free to walk through and provides useful architectural context for the city's layered history. For the complete picture of historic Taipei, combine it with a morning at Dihua Street in Dadaocheng, where 19th-century trading houses now sell dried goods, fabrics, and specialty teas in largely original buildings.

Xingtian Temple in Zhongshan is another significant active temple, this one dedicated to Guan Di (the god of business and war). It draws enormous crowds of local businesspeople seeking blessings, particularly on weekday mornings. The contrast with tourist-heavy Longshan Temple is striking — this is Taipei residents going about their spiritual lives, not a performance for visitors. No photography during worship periods; look for the signs.

Night Markets, Food Streets, and Eating Well

Taipei's night markets are one of the top reasons people visit the city, and they deliver. Shilin Night Market is the largest and most famous, operating across two floors of a purpose-built food court plus surrounding streets in Shilin District. It's genuinely worth visiting, but go in knowing it caters heavily to tourists and prices reflect that. Scallion pancakes, stinky tofu, oyster vermicelli, and giant fried chicken cutlets are the core food pillars. Arrive after 19:00 when it reaches full energy; expect crowds until midnight or later on weekends.

For a more local experience, Raohe Street Night Market in Songshan is more compact, easier to navigate, and consistently rated higher by residents for food quality. The black pepper buns from the Fuzhou Pepper Bun stall near the Ciyou Temple entrance have a legitimate queue that moves fast. Ningxia Night Market near Zhongshan is smaller still but famous among locals for traditional Taiwanese dishes, including braised pork rice, taro balls, and oyster omelets. Our full Taipei night markets guide ranks all the major options and maps out the best stalls.

Nature, Hiking, and Getting Out of the City

Taipei sits inside a natural basin ringed by forested mountains, and accessing them is genuinely easy. Yangmingshan National Park begins roughly 30 minutes by bus from Jiantan MRT and offers trails ranging from easy paved paths around volcanic craters to serious ridge hikes like the Qixing Mountain Trail, which reaches the park's highest point at 1,120 metres. In late February to March, cherry blossoms and calla lilies attract large crowds — arrive early on weekends or the bus queues become impractical. Entry to the park itself is free.

The Maokong Gondola offers a different kind of green escape: a roughly 4-kilometre cable car ride through forested hills to the tea-growing area of Maokong, south of the city. Since March 2025, the fare structure changed to a flat NT$180 per ride, with a NT$300 day pass. EasyCard is accepted. The gondola is closed most Mondays for maintenance, and service suspends during typhoons and strong winds — check the official Maokong Gondola website the morning you plan to go. At the top, a string of tea houses serve locally grown oolong alongside simple Taiwanese dishes. It's a reliable half-day excursion from the city.

For hot springs, Beitou District is the closest and most practical option, reachable in about 40 minutes from Taipei Main Station via MRT. The geothermal water here ranges from sodium bicarbonate to the rare sulphate-rich green sulfur spring. Public bathing facilities charge NT$40–150, while private hotel baths run higher. Our Taipei hot springs guide covers public vs. private options, etiquette, and the best facilities for different budgets.

Day Trips Worth Adding to Your Itinerary

The hilltop town of Jiufen, about 3540 kilometres northeast of central Taipei, is one of the most-visited day trips in Taiwan. The old street, with its red lanterns, narrow staircases, and tea houses cantilevered over the valley, is genuinely atmospheric — but it also gets extremely crowded on weekends and public holidays. Going on a Tuesday or Wednesday morning in the shoulder season makes a significant difference. Combine it with Jinguashi Gold Museum nearby for a fuller day. Full logistics are in our Taipei to Jiufen day trip guide.

Closer to the city, the riverside town of Tamsui's old street and waterfront is accessible in 35 minutes on the MRT Red Line. It's a popular weekend destination for locals, combining colonial-era forts, temples, and a long waterfront promenade with food stalls. Less dramatic than Jiufen but easier to reach and less crowded. For more ideas outside the city, the day trips from Taipei guide covers ten options with transport times and costs.

• Jiufen Old Street 50 km northeast. Bus from Zhongxiao Fuxing MRT or taxi. Best on weekday mornings. Combine with Jinguashi.
• Shifen Waterfall and Pingxi Accessible via Ruifang train station. Sky lanterns at Pingxi, Taiwan's widest waterfall at Shifen. Plan 5–6 hours.
• Tamsui 35 minutes on MRT Red Line. Free waterfront promenade, colonial forts, local snacks. Good for half-day.
• Yehliu Geopark 40 km north. Famous for wind-eroded rock formations including the Queen's Head. NT$80–120 entrance. Day trip by bus.