Taipei – Historic Capital of Taiwan

Having spent almost three years living in Nanjing, China, I learned a lot about the history of the country and the civil war between the Communist Party and the Kuomintang. After learning about the conflict and the history of Taiwan, I knew I had to visit the capital of this unique country.

Taipei is home to historical sites commemorating the founders of the Republic of China and modern Taiwan, as well as museums, food markets and great hiking spots. There’s a lot to see and do in this densely packed capital!

Things to do in Taipei

Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall

The Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall is a massive white monument built to honour the late Chiang Kai-Shek. Chiang Kai-Shek was the leader of the Kuomintang political party and the leader of the Republic of China in mainland China from 1928. After losing the Chinese Civil War to the Chinese Communist Party in 1949, his government fled to Taiwan. He continued to lead the Republic of China in Taiwan (while mainland China became known as the People’s Republic of China) until his death in 1975.

The memorial hall opened in 1980. On the ground level there is museum about Chiang Kai-Shek and Taiwan’s history. Two sets of white stairs lead up to the main entrance of the hall, where inside you’ll find a large statue of Chiang Kai-Shek.

If you time your visit right, you’ll be able to see the changing of the guards. You can check the times for this on the memorial hall’s website.

Liberty Square

Liberty Square is the large public park where you can find the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall. Within Liberty Square you’ll also find the National Concert Hall and the National Theater Hall, which sit opposite each other. At the end of the square opposite the memorial hall you’ll find the impressive Liberty Square arch.

Liberty Square is the main site of public gatherings in Taipei, and has been host to many protests and demonstrations since its completion.  

Sun Yat-Sen Memorial hall

The Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall is a large hall built to honour Sun Yat-Sen, the first leader of the Kuomintang and the first president of the Republic of China. Sun Yat-Sen led the 1911 revolution against the Qing dynasty in China, helping to establish China as a republic.

Within the memorial hall you’ll find exhibits about Sun Yat-Sen and the revolution he led. The main hall contains a statue of Sun Yat-Sen and, just like with the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, if you time your visit right, you’ll be able to see the changing of the guards.

Taipei 101

Taipei 101, at 508m, is the tallest building in Taiwan and the 11th tallest building in the world as of 2024. At the base of the tower you’ll find a large shopping mall and a great food court. The tower is best viewed from a distance, such as from the nearby Elephant Mountain or from the park that the Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall sits in.

If you want you can ride the elevator up to the observation decks. The view from the top isn’t all that impressive as much of Taipei looks the same from above, but if you like to visit the highest places wherever you go then why not?

One impressive feature of the skyscraper is the wind damper, the largest in the world. You can walk all around this massive pendulum that sways to offset movements in the building caused by strong winds.

Elephant Mountain

Elephant Mountain, or Xiangshan, is a small mountain at 183m high. Reaching the peak will give you a great view of Taipei 101 and the wider city. To begin the hike head to Xiangshan metro station and walk through the park of the same name. You’ll come to the Elephant Mountain trail head. From here it’s just a case of climbing some stairs. There are various viewing platforms to get good photos of the city along the way.

If you fancy doing more hiking, I recommend continuing up to the 9-5 (九五) peak. Continue following the signs after the Elephant Mountain peak. They’ll lead you up a paved path and stairs (a lot of stairs) to the peak at 375m. From here you’ll get a great view of Taipei. Make sure to bring plenty of water and snacks, especially in Taiwan’s hot and humid summer.

Ciyou Temple

Ciyou Temple is located at the end of the Raohe Street Night market. The temple was built in the mid-18th century. The temple is incredibly decorated, in particular the roof which is heavily ornamented. I recommend visiting this temple at night when it along with all its lanterns are lit up.

Raohe Street Night market

The Raohe Street Night Market is a great place to go in Taipei, with the Ciyou Temple located at its east end. The market sells goods and souvenirs, but its main draw is the street food. You’ll also find the nearby streets packed with claw machine shops with prizes ranging from toys to snacks, and even packs of ramen.

Rainbow Bridge

The Rainbow Bridge is an S-shaped bridge that crosses the Keelung River. Located behind the Ciyou Temple and Raohe Street Night Market, it’s worth visiting if you’re already going to be at either of them. The bridge lights up at night making for some good photos.

Dalongdong Baoan Temple and Confucius Temple

The Dalongdong Baoan Temple and Confucius Temple sit opposite each other in north west Taipei. The Dalongdong Baoan Temple was built in the early 1800s, while the Confucius Temple was built in the latter half of the 19th century. Both temples bear colourful detail, with dragons adorning the rooftops. Both temples are worth visiting for their design or if you have an interest in Chinese folk religion or Confucianism.

Taipei Botanical Garden

Home to over 2000 species of plants, the Taipei Botanical Garden is a nice place to get away from the crowded streets of Taipei. The garden has many walkways between the trees and a small museum with information about the different plants within. The highlight of the garden is the lotus pond in the south east corner.

Longshan Temple

The Longshan Temple in Taipei was originally built in 1738. The temple was built for Chinese Buddhism but also contains halls and shrines for Chinese folk religion. The temple features a waterfall outside, a dragon fountain, and many dragon ornaments that adorn the rooftops of the halls.

Ximending Shopping Street

Ximending is a pedestrianised shopping district in Taipei, best visited at night when the night market opens. The area is host to a wide range of shops selling items ranging from fashion to electronics. There are buildings full of collectibles from different movies and anime, the Don Don Donki store, and the Red House – an old theatre building that was host to arts and crafts vendors when I visited. Ximending is a fun place to wander at night for shopping, street food and lots of claw machines.

Linjiang Night Market

Linjiang Night Market is a street food market not far from Taipei 101. This is a great place to visit to try some traditional Chinese and Taiwanese street foods. I recommend the 多多肉肉夾饃 (Duoduo Roujiamo). These are crispy buns filled with diced pork and pepper, and they’re delicious. I ate these during my time in China and was glad to find them again in Taiwan.

Takumi Dumplings

The last place on my list of things to do in Taipei is Takumi Dumplings. This restaurant is located near to the Shandao Temple metro station. It’s a popular spot so you may have to wait for a table, but the food is definitely worth it. You can get platefuls of dumplings, dumpling soup, and lots of tasty sides, all for affordable prices. I ordered the dumpling soup, chive dumplings, garlic chive dumplings and the pork, garlic and chive dumplings, plus I had a couple of sides. It was all delicious and the staff were very friendly and helpful too. I definitely recommend this spot when in Taipei.

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