Taipei in 4 Days
Temples, Skylines & Hot Springs

Land at Taoyuan Airport and hop on the Taoyuan Airport MRT (purple line) Express train — about 35–40 minutes to Taipei Main Station. Drop your bags at the hotel or a station locker and your trip is underway.

Kick off your first meal in Taiwan in the old quarter. Try braised pork rice (lu rou fan) or a bowl of beef noodle soup at a long-running shop near Longshan Temple. Planning your whole food trail? See our 10 must-eat Taipei foods.

Taipei's oldest and most revered temple, founded in 1738, blending Buddhist, Taoist and Confucian worship under one roof. Watch locals at prayer beneath dragon-topped roofs and a small courtyard waterfall. Learn the etiquette and photo spots in our full Longshan Temple guide.

A restored Qing-dynasty street of red-brick arcades, just a few minutes from Longshan Temple. Wander the old architecture and murals — an atmospheric slice of history that most visitors walk straight past.

One MRT stop away is Ximending, the city's liveliest pedestrian zone — packed with shops, street art, cinemas and the historic Red House. Take it slow and soak up the early-evening buzz.

Start the day at Taiwan's signature tower. A high-speed elevator reaches the 89th-floor observatory in 37 seconds for a 360° city view, plus the giant gold tuned-mass damper. Mornings mean smaller crowds and clearer skies. See ticket tips in our Taipei 101 guide.

There's a Din Tai Fung branch right inside Taipei 101. This Michelin-starred dumpling house was born in Taipei, and its 18-fold soup dumplings are world-famous — grab a queue number before heading up to the observatory.

A spacious park in the heart of Xinyi, with a famous doorway that frames Taipei 101 perfectly, plus a Changing of the Guard ceremony on the hour. A leafy, restful spot for an afternoon stroll.

Taipei's upscale mall quarter — ATT 4 FUN, Eslite Spectrum and elevated walkways linking the malls together. Browse, grab a coffee and rest your legs before the Elephant Mountain climb.

A full day outside the city. Take Bus 1062 from MRT Zhongxiao Fuxing (about an hour), or book a day-tour with included transport for a more relaxed ride. Plan the whole route in our Jiufen-Shifen day trip guide.

A former gold-mining village straight out of a Studio Ghibli film, with narrow stone lanes lined by snack stalls and teahouses. Sip oolong tea in an old teahouse overlooking the sea — with 4 days, there's no need to hurry; take your time soaking it in.

Write your wishes on a paper lantern and release it from the old railway track that runs through the village — a classic Taiwan moment. One lantern is shared by the whole group.

Taiwan's widest waterfall, nicknamed the "Niagara of Taiwan". It's a 15–20 minute walk from Shifen village along a riverside trail. The broad curtain of water often throws a rainbow on a sunny afternoon.

Pack up and check out, leaving your bags with the hotel or in a Taipei Main Station locker, then set off light for Beitou.

Take the MRT red line to Beitou, then change to the one-stop branch line to Xinbeitou — Taipei's historic hot-spring district. Bathe in a budget-friendly public pool or book a private tub at a resort, and stop by the Hot Spring Museum and the steaming Thermal Valley.

From Beitou, ride the MRT to Shilin and connect by bus to the National Palace Museum, home to over 690,000 pieces of imperial Chinese art — highlights include the Jadeite Cabbage and the Meat-Shaped Stone. If your flight is in the evening, allow about 2 hours. See how to make the most of it in our National Palace Museum guide.