Taipei (臺北; Tâi-pak in Taiwanese, Táiběi in Mandarin) is the capital of Taiwan and a major global city. Located in the north of the island, nestled in a basin between the Yangming and Central Mountains, Taipei serves as the financial, cultural, and political heart of Taiwan. The city is a vibrant blend of Chinese heritage infused with strong Japanese and American influences—distinct in character yet refreshingly unhurried by global urban standards. Beyond well-known attractions like Taipei 101 and Ximending, the city offers a rich cultural land…
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
Taipei is a fast-growing city, but despite the pressure on land, a park is never far away, especially in the suburban areas. The downtown area is culturally divided into East and West. The west side, with its narrow streets and road side vendors, is considered the bastion of old Taipei life, whereas East Taipei, with its bustling supermalls, chic boutiques, stylish restaurants and classy cafes, reminiscent of those found in Tokyo, Seoul, Paris or New York City represents its metamorphosis. The Greater Taipei metropolitan area beyond Taipei City boundaries includes the surrounding New Taipei City (新北市) and Keelung (基隆市), representing the largest urban cluster in Taiwan with nearly 7 million p…
In 1884, Liu Mingchuan, the Qing dynasty governor of Taiwan, moved the prefectural capital to Taipei. As officials arrived and government buildings were constructed, the city began to transform from a quiet market town. When Taiwan became a province in 1887, Taipei was named its capital and continued to hold that status. Its position in northern Taiwan — closest to Japan — also supported its growth after the island was ceded to Japan in 1895. During Japan’s fervent modernization campaign, much of Taipei’s traditional Chinese architecture was swept away, including the historic city walls.
Taipei City has a very clean, efficient and safe Mass Rapid Transit system known most commonly as the MRT, but also called Metro Taipei (臺北捷運). Fares are between NT$20 and NT$65 for one-way trips around town. It has been widely lauded as one of the most reliable and efficient systems in the world, and is often cited as a gold standard to which Metro systems around the world should aspire to. Stations are clearly identified in English as well as Chinese. All stops are announced in six languages: Mandarin, English, Japanese, Korean, Taiwanese and Hakka. All stations have information booth/ticket offices close to the ticket vending machines.
Those who take the time to visit and look around will soon find that Taipei is just as vibrant as any other major city, and is full of a certain charm which makes it unique in its own right. Just spend a day wandering around Taipei's streets and you will start finding many surprises. Several memorial halls like the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Zhongzheng District and Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in Xinyi commemorate the most recognized leaders of the Nationalists to the lesser known war dead in the Martyrs' Shrine in Zhongshan District. All three have honor guards which change at set hours, demonstrating military precision and solemn respect for the ROC leaders and soldiers before them.
Hot springs (溫泉) come in various brands in Taipei, ranging from basic natural pools, to plush spas at five star hotels. The three main places to have a soak in the Greater Taipei area are: Beitou (北投), Wulai (烏來) and Yangmingshan National Park (陽明山). The basic free 'rub and scrub' type public baths are run by the city. Most hotels offer the option of a large sex-segregated bathing area that generally consists of several large baths of various temperatures, jacuzzi, sauna and steam bath and also private and family rooms. Some hotels also have outdoor baths (露天溫泉), which offer restful views over the surrounding countryside.
Taipei is a foodie's paradise. Almost every street and alley offers some kind of eatery. Although Taiwanese cuisine is primarily based on the cuisine of southern Fujian, the huge influx of Kuomintang refugees from mainland China after losing the Chinese Civil War means that Taipei is also one of the best places in the world to sample regional cuisines from all over China, with many of these also having been given a unique Taiwanese twist. In addition, Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese, Korean and Italian cuisines are also popular.
The nightlife in Taipei runs from boisterous night markets to equally exuberant clubs and bars, and indeed the city comes alive with glittering lights after the last rays of the sun leave the grey buildings. Xinyi is where the biggest and most flashy clubs are, especially the ATT4FUN Building which has an excellent view of Taipei 101, while smaller shophouses around the Taida and Shida university areas host live music gigs (although lessened after noise complaints). The "Combat Zone" in Zhongshan used to be the go-to district for US soldiers in the Vietnam War and remains fairly gritty with quite the collection of dive bars.
Taipei is one of the safest cities you will ever visit, and violent crime is extremely rare. Most people, including female travellers, will not encounter any problems roaming the streets alone at night. However, while not as rampant as in major European cities, pickpockets operate in crowded areas, so you should be vigilant of your belongings, particularly in night markets. Homeless people tend to congregate near Taipei Main Station. While most of them are harmless and will not bother you, you may want to avoid the area late at night if it makes you feel uncomfortable. Smoking is only allowed in designated areas.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
Top-rated tours and tickets from €45 — book ahead for the popular ones.
Tours and tickets provided by Viator (a Tripadvisor company). Some links earn Stayonomy a commission.
In Jul, Taipei typically sees ~33°C daytime highs and 23 rainy days.
Cheapest destinations travellers searched recently — refreshed daily.
Flight prices are real fares travellers found in the last 48 hours, refreshed daily — the booking site confirms the final price. Train, bus and ferry fares are shown on the operators' booking sites. Weather data by Open-Meteo; exchange rates: ECB reference. Data updated 2026-07-25. Some links earn Stayonomy a commission at no cost to you.
stayonomy