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Taipei itinerary

7 days, hour by hour · TaiwanOctober–May

Days
7
Stops
34
Per day
≈ 2,150 TWD
First stop
08:30

By TripWalkers · Updated:

Short answer

The TripWalkers Taipei itinerary runs 7 days and lays out 34 stops, hour by hour, for October–May. The first three days:

  1. Day 1 Taipei 101 & Elephant Mountain
  2. Day 2 Palace Museum & Shilin
  3. Day 3 Jiufen, Shifen & Yehliu

Staying less? Start with the first days — TripWalkers uses the opening days of this plan for shorter trips too. Days 3 and 6 are day trips out of the city. Food, entry fees and local transport come to about 2,150 TWD a day (excluding accommodation and flights).

Day 1 · 09:00–18:00

Taipei 101 & Elephant Mountain

  1. Landmark

    Taipei 101 Observatory

    89th floor; the first slot in the morning is uncrowded. See the wind damper ball.

    ≈ 600 TWD per person

  2. Shopping

    Xinyi District

    Shopping malls and the Eslite bookshop; air-conditioned.

    Free

  3. Food

    Din Tai Fung Xinyi

    The brand where xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) was born; take a queue number at 11:45.

    ≈ 500 TWD per person
  4. 30 min · travel, break, free time

  5. Culture

    Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall

    Changing of the guard every hour; park with a view of Taipei 101.

    Free
  6. 2 h · travel, break, free time

  7. Nature

    Elephant Mountain

    20 minutes of steep steps; the sunset photo of Taipei 101, crowded but worth it.

    Free
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
  • Kao Chi YongkangA cheaper rival to Din Tai Fung; xiaolongbao.
  • Songshan Cultural ParkDesign exhibitions in an old tobacco factory.

Day 2 · 09:00–17:30

Palace Museum & Shilin

  1. Culture

    National Palace Museum

    Imperial Chinese treasures, including the jadeite cabbage and the meat-shaped stone. Go Tuesday to Saturday and get in before the morning tour buses arrive.

    ≈ 350 TWD per person

  2. Nature

    Shilin Official Residence

    Gardens of Chiang Kai-shek's residence; rose garden.

    Free

  3. Food

    Lin Dong Fang Beef Noodle

    Taipei's best beef noodle soup (Bib Gourmand); clear broth.

    ≈ 250 TWD per person
  4. 45 min · travel, break, free time

  5. Nature

    Beitou Thermal Valley

    Steaming green thermal lake; smell of sulphur, MRT Xinbeitou.

    Free

  6. Nature

    Beitou Public Hot Spring

    Public hot spring (60 TWD, swimsuit required); you'll be among locals.

    ≈ 60 TWD per person
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
  • Shilin Night MarketTaipei's biggest night market; giant fried chicken cutlet and stinky tofu.
  • Beitou Hot Spring MuseumJapanese-era bathhouse building; go on a rainy day.

Day 3 · 08:30–16:30Day trip

Jiufen, Shifen & Yehliu

  1. Nature

    Yehliu Geopark

    Queen's Head rock and mushroom rocks; arrive before the morning tour buses.

    ≈ 120 TWD per person
  2. 45 min · travel, break, free time

  3. Nature

    Shifen Waterfall

    Taiwan's Niagara; 20-minute walk.

    Free

  4. Landmark

    Shifen Old Street

    Release a wish lantern over the railway (150 TWD); watch the train pass.

    ≈ 150 TWD per person
  5. 1 h · travel, break, free time

  6. Shopping

    Jiufen Old Street

    Terraced mountain town; taro balls and tea houses, with a Spirited Away feel.

    Free

  7. Food

    A-Mei Tea House Jiufen

    Tea house with red lanterns; oolong and views, and the lanterns light up at sunset.

    ≈ 400 TWD per person
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
  • Jiufen Grandma Lai Taro BallTaro ball dessert.
  • Houtong Cat VillageCat village; an alternative to Shifen.

Day 4 · 08:30–18:30

Dadaocheng & Longshan

  1. Culture

    Longshan Temple

    Taipei's oldest temple; morning prayers, incense and divination blocks.

    Free

  2. Landmark

    Bopiliao Historic Block

    Qing-era street; free exhibition.

    Free
  3. 30 min · travel, break, free time

  4. Shopping

    Dihua Street

    Dadaocheng's street of dried goods and tea; Baroque facades, Chinese New Year market.

    Free

  5. Food

    Yongle Market Food Court

    Local food in the Dadaocheng market; oyster omelette.

    ≈ 150 TWD per person
  6. 3 h 45 min · travel, break, free time

  7. Nature

    Dadaocheng Wharf

    Riverside container bars; sunset and cycling.

    Free
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
  • Du Hsiao Yueh TaipeiTainan danzai noodles; in Dadaocheng.
  • XimendingTaipei's Shibuya; youth culture and street art, an alternative to the wharf.

Day 5 · 09:00–20:30

Maokong

  1. Nature

    Maokong Gondola

    Glass-bottom gondola from Zoo station; tea gardens at the top.

    ≈ 120 TWD per person

  2. Food

    Maokong Çay Evi

    Oolong tea and tea-based dishes at the top; views of Taipei.

    ≈ 300 TWD per person

  3. Culture

    Taipei Zoo

    Pandas; gondola station.

    ≈ 60 TWD per person

  4. Culture

    Zhinan Temple

    Taoist temple on the mountain; gondola middle station.

    Free
  5. 3 h · travel, break, free time

  6. Food

    Raohe Night Market

    Single-street night market; at the entrance, charcoal-baked pepper buns (Fuzhou pepper bun).

    ≈ 300 TWD per person
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
  • Ningxia Night MarketLocal, food-focused night market.
  • Bitan Scenic AreaLake and suspension bridge in Xindian; boats.

Day 6 · 10:00–18:30Day trip

Tamsui

  1. Landmark

    Tamsui Old Street

    End of the MRT line; estuary town, a-gei (stuffed tofu) and fish balls.

    Free

  2. Culture

    Fort San Domingo

    Dutch-Spanish fort and British consulate; red building.

    ≈ 80 TWD per person

  3. Food

    Tamsui A-Gei Lokantası

    Glass noodles inside tofu; Tamsui's signature dish.

    ≈ 150 TWD per person
  4. 1 h · travel, break, free time

  5. Nature

    Fisherman's Wharf Tamsui

    Lovers' Bridge; reached by ferry, pier cafés.

    Free
  6. 30 min · travel, break, free time

  7. Nature

    Tamsui Gün Batımı Sahili

    One of Taiwan's most famous sunsets; river mouth.

    Free
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
  • Tamsui Zhengzhong Fish BallFish ball soup.
  • Bali Left BankFerry to the opposite bank; cycle path.

Day 7 · 09:00–13:30

Yongkang and a light farewell

  1. Culture

    Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall

    Giant white monument and changing of the guard (every hour); Liberty Square.

    Free

  2. Shopping

    Yongkang Street

    Cafés and mango shaved ice; Smoothie House.

    Free

  3. Food

    Yongkang Beef Noodle

    Beef noodles with seared beef since 1963; farewell lunch.

    ≈ 250 TWD per person

  4. Nature

    Da'an Forest Park

    City forest; last walk. 40 minutes by MRT to Taoyuan Airport.

    Free
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
  • Smoothie House YongkangMango snow ice; a dessert instead of noodles.
  • Taipei Botanical GardenLotus ponds; an alternative to the park.

Getting around: get an EasyCard

Works on the MRT, buses, YouBike and in shops, including the Jiufen bus.

Good to know: 6 things that make a Taipei trip easier

  1. The EasyCard works on the MRT, buses and YouBike; eating and drinking are banned on the MRT (fines apply). It takes 40 minutes by MRT to Taoyuan Airport.
  2. October to December is the best season (22-26°C). January and February are 12-15°C and rainy, but it is hot spring season. Shops are closed over Chinese New Year.
  3. Night markets are open 18:00-24:00; 300 TWD is enough to eat your fill. No tipping, and cash is still common.
  4. For Jiufen, Shifen and Yehliu take a tour (~1,500 TWD) or the 1062 bus; go to Jiufen in the afternoon, as the lanterns light up after 17:00.
  5. Take a queue number at Din Tai Fung; in Yongkang, Lin Dong Fang noodles cost 250 TWD.
  6. Shoes are not taken off in temples; divination blocks and incense are allowed.

Spending: ≈ 15,000 TWD per person for 7 days

  • Food9,000 TWD
  • Entry and tours2,500 TWD
  • Local transport1,500 TWD
  • Other2,000 TWD

Excludes accommodation and flights. 2026 price estimate, per person.

We did the planning. You just pick the dates.

TripWalkers rebuilds this route around your number of days, budget and pace — on a map, day by day, in your pocket.

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Frequently asked questions

How many days do you need in Taipei?

This itinerary is built for 7 days. With 3 days, do the first 3 — TripWalkers uses the opening days of the plan for shorter trips too. The day trip is on day 3 and 6; skip it on a short stay.

How much does a day in Taipei cost?

In this plan, food, entry fees and local transport come to about 2,150 TWD per person per day. Accommodation and flights are not included. Figures are 2026 estimates.

What time should you start the day in Taipei?

The first stop is at 08:30. Most days start early so you arrive before the crowds, and evenings end with dinner.

Which season is this itinerary for?

This page covers October–May. There is a separate plan for June–September: opening hours, the sea and the weather change the route.