1. Taipei 101
Website: http://www.taipei-101.com.tw/en/index.aspx
Transportation: Take the Taipei Metro (MRT) Tamsui-Xinyi Line to TAIPEI 101 Station Exit No.4
l An outstanding landmark is enough to transform a city, e.g. the Empire State Building in New York City, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, or the new Jinmao Mansion in Shanghai. In the 21st century, Taipei needs a more expansive stage for a more brilliant performance.
About Observatory: entrance after buying tickets, visitors may watch the multimedia show or visit the souvenir Shop before riding the elevators. TAIPEI 101 Observatory’s elevators are Guinness Record-breaking high-speed pressurized elevators in 2004, with a speed of 1010 meters per minute.
2. Wistaria Tea House
Website: http://www.wistariateahouse.com/
Transportation: Take the Taipei Metro (MRT) Tamsui-Xinyi Line to Taipower Buidind Station Exit No. 2
l Wistaria Tea House is a well-known and historically important teahouse located in the Daan District, of Taipei, Taiwan. The establishment is situated in a Japanese-style wooden house built in the 1920s on Xinsheng South Road. The teahouse is named after the three wisteria vines planted in the front courtyard forming a shaded area leading to the entrance of the building. The teahouse, with its circa 1930s decor, was reopened to much fanfare after a long needed renovation in 2008.
3. Xinbeitou Hot Springs
Transportation: Take the Taipei Metro (MRT) Tamsui-Xinyi Line to Xinbeitou Station
l Hot springs in Xinbeitou with high temperature and many sources are caused by the terrestrial heat of Datun Mountains. Thermal valley is one of the earliest hot spring sources found in Taiwan.
Water quality. The green sulfur in Thermal valley is the acid spring. The consistency of hydrogen is 1.4, the temperature is 85。C, the color is translucent gray, and it has light radiation.The hot spring in Beitou Hot Spring Road is white sulfur. Its PH between 3-4, as vitriol salt spring, translucent white and yellow, 50。C - 90。C, and light acidity.
Scenic spots. Beitou hot spring has been famous since Japanese colonial times. The area is around with historic monuments and natural scenic spots. Beitou Museum, Yinsong Building, Xingnai Spring, Beitou Library, Beitou Hot Spring Park, and the Folk Museum connect into a hot spring route.
4. Tamsui
Transportation: Take the Taipei Metro (MRT) Tamsui-Xinyi Line to Tamsui Station
l Tamsui used to be called Huwei. It is a derivation from the ancient tongue "Hoba". It means the river outlet. Tamsui is located in northwest of Taipei basin. Tamsui is surrounded by mountains and rivers and the scenery is beautiful.
5. Baoan Temple
Website: http://www.baoan.org.tw/asp/Home/default.asp
Transportation: Take the Taipei Metro (MRT) Tamsui-Xinyi Line to Yuanshan Station Exit 2
l The Baoan Temple in Dalongtong is a temple devoted to the worshipping of Baosheng Dadi "Great Emperor Protecting Life". Built by immigrants from Tongan, Fujian, the name “Baoan” also means “Blessed Tongan”. After numerous renovations, the temple now has three wings and has been declared a Secondary National Heritage Site.
6. Confucius Temple
Website: http://www.ct.taipei.gov.tw/
Transportation: Take the Taipei Metro (MRT) Tamsui-Xinyi Line to Yuanshan Station Exit 2
l The Taipei Confucius Temple is modeled after the original Confucius Temple in Qufu, China. In keeping with the sober spirit of Confucianism, the building is appropriately austere. Visitors also won't find the spring couplets common at other types of temples. Some say this is because it would be rude to display the writing of another in a temple dedicated to the Sage. Among the Confucius temples in Taiwan, Taipei's is the only one adorned with southern Fujian-style ceramic applique. At the main hall of the temple one can see a black plaque with gold lettering that reads "Educate without Discrimination." Every year on September 28, a grand ceremony with traditional music and stylized dancing is held at the temple in honor of Confucius.
7. Taipei Fine Arts Museum
Website: http://www.tfam.museum/index.aspx?ddlLang=zh-tw
Transportation: Take the Taipei Metro (MRT) Tamsui-Xinyi Line to Yuanshan Station Exit 1
l The conception and construction of TFAM’s physical structure is uniquely creative and symbolic. It combines a rather unique architectural plan with a natural courtyard, thus corresponding quite favorably with the initial aims and features of the Museum’s original blueprint. The architecture is infused with elements borrowed from traditional Chinese architecture, which are presented via the structure of piled brackets in the form of suspended corridors that, together, form a tubular-shaped composition. This tube-shape is identical to the Chinese character for ‘fountain’, hence fostering the museum’s analogue as a live source of culture.
Symmetrical and suspended gallery spaces are spread on each floor to form a new space in which visitors can view and appreciate art. The grand windows allow visitors inside of the museum to take in the beauteous views that overlook Yuan Shan,Fine Arts Park Area and the surrounding environments. Zhong Shan N. Road, generally known as ‘national road’ and the usual route taken by foreign leaders who enter and exit the country, extends to the museum’s left. The Museum’s location is also extremely easily accessible and can be reached by either the MRT (Metro) or bus.
8. Museum of Contemporary Art, Taipei
Website: http://www.mocataipei.org.tw/
Transportation: Take the Taipei Metro (MRT) Tamsui-Xinyi Line to Zhongshan Station Exit 1
l The Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei is located in a historic Japanese-era building once used as Chenggong Elementary School. After Taiwan's retrocession, the building housed the Taipei City Hall. When City Hall moved to Xinyi District in 1994, the building was turned into an art museum. The museum was officially renamed in 2000 as the Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei. Free audio guide service and group tours are available.
9. National Palace Museum
Website: http://www.npm.gov.tw/
Transportation: Take the MRT Tamsui-Xinyi Line to the Shilin Station Exit 1and take bus R30 (Red 30 - Low-floor bus) to the National Palace Museum. Other routes that will take you to and near the Museum plaza are buses 255, 304, 815 (Sanchung – NPM Line), Minibus 18 and Minibus 19.
l The Taipei National Palace Museum is a world-class museum that hosts an eclectic collection of treasures kept by generations of Emperors ruling from the Forbidden City. In WWII, Nationalist troops seized the most important pieces in order to prevent invaders from ransacking China's national treasures. A twist of fate eventually brought these treasures to Taiwan.
The Taipei National Palace Museum is designed in the style of a Northern Chinese palace. The museum is home to hundreds of thousands of historical relics that make up the world's most comprehensive and precious collection of ancient Chinese artifacts. The entire collection covers 5,000 years of China's historical and artistic achievements.
The museum provides Chinese, English, French, German, Japanese, Spanish and Korean language guides and museum-related literature. The museum is a must- see on any visitor's itinerary.
10. Lin An Tai Historical Home
Website: http://www.lin-an-tai.net/
Transportation: Take the Taipei Metro (MRT) Tamsui-Xinyi Line to Yuanshan Station Exit 1à Transfer to bus Red 50 to Xinsheng Park Station
l The two-century old Lin An Tai Historical Home is a southern Fujianese-style courtyard. The rocks that cover the front yard were taken from rocks that were used by mainland merchants to stabilize their ships. The pond in the front was used for defensives purposes. It also helped lower summer heat and provided water for drinking and putting out fires.
11. National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
Website: http://www.cksmh.gov.tw/
Transportation: Take the Taipei Metro (MRT) Tamsui-Xinyi Line to Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Station Exit 5
l This memorial hall was built in memory of Chiang Kai-shek, the first president of the Republic of China. Work on the hall began in 1976, a year after President Chiang passed away. Design by C.C. Yang, who was also the architect for The Grand Hotel, the memorial hall is white with a blue roof, representing the dominant colors in the ROC flag; while the emblem of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) adorns the vaulted ceiling. A bronze statue of Chiang looks west symbolically to the Presidential Office Building and mainland China. The front plaza of the hall is also a major venue for democratic assemblies.
12. Xingtian Temple
Website: http://www.ht.org.tw/
Transportation: Take the Taipei Metro (MRT) Zonghe-Xinlu Line to Xingtian Temple station Exit 3
l Xingtian Temple is the most-visited temple in northern Taiwan, attracting upwards of 10,000 people a day. Situated in the heart of Taipei, the temple is unique in that it does not allow worshippers to burn "spirit money" or make offerings. There are also no donation boxes or opera performances, and no commercial activity is allowed.
13. Lungshan Temple
Website: http://www.lungshan.org.tw/
Transportation: Take the Taipei Metro (MRT) Bannan Line to Longshan Temple Station Exit 1
l The Lungshan Temple houses hundreds of statues of Buddhist, Taoist, and Confucian deities. The temple mixes traditional Chinese siheyuan ("four-building courtyard") with palace architecture in its design. The temple is divided into front hall, main hall, rear hall, right wing and left wing. Painting of vivid creatures grace the temple walls, and stone statues of mystical creatures guard the temple grounds. The joining of wall and roof did not use any nails or braces made of metal. Covered by over tapping tiles, the temple roof is decorated with figures of dragon, phoenix and other auspicious creatures. The figures are decorated with porcelain, clay, and shards of colored glass. They represent the pinnacle of mosaic art in Taiwan. The temple has been declared a Secondary National Heritage Site.
14. The Lin Family Mansion and Garden
Website: http://www.linfamily.ntpc.gov.tw/
Transportation: Take the Taipei Metro (MRT) Bannan Line to Fuzhong Station Exit 1
l The Ben-Yuan Lin’s Family Mansion and Garden in Banchiao is today’s most complete private garden left in Taiwan. In the old days, wealthy businessmen were very fond of living standards and used such exquisite and elaborate designed mansions and gardens to entertain government officials and business partners. Often they spent tons of money on building such refined mansions and gardens. Yet due to natural destroy or chaos caused by war and the pass of eras, most Chinese-style mansions and gardens are now extremely torn out. Some have already disappeared and could be found only in scholars’ writings or recorded histories. Luckily, the Ben-Yuan Lin’s Family Mansion and Garden in Banchiao has been renovated and maintained by specialists after being ruined during Taiwan’s restoration. Now parts of the mansion and garden have restored as original. The Ben-Yuan Lin’s Family Mansion and Garden in Banchiao can be considered as a historical treasure left by the people from the past and also a place for people to truly understand the heritage and history of Taiwan.
15. Songshan Cultural and Creative Park
Website: http://www.songshanculturalpark.org/en/index.html
Transportation: Take the Taipei Metro (MRT) Bannan Line to Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall Station Exit 5
l In 2012, the Songshan Cultural and Creative Park was positioned as the “Creative Hub of Taipei”, with the objective to nurture creative talents and energy. The Park is not designed with a commercial focus, but rather, its mission is to kindle creativity and innovation and to be in synch with the interdisciplinary developmental trend observed in today’s industries. The Songshan Cultural and Creative Park is not just a platform for showcasing creativity and innovation. It strives to be a hub for inspiring and nurturing the spirits of creativity, and with the four key strategies of “Creative Lab”, “Creative Co-Op”, “Creative School”, and “Creative Showcase”, the objective is for the Park to achieve the goal of becoming Taipei’s creative hub.
16. The Maokong Gondola/ The Taipei Zoo
Website: http://english.gondola.taipei/mp.asp?mp=122034 (Maokong Gondola)
http://english.zoo.gov.taipei/ (Taipei Zoo)
Transportation: Take the Taipei Metro (MRT) Wenshan-Neihu Line to Taipei Zoo Station and then walk to the Maokong Gondola Taipei Zoo Station (about 350 meters).
l Maokong Gondola, the city’s first cable car facility, is always crowded with thrill-seekers who love the view of lush forests. The uniquely styled tea parlors in Maokong offer tea breaks, or tea-inspired meals, overlooking the hillside tea plantations on your trip to this relaxing mountain town.
Taipei Zoo. A favorite of all generations, the Taipei Zoo is the perfect destination for families and couples. The zoo features Formosan Animal Area, Children's Zoo, Asian Tropical Rainforests Area, Desert Animals Area, Australian Animal Area, African Animal Area, Temperate Zone Animal Area and Birds World. The ever-alluring panda duo Tuantuan and Yuanyuan, the adorable koalas and the constantly active penguins are the stars of the zoo. If you haven't seen them, then you haven't visited Taipei Zoo!
