Taipei Travel Itinerary: How to Spend Amazing 1 to 5 Days in Taipei (2025)

Last Updated on June 27, 2025 by Oliver

Taipei was never really on my radar until this year, and then I went, and now I can’t shut up about it. 

The food is incredible, the people are super friendly, it’s easy to get around, and every neighborhood feels a bit different from the last. It’s one of those cities that just feels super exciting without me even doing any sightseeing. You’re eating soup dumplings one minute, wandering through a temple the next, and somehow ending the night with boba and stinky tofu under a neon sign.

I spent a week in Taipei, but honestly, even if you’ve only got one day, you can still have a great time. So to help you plan your trip (however long it is), I’ve put together this Taipei travel itinerary based completely on my own experience. 

Whether you’ve got 1, 3, or 5 days, you’ll find something realistic and fun here, with good food, cool sights, and some honest advice along the way.

Taipei Travel Itinerary – My Experience

For me, Taipei was less about ticking off tourist attractions and more about just being in the city.I was wandering around, experiencing up the culture, and eating a lot. I did visit the main sights, of course, but compared to a place like Bangkok for example, Taipei doesn’t have that same nonstop sightseeing energy. It felt more relaxed, maybe because I had a full week here and didn’t need to rush through it all.

Most days, I was just chasing good food. I really believe that a huge part of Taipei’s culture comes through in what you eat, so I spent plenty of time hunting down the best local spots, trying everything from street snacks to old-school Taiwanese breakfasts.

So when I lay out these itineraries, the longer you have in the city, the more I’ll lean into that slower pace with great food, little neighborhood walks, and less of the back-to-back sightseeing. If you only have one day, sure, we’ll cram in the big stuff. But if you’ve got 3–5 days, I’d totally recommend skipping a temple or two in favor of a really good bowl of beef noodle soup or a chill morning at a Taiwanese breakfast joint.

1. How to Spend 1 Day in Taipei Itinerary

If you’ve only got 24 hours in Taipei, don’t stress, you can still fit in a good mix of food, culture, and sightseeing. I’d start the morning in the Xinyi district near Taipei 101 with a proper Taiwanese breakfast at a local spot like 秦小姐豆漿, followed by a coffee at Wilbeck Café or 小川珈琲所.

From there, head up to the Taipei 101 Observation Deck for the most amazing views over Taipei, then take the MRT to the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall. It’s massive and impressive and a good stop for some quick photos. After that, you can swing by Lungshan Temple, which is one of the most beautiful temples in the city.

In the afternoon, wander around Dihua Street for some souvenirs and snacks, or stop by Ximending Walking District, if you want a bit more buzz. Then wrap it up in the evening at Raohe Night Market, which has some of the best food in Taipei. Get the famous pepper pork buns at the front of the market, you can’t miss them.

This Taipei itinerary 1 Day is busy, but doable and you’ll leave feeling like you actually got a taste of what Taipei’s all about.

2. The Best 2 Day Taipei Itinerary

If you’ve got 2 days in Taipei, then I’d say that’s a great amount of time to visit Taipei. You’ve got enough time to do some proper sightseeing, try loads of food, and still not feel rushed the whole time.

Day 1 of this itinerary would basically follow the same structure I laid out earlier: traditional Taiwanese breakfast, Taipei 101, Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, some temple-hopping, and ending the day with a night market (I’d still say Raohe if it’s your first).

Day 2 is where you can mix things up a bit. Personally, I’d start the morning with a local coffee and then head to Elephant Mountain. It’s a short but steep little hike that gives you one of the best views over the city, especially early in the morning when it’s still a bit quiet. After that, maybe head to the National Palace Museum, not because I’m a huge museum guy but because it really is one of the most important museums in all of Asia and worth a look. It also looks pretty cool from the outside so obviously we took a few pictures here too.

For the evening, I would definitely visit different night market. Ningxia Night Market is a good onesmaller, more local, and really solid on food. However Shilin Night Market is the most popular night market in Taiwan and it’s quite close to the National Palace Museum.

Alternatively, if you’re looking to have a nicer dinner, I’d totally recommend going to Din Tai Fung and getting their legendary xiao long baos (soup dumplings). The original one is here in Taipei, but there are a few locations around the city.

3. My 3 Day Itinerary Taipei

For the first two days of this itinerary, I’d keep things exactly the same as what I already laid out above. Day one covers the must-see sights and some of my favorite local breakfast spots and night market eats. Day two mixes in more cultural stops and a slower pace. So here’s what I’d add if you’ve got a full Taipei Itinerary 3 Days.

If you’ve made it to Day 3, I’d say it’s the perfect time to get out of the city for a bit and explore one of the most popular (and honestly, pretty magical) day trips from Taipei, Jiufen.

Jiufen Day Trip

You’ve probably seen Jiufen before, little lantern-lined alleys, narrow staircases, tea houses with mountain views, and food stalls in every corner. It’s an old gold mining town about 1–1.5 hours from Taipei and it kind of feels like you’re walking around a movie set (in fact, a lot of people say it inspired Spirited Away).

I have a full guide on Jiufen, but the short version is: come hungry, wear good shoes (there are a lot of stairs), and try to get there earlier in the day before the big crowds roll in. You can do it by public transport (train + bus) or book an easy half-day tour if you don’t want to figure out the route yourself.

You’ll probably be back in Taipei by late afternoon or early evening. And since it’s your last night in the city, I’d either go all out with one final night market crawl (Raohe or Ningxia would be great for this), or go back to your favorite food spot from the last few days.

4. The Best 4 Day Taipei Itinerary

If you’ve got four full days in Taipei, I’d stick with everything I’ve laid out in the 1–3 day itineraries above. That covers a bit of sightseeing, a good chunk of eating, and even my favorite day trip from Taipei. Now for day four, I’d suggest one of two options depending on how you’re feeling: either another day trip  to the famous Taroko Gorge or a full-on food day in the city. Both are fun, totally up to you.

Option 1: A Full Taipei Food Day

If you’ve been loving the food in Taipei so far, this day is all about chasing more of it. I’d start with a proper Taiwanese breakfast at 秦小姐豆漿 信義店 (you’ve probably seen this spot in my other guides), get some scallion pancakes, soy milk, and egg crepes.

For lunch, I’d go for beef noodle soup. Fuhong Beef Noodles is a classic. In the afternoon, maybe take it easy, have a coffee at Summer Savage or After 5, then head to Addiction Aquatic Development for a proper sit-down dinner. If you’re still standing after that, finish it all off with a quick walk through Raohe Night Market or Ningxia for dessert.

Option 2: Taroko Gorge Day Trip

If you want a bit more nature and something totally different, then Taroko Gorge is where to go. It’s in Hualien, on the east coast, and it’s basically a massive marble canyon with hiking trails, cliffs, and river views and it’s genuinely stunning.

You can technically do it as a very long day trip from Taipei (most people book a tour or take the early train), or if you have more time in Taiwan, you could turn it into an overnight. It’s a bit of effort, but if you’re into nature and want to break up the city time, this is the one day trip I’d recommend after Jiufen.

Where to Stay in Taipei

When it comes to picking where to stay in Taipei, the location actually matters quite a bit. It’s a city that’s super easy to get around if you’re close to an MRT station and ideally somewhere walkable with cafés, food spots, and some atmosphere. I personally loved staying near Taipei 101, just because there’s so much around and it felt like a cool area to base myself.

Other good areas are around the Ximending Walking District or close to Taipei Main Station, which are both well-connected and full of food and shops.

Here are a few places I think are worth staying at:

• Miramar Garden Taipei:  A great option if you want something a little nicer but still affordable. 
• Humble Boutique Hotel: Probably the best boutique hotel in Taipei. Design-forward, stylish, and in a great area.
• Work Inn 101: A budget-friendly hostel near Taipei 101. Super convenient and ideal if you’re just looking for something basic in a great location.

FAQs About My Taipei Travel Itinerary

Is Taipei worth visiting?

100%. Taipei was one of my favorite cities I visited in 2025. The culture felt completely new to me, and the food is honestly some of the best I’ve ever had.

When is the best time to visit Taiwan?

I’d say spring or autumn, just because the weather is cooler and more comfortable. Summer gets super hot. I also think winter could be a vibe. Imagine soaking in a hot spring and slurping beef noodle soup in the cold. Sounds perfect to me.

What are the best things to do in Taipei?

I’m all about the food, so I’d definitely recommend joining a food tour. Taipei’s night markets are also amazing, and the day trips from the city like Juifen or the Sun Moon Lake are some of the best I’ve done.

What to eat in Taipei?

There’s so much, but if I had to keep it short: beef noodle soup, xiao long bao (soup dumplings), and those pepper pork buns at Raohe Night Market.

Final Thoughts on the Best Taipei Itinerary

If you’ve read any of my other Taiwan guides, then you already know that I love this country. And Taipei is no exception. I had such a good time here, especially because it felt like my first real deep-dive into this kind of culture. I’d only ever traveled in Southeast Asia before, and Taiwan felt completely different.

Whether you have just one day or a full week, Taipei is 100% worth your time. I hope this little Taipei travel itinerary helped you figure out what to do, where to go, and most importantly, what to eat.

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