Taipei is the capital of Taiwan, a dense and walkable city of night markets, hot springs, temples, and mountain trails set in a basin ringed by green hills. Its skyline is anchored by Taipei 101, while the National Palace Museum holds one of the world's great collections of Chinese imperial art. Taipei pairs an efficient metro, a famously food-obsessed street culture, and easy access to hot springs and tea-growing hills within the city limits.
Best souvenirs
Authentic items worth bringing home.
Taiwanese oolong tea
Alishan, Dong Ding or Baozhong loose leaf in vacuum tins
Price: NT$300-3,000 (~US$9-94) per 150g
Where: Lin Hua Tai, Dihua Street, Maokong
Pineapple cakes
Shortbread pastry with pineapple filling
Price: NT$350-600 (~US$11-19) per box
Where: Sunny Hills, Chia Te, Dihua Street shops
Nougat and dried mango
Pre-packaged snacks
Price: NT$150-350 (~US$5-11)
Where: Dihua Street, Eslite
Hakka floral cloth
Bright peony-print fabric in bags and accessories
Price: NT$150-1,500 (~US$5-47)
Where: Yongle Market, Dihua Street
Jade
Nephrite bracelets and carvings
Price: NT$500-10,000 (~US$16-314)
Where: Jianguo Holiday Jade Market
Traditional markets
Where locals shop and travellers find treasures.
Yongle Market (Yongle Fabric Market)
Fabric, tailoring, cured foods and cooked-food stalls
Where: Dadaocheng
Hours: Food stalls Tue-Sun approx 8:00AM-6:00PM; fabric halls Tue-Sun 9:30AM-6:00PM (closed Mon; verify)
Dihua Street
Dried goods, herbal medicine, tea, Hakka cloth and Lunar New Year foods
Where: Dadaocheng
Hours: Shops generally 9:30AM-6:00PM daily (many closed on Mon)
Ximending Shopping District
Streetwear, anime, cosmetics and street food
Where: Ximending
Hours: Shops approx 11:00AM-10:00PM daily; street food later
Shilin Night Market
Fried chicken cutlet, oyster omelette, games and bargain clothing
Where: Shilin
Hours: Daily approx 4:00PM-12:00AM (later Fri-Sat)
Raohe Street Night Market
Black-pepper buns, herbal pork rib soup and Ciyou Temple entrance
Where: Songshan
Hours: Daily approx 5:00PM-12:00AM
Ningxia Night Market
Compact food-focused market with braised pork rice, fried taro balls and oyster omelette
Where: Datong
Hours: Daily approx 5:00PM-12:00AM
Jianguo Holiday Jade Market
Jade, crystals and antiques (cash bargaining)
Where: Da'an
Hours: Sat-Sun approx 9:00AM-6:00PM
Malls & modern shopping
Air-conditioned, international brands, and food courts.
Eslite Spectrum Songyan
Hours: Daily 12:00PM-10:00PM (verify)
Eslite Dunnan Flagship Store
Hours: Daily 10:00AM-12:00AM (verify)
Guanghua Digital Plaza
Hours: Daily 10:30AM-9:00PM (verify)
Taipei 101 Mall
Hours: Sun-Thu 11:00AM-9:30PM, Fri-Sat 11:00AM-10:00PM
Zhongxiao Dunhua Shopping District
Hours: Department stores 11:00AM-9:30PM daily