How to Spend 2 Days in Taipei

With two days in Taipei, you have ample time to tour the city’s top attractions and to enjoy the spectacular natural scenery within and around the city. From soaring skyscrapers and must-see museums to hiking trails and hot springs, here’s how to spend a memorable 48 hours in the Taiwanese capital.

Day 1: City Sightseeing

**Morning:**Kick off your trip with a half-day city sightseeing tour. Stop at key attractions such as the National Palace Museum, Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, and Martyrs’ Shrine. Alternatively, tour the city at your own pace aboard the hop-on hop-off bus, creating your own itinerary with its more than 20 stops.

**Afternoon:**After lunch, dig deeper into some choice city’s attractions. Discover Chinese art and artifacts at the National Palace Museum, head to the top of Taipei 101 for panoramic city views and a lesson in skyscraper architecture, or learn more about Buddhism at Longshan Temple—the oldest in Taiwan.

**Night:**Taipei is a foodie city, so this evening treat your taste buds to the flavors of Taiwan. Take a walking tour of a bustling night market to sample some of the best street foods on offer, or slurp up some famous soup dumplings at the Michelin-starred Din Tai Fung.

Day 2: Taipei Outdoors

**Morning:**Taipei is blessed with abundant natural beauty that you can enjoy without leaving the city. Take advantage of cooler morning temperatures on a guided hike up Elephant Mountain Trail (aka the Nangang District Hiking Trail and Xiangshan Trail) for panoramic views, or explore the hiking trails in Yangmingshan National Park, just 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of downtown.

**Afternoon:**Relax those tired muscles with a soak in Beitou Hot Springs, where five pools ranging from extremely hot to cool feel worlds away from the busy streets of Taipei. For extra pampering, book a reflexology foot massage, hydrating facial, or other treatment at a top day spa.

**Night:**Get cultural this evening with one of Taipei’s live shows. Enjoy some traditional Beijing opera or kid-friendly Taiwanese hand puppets. Some shows allow guests to arrive early and watch the performers don their costumes and makeup. Alternatively, go on a Taipei pub crawl, replete with free shots at some of the city’s hottest bars and clubs.