Planning a quick stopover and 1 day in Taipei? We’d always recommend spending as much time as possible in Taipei because there is so much to do.
This post may contain affiliate links to tours and hotels. These help us earn a small commission at no additional charge to you.
However, if you only have limited time in Taiwan on a layover, we have a full one day Taipei itinerary covering all the top sights, night market bites plus gorgeous green spaces and one of the best views in the city.
From Taipei temples to the tastiest street in Taiwan plus tips on transport, here is our 1 day Taipei itinerary with photos.
This article was originally published on 2 August 2024.
Taiwan checklist
We love using agoda.com and booking.com for researching and booking all our hotels, and Hostelworld for booking hostels.
For booking tours, transfers and SIM cards/eSIMs we recommend Get Your Guide, Viator, KK Day or Klook. You can also purchase eSIMs from Airalo.
For booking rental cars visit Discover Cars.
You might like – First time visitors guide to Taipei and Taiwan >
Arriving in Taiwan – Taipei Airport MRT to Taipei
First things first – you’ll likely be arriving into Taipei at Taoyuan International Airport.
Before you arrive, check out these Taiwan travel apps plus make sure you’ve completed your Taiwan online arrival card. Alternatively, fill it out on your phone when you arrive at the airport before you go to Immigration. Here is our step-by-step guide to the online arrival card >
And if you are visiting Taipei before 30 June 2025, make sure you register to take part in the free Lucky Land draw, whereby you can win up to NT$5,000 in prizes and accommodation vouchers.
Amazingly, Taiwan airport has one of the cheapest airport trains in the world – the Taoyuan Airport MRT, costing just NT$160 (around £3.75 or $4.80 USD) to go from the airport to Taipei City (arriving at Taipei Main Station).
Trains from Taipei airport to the city take around 35 minutes to 50 minutes – be sure to buy an EasyCard (the Taiwan cashless transport and spending card) at the airport or in advance via Klook. You can now also use your international debit card at the Taoyuan airport MRT gates.
Check out our guide to using and topping up EasyCards in Taiwan >
Trains to Taipei city depart regularly. The first train from Taipei Airport leaves Terminal 2 at 5.57am and Terminal 1 at 5.59am.
The last train from Taipei Airport terminal 2 to Taipei City leaves at 11.33pm, and from Taipei airport terminal 1 at 11.36pm.
From fares to train times plus how to purchase an airport EasyCard, here is our full guide to getting Taoyuan Taipei Airport to Taipei city with photos >
Taiwanderers Tip
Be sure to use Google Maps or the official Go! Taipei Metro app to see which is the quickest and best route for you when traveling in Taipei.
You might like – 30 cool and cute EasyCard designs in Taiwan >
Taipei Accommodation
Ximen Wow Hostel
Excellent hostel located in the middle of the popular Ximending district. Check rates and availability on agoda.com
Mid-Range ($$)
citizenM Taipei North Gate
Highly rated modern hotel located close to both Taipei Main Station and the Ximending neighbourhood. Check rates and availability on booking.com or agoda.com
Luxury ($$$)
Grand Hyatt Taipei
5 star elegant hotel located in the heart of the Xinyi district. Facilities include an outdoor pool, spa, a sauna and fitness centre. Check rates and availability on booking.com or agoda.com
Check out the best hotels via booking.com or agoda.com or check out guide to the best hotels in Ximending.
If you’re on a very short Taipei layover or have an early flight the next day, you may want to stay close to airport. Here is our guide to the best hotels near Taoyuan Airport (and some hostels) >
Join our Facebook Taiwan Travel Tips (TTT) Group!
Need help with your Taiwan itinerary or have any questions? Head on over to the most fun and fastest growing Taiwan Facebook group with 100,000+ members and ask the experts!
Click here to join our group >
1 day itinerary in Taipei / 24 hour layover in Taipei
Where to start? This Taipei 1 day itinerary can be tackled in any order, depending on when you arrive.
So if you get into the city mid-afternoon, you can start at the middle of the list and then do the earlier parts the next morning.
Planning on staying a little longer? Check out out 3 day Taipei highlights itinerary or our 15+ best day trips from Taipei guide.
If you have less than 24 hours or just a few spare hours in transit, check out guide to the Taoyuan Taipei Airport free half day tours >
10am – Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
Easily one of the most popular tourist attractions in Taipei, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is free to visit with a museum on the lower levels.
Please note that as of July 2024, the famous changing of the guard ceremony inside Chiang Kai-shek Memorial has now stopped and is now performed hourly outside the memorial hall from 9am to 5pm.
The building is a national Taiwan monument and built in the memory of former President Chiang Kai-shek – the grounds are extensive and also one of the best places to spot cherry blossoms in Taipei in the spring months.
Once you’ve explored the grounds, there are several cafes and restaurants inside to grab some food (including the vegetarian restaurant Agarwood).
Next up, take a 12 minute walk from Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall to Rongjin Gorgeous Time.
You might like – Staying longer in Taiwan? Check out our guide to Keelung, an easy train or bus ride from Taipei >
11:30am – Rongjin Gorgeous Time
Taipei’s historic hipster hangout, Rongjin Gorgeous Time is not only a cute name but a sublime street mall in Taipei that is full of cool cafes, decadent dessert shops plus a handful of gift stores.
Opened in late 2022 and located on the site of a former prison built in the early 1900s during the Japanese colonial period, Taipei’s Rongjin Gorgeous Time’s Japanese style buildings have quickly become one of Taipei’s best hipster hangouts and characterful creative districts.
Popular with shoppers and coffee connoisseurs, the architecture and Japanese influences here make this a popular Instagram posing place.
You can even rent Japanese kimonos at Rongjin Gorgeous Time using the traditional setting and wooden exteriors as a beautiful backdrop reminiscent of Kyoto.
From craft beer bars to beetle ice-cream cones, wonderful waffles to the best bakeries, here is our ultimate guide to Rongjin Gorgeous Time in Taipei, Taiwan (with photos) >
Maybe just grab a snack or coffee at Rongjin Gorgeous Time as you’ll likely want to save some stomach space for the next part of our Taipei 1 day itinerary. If you don’t fancy visiting Rongjin Gorgeous Time, then head straight to Yongkang Street and beat the massive lunchtime queues for a Din Tai Fung brunch.
Try this – Taipei Din Tai Fung dinner and Raohe night market night tour >
12:30pm – Yongkang Street
Take a short 7 minute stroll from Rongjin Gorgeous Time to Yongkang Street, Taipei’s tastiest district.
Yongkang Street is one of the yummiest things to do in Taiwan, packed full of cool cafes, decadent desserts and oodles of noodle shops and delicious dumplings.
It is also a good way to eat lots of local foods if you only have 1 day in Taipei.
From the terrific Tian Jin Scallion Flaky Pancakes (a personal favorite) to xiao long bao soup dumplings and beef noodle soup, there is something to suit all tastes (and budgets) along Yongkang Street – and don’t forget tofu pudding for dessert!
One of Taipei’s top food destinations, here is our ultimate guide to the things to do along Yongkang Street, Taipei >
Taiwanderers Tip – if you want to try the famous Taiwan beef noodles, make time for Yongkang Beef Noodles with melt in the mouth beef and often visited by famous food writers like the late great Anthony Bourdain (RIP). Or grab some takeaway dumplings from Din Tai Fung and bring them to our next Taipei 1 day itinerary stop…
2pm – Daan Park
Hopefully by now you ate some delicious food along Yongkang Street – so time to explore Daan Park, a 7 minute walk from Yongkang Street and one of Taipei’s biggest urban parks.
A green oasis in a very busy city, Daan Forest Park in Taipei is a sprawling open space popular with families and walkers. Given its inner city location, you’d be surprised by the sheer number of wildlife and birds that live here.
Sprawling over 60 acres, it has an outdoor auditorium, numerous fitness facilities and running tracks plus lots of flora and fauna including an eco-pond. Daan Park is also one of the best free things to do in Taipei and great for families.
Check out our full Daan Park guide here >
You might like – Our guide to Zhongshan District, Taipei’s trendiest neighborhood >
Bonus Activity – Jianguo Jade Market (weekends only)
If you happen to be doing your 1 day itinerary in Taipei on a weekend, Daan Park is right next to the Jianguo Jade Market and Holiday Flower Market, open from 9am to 6pm every Saturday and Sunday.
A ‘gem’ of a Taipei weekend market, Jianguo Jade Market takes place below a bustling underpass and the flower market is full of color, featuring beautiful flowers to gorgeous jewelry like green jade necklaces (plus lots of locals with cute dogs in prams)!
Read our Taiwanderers guide to the market here >
3pm – Taipei 101 / Simple Kaffa Sola
Next up, time to head over to Taipei’s Xinyi District to visit Taipei’s most famous landmark, the Taipei 101 tower. Depending on the time of year, your mid afternoon trip might even coincide with sunset.
Xinyi is also Taipei’s central business and financial district with so many Taipei shopping malls, if you are in need of any gifts or Taiwan souvenirs.
To get here, use your EasyCard and take the MRT 3 stops from Daan Park station to Taipei 101 World Trade Center MRT.
Taipei 101 is 508 metres high and has…you guessed it… 101 floors! Looking out across Taipei, the observation deck runs between floors 88 and 91, whilst there are two floors of high-up restaurants on floors 85 and 86.
Admission to Taipei 101 is around NT$600 but you can money by enjoying a NT$240 coffee at Simple Kaffa Sola, Taiwan’s highest coffee shop located on the 88th floor of Taipei 101.
There is no ‘admission charge’ as such but there is a minimum spend. You have to buy food if you want to sit down in the comfy seated part of the cafe, but there is a standing area too / limited basic seating for just drinking coffee.
From the top of Taipei 101, you can see lots of city landmarks below including Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, various mountains including Elephant Mountain plus the shiny new Taipei Dome where they play baseball between April and October – check out our Taiwan baseball ticket guide >
Check out our guide to visiting Simple Kaffa Sola in Taipei 101 >
You might like our 25+ things to do in Xinyi, Taipei guide >
Bonus Taipei 1 day itinerary tip
If you are feeling tired already and just want some beers and food with sunset views, check out the rooftop terrace at Hooters Xinyi, a short walk from Taipei 101.
It also has a (very) Happy Hour where drinks / beers are buy 1 get 1 every day until 6pm.
Another option if you fancy a mini hike – we’d highly recommend going to the Elephant Mountain trailhead to see Taipei 101 and the city lit up at night.
The views are amazing and the hike isn’t too bad if you have a general good level of fitness – enterprising locals also sell cool drinks and beers on the hiking trails half way up / down. Cheers!
Read more in our Elephant Mountain guide >
You might like – Our guide to ‘Somebody Feed Phil’ Netflix Taipei filming & eating locations >
5.30pm – Raohe Night Market and Songshan Temple
From Xinyi district, take the MRT to Songshan MRT Station (or take a bus or taxi). Raohe Night Market is open daily from 5pm to 11pm and is one of the best (and tastiest) night markets in Taipei.
From the famous pork pepper buns and musical mushroom stall (truly a ‘fun-guy’!) to the fairground games, Raohe Night Market is one of the best things to do in Taipei at night.
There are hundreds of stalls to eat at but please do try the Fuzhou Ancestral Pepper Cake / Fuzhou Pepper Buns at the front of the market as you arrive from Songshan MRT station.
Afterwards, check out Songshan Ciyou Temple, lit up at night and one of the most beautiful temples in all of Taipei. There are often evening ceremonies and chanting. It is an incredible place to walk around and there are several stalls selling religious blessings and random fortunes.
Check out our in-depth guide to Raohe Night Market and Songshan Ciyou Temple >
Another night market tip is Ningxia Night Market, located close to the one of Taiwan’s oldest neighborhoods, Dihua Street and Dadoacheng.
Taipei 1 day itinerary – evening activities
8pm Onwards – Ximending Entertainment District
If you have any energy left after this 1 day Taipei itinerary, finish your 24 hours in Taipei with a trip to Ximending. Head back to Songshan MRT Station and take the green line 7 stops to Ximen station.
Taipei’s best known night-time neighborhood and popular with tourists, Ximending is a must-visit when in Taipei at night.
From street performers to a small night market, late night shopping to tattoo street, Ximending is always fun to visit with plenty of bars hidden amongst the side alleys.
Watch the dancers, singers and performers in the heart of Ximending at night (free to watch but donations are appreciated) or just grab a seat in one of the upstairs restaurants and people-watch.
Some call it a tourist trap but it is never boring plus a great place for late night bites and neon nights – there are also many LGBTQ+ bars located behind The Red House.
Still thirsty for more? Check out our guide to the best Taipei craft beer bars including Taihu Brewing Driftwood Bar in Ximending.
If you want to stay out in Ximending in the evening and make the most of your one night in Taipei, we have some suggestions in our Ximending at night guide from Korean photo booths to karaoke.
And if you need some last minute Taiwan souvenirs or snacks, there are a few 24 hour stores in Ximending like Carrefour Guilin, a popular Taiwan supermarket and in Don Don Donki Ximen (a Japanese discount store).
Or there are a couple of themed 7-Elevens that are open 24 hours nearby including a Hello Kitty 7-Eleven and a Lays crisp themed 7-Eleven.
Some easy to carry Taipei gift suggestions include the famous Taiwan striped bag (Ga Ji Di – also known as the Taiwanese LV bag), Kuai Kuai good luck snacks or Taiwan’s pineapple cake (our Taiwan Travel Tips Facebook group rate ChiaTe pineapple cakes the best).
These are all available in and around Ximending or nearby Dihua Street. Above, we hope you have an amazing time in Taipei and come back for longer next time
Looking for more things to do in Taipei? Try these:
- Taipei’s best shopping malls
- Dihua Street and Dadaocheng Cisheng Temple Food Street
- Huashan 1914 Creative Park, Taipei’s coolest cultural hub with pop up shops
- Step back in time at 44 South Military Village in Xinyi (free to visit)
- Listen to the famous chanting ceremony at Longshan temple
Found this 1 day itinerary in Taipei / 24 hour layover article helpful?
Did you enjoy our 1 day itinerary in Taipei / 24 hour layover in Taipei blog post? Let us know in the comments or by sharing it on social media.
You can follow Taiwanderers on:
Instagram
Facebook
TikTok
YouTube
Pinterest
