After landing at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport around 1:00 PM, allow roughly 60–90 minutes for immigration, baggage, and the walk to the Airport MRT. Aim for the Airport MRT Express to Taipei Main Station around 2:30–3:00 PM; it takes about 35 minutes from Terminal 1 or 39 minutes from Terminal 2. From Taipei Main Station, follow the underground signs to the Taipei Metro and take the Blue Line one stop to Ximen, then walk to Hotel Midtown Richardson for check-in and luggage drop-off. The whole airport-to-hotel journey is usually about an hour once you are airside, with an EasyCard useful for the MRT and later local transport. After a short refresh, take the Blue Line from Ximen to Longshan Temple Station and walk out toward the temple.
Spend about 45 minutes at Longshan Temple, one of Taipei’s most atmospheric places of worship. The ornate roofline, incense-filled courtyard, and steady stream of local worshippers make this feel much more alive than a conventional sightseeing stop; dress modestly and keep voices low. From there, walk five minutes to Bopiliao Historic Block, a compact collection of preserved Qing-era streets and red-brick buildings. It is a good first introduction to old Taipei, and the shaded arcades are welcome in late-August heat. The historic lanes are free to explore, though individual exhibition buildings generally close around 5:00 PM, so prioritize them before wandering.
Return on foot toward Ximending Walking District, roughly 15–20 minutes from Bopiliao Historic Block, or take the MRT one stop back to Ximen if the weather is oppressive. Let the pedestrian streets guide you past neon signs, street performers, sneaker shops, and small arcades; early evening is ideal, before the area becomes busiest. For dinner, join the queue at Ay-Chung Flour-Rice Noodle for its famous thick rice noodles with braised pork intestines—casual, quick, and generally NT$100–250 per person. It is standing-room or takeaway rather than a leisurely restaurant meal, so follow it with a relaxed walk to Taipei Cinema Park, about 10–15 minutes west of the main shopping streets. The former industrial site is best after dark, when the murals and repurposed buildings are atmospheric; allow 30–45 minutes, and return to Hotel Midtown Richardson on foot afterward.
Start early at Fuhang Soy Milk, ideally arriving around 7:00–7:30 AM before the queue becomes especially long. It operates from roughly 5:30 AM until noon, though popular items can sell out; allow about 45 minutes and expect NT$100–250 per person. After breakfast, walk or take a short taxi ride to Huashan 1914 Creative Park. The restored warehouses are pleasant for browsing design shops and outdoor installations, while exhibition hours vary—most shops open around 10:00 or 11:00 AM. Give yourself about 1½ hours, with plenty of time to wander between the buildings.
From Huashan 1914 Creative Park, take a taxi or walk west toward National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall; the ride is roughly 10 minutes, or about 20–25 minutes on foot. Spend around 1½ hours taking in the monumental plaza, white-and-blue memorial hall, and surrounding Liberty Square. The grounds are generally accessible throughout the day and admission is free. Continue south to Yongkang Street, about 10 minutes by taxi or 15 minutes on foot, for an hour of small boutiques, tea shops, and snack stalls. For lunch, walk roughly 10 minutes to Din Tai Fung—Xinyi Road. Join the queue, check in at the entrance, and watch the kitchen staff fold xiaolongbao through the windows; budget NT$500–900 per person. A late lunch around 1:00 PM usually avoids the heaviest midday rush.
After lunch, take the MRT from Dongmen Station to Taipei Main Station, or use a taxi if the weather is hot; the trip is about 10–15 minutes. Finish at National Taiwan Museum, one of the city’s best compact introductions to Taiwan’s natural and cultural history. It is typically open Tuesday–Sunday from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM, with final admission around 4:30 PM, and admission is usually about NT$30–50. Allow 1½ hours, and check the weekday schedule before setting out since museums in Taipei commonly close on Mondays. The museum sits beside 228 Peace Park, so if you finish early, leave a little time for a shaded stroll before heading back to the hotel or finding dinner nearby.
Leave Hotel Midtown Richardson around 8:15–8:30 AM and take the red MRT line toward Beitou, transferring to the short Xinbeitou branch line for Xinbeitou Station. The ride takes about 35–45 minutes and costs roughly NT$25–35 with an EasyCard. From the station, it is an easy walk through Beitou Park to Beitou Public Hot Spring. Allow about 1½ hours for the bath; check the current bathing schedule before leaving, as public-session times can change. Bring swimwear, a towel, water, and modest shower toiletries—the public pools are basic, and the hottest pool may be closed temporarily for maintenance. Have a light breakfast before departing or pick up something near the station, since you will want to soak before eating a heavy meal.
After your bath, walk a few minutes to the Beitou Hot Spring Museum, a beautifully restored Japanese-era bathhouse open roughly 9:00 AM–5:00 PM, usually closed Mondays. Admission is generally free, and 30–45 minutes is enough. Continue uphill through shaded Beitou Park to Beitou Thermal Valley, where the sulfur water steams intensely among the rocks. The loop is short, but the heat and humidity are strong in September; stay on the marked paths, do not touch the water, and carry a drink. The valley is normally open during daytime hours but may close in severe weather or for maintenance.
From Thermal Valley, take a taxi uphill to Beitou Museum—the steep road is not particularly pleasant in the midday heat, and a short ride is usually worth the NT$100–200 fare. Set in a former Japanese villa, the museum offers a quiet look at traditional architecture, ceramics, and tea culture; allow about an hour and check its opening days in advance, as it has historically operated on a limited schedule. Continue by taxi or a short downhill walk to Marshal Zen Garden for lunch, budgeting approximately NT$600–1,200 per person. This is the day’s leisurely stop: reserve if possible, request a window or terrace table, and enjoy the mountain-and-city views rather than rushing through the meal. Afterward, return by taxi to Xinbeitou Station and take the branch line and red MRT back toward central Taipei, leaving around 3:00–4:00 PM so the evening remains open for rest.
Leave Hotel Midtown Richardson around 8:00–8:30 AM and take the MRT Red Line from Ximen Station toward Tamsui; the direct ride takes roughly 45–55 minutes. Have breakfast after arriving at Tamsui Old Street, where stalls begin serving breakfast snacks and local specialties from about 9:00 AM. Try a freshly baked Ah-Gei—tofu filled with glass noodles—or a fish-ball soup, then spend about 1½ hours browsing the covered lanes and riverside shops. From the old street, walk 10–15 minutes south along the waterfront to Tamsui Customs Wharf, a quieter historic stretch with broad river views and old warehouse buildings; allow around 45 minutes.
Continue uphill from the wharf to Fort San Domingo, following signs through the old lanes; the walk takes about 15 minutes, with some steps. The fort generally opens from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM and admission is usually around NT$80–100. Give yourself an hour for the red-brick courtyards, former consular buildings, and views toward the river mouth. A short walk farther inland brings you to Little White House, usually open until 5:00 PM and often closed on the first Monday of the month; allow about 45 minutes. For lunch, settle into one of the small Taiwanese restaurants around Tamsui Old Street or Zhongzheng Road, budgeting NT$200–400 per person for noodles, seafood, or simple set meals. Tamsui is best enjoyed slowly, so don’t worry about fitting in another attraction between lunch and the late-afternoon waterfront.
Take a local bus from the Tamsui MRT Station area toward Fisherman’s Wharf—routes and departure bays can change, so check the electronic signs—or use a taxi, usually about 10–15 minutes depending on traffic. Arrive by roughly 4:00 PM for an easy walk along the harbor and across Lover’s Bridge. The light is especially good late in the afternoon, and the riverside promenade is much more pleasant before the weekend crowds. Stay for sunset, then have dinner at a harbor restaurant near Fisherman’s Wharf, where fresh seafood and shared dishes typically cost around NT$500–1,000 per person. Return to Tamsui Station by bus or taxi and take the Red Line back to Taipei; allow about an hour, and use an EasyCard throughout.
Leave Hotel Midtown Richardson around 7:30–8:00 AM and take the MRT to Taipei Main Station, then a Taiwan Railways train to Ruifang. From there, catch bus 965 or 788 uphill to Jiufen; allow roughly 2–2½ hours door to door. A reserved day-trip shuttle or private taxi is worth considering if traveling with several people, since the Ruifang–Jiufen buses can be crowded. Arrive around 9:30–10:00 AM, before the narrow lanes become busiest. Spend about two hours wandering Jiufen Old Street, sampling taro balls, peanut ice-cream rolls, fish-ball soup, and crispy yam snacks; bring cash and wear shoes with good grip, as the stone steps can be slippery.
Walk through the lantern-lined lanes to A-Mei Teahouse, one of Jiufen’s most recognizable buildings. Set aside about 1½ hours for Taiwanese tea and mountain views—tea and small snacks generally cost around NT$300–800 per person. The best seats are on the exterior-facing levels, but do not feel pressured to order an elaborate tea service; a simpler pot is enough for a relaxed stop. Jiufen’s weather changes quickly, so keep a light rain layer handy even on a sunny morning.
After lunch in Jiufen, take a local bus toward Jinguashi—usually about 15–20 minutes—and spend roughly two hours at the Jinguashi Gold Museum. The former mining town is much quieter than Jiufen, with atmospheric mountain paths, old miners’ buildings, and exhibits explaining the area’s gold-mining history; allow extra time if you want to see the enormous gold ingot. The museum is generally open Tuesday–Sunday, approximately 9:30 AM–5:00 PM, and is commonly closed Mondays, so verify the 2026 schedule before setting out. From the museum, continue by bus or taxi to the Golden Waterfall, a roadside viewpoint that takes only 20–30 minutes; do not enter the water, as its mineral content makes it unsuitable for bathing.
Start back around 4:30–5:00 PM, taking a bus to Ruifang and the train onward to Taipei Main Station, then the MRT to Ximen Station. The return usually takes 1½–2 hours, and the last stretch can be slower if Jiufen traffic is heavy. For dinner, try Ay-Chung Flour-Rice Noodle near Ximending for a quick bowl of thick rice noodles, or settle into Mala Yuanyang Hotpot for a longer meal; budget roughly NT$100–200 for Ay-Chung or NT$700–1,000 per person for hot pot. Keep your evening unhurried—after a full day on the coast, a short stroll through Ximending’s illuminated pedestrian streets is plenty.
Because you are coming from Jiufen, pre-book a taxi or private transfer for around 7:00 AM; the mountain roads can be slow, and a direct ride to Yangmingshan National Park takes roughly 1½–2 hours. Ask the driver to drop you at the Yangmingshan Visitor Center, rather than attempting the much slower public-transport combination. Bring water, comfortable shoes, a light rain jacket, and some breakfast from Jiufen or a convenience store—there are limited early-morning food options in the park. At the Yangmingshan Visitor Center, spend about 30 minutes checking trail conditions, shuttle times, and weather, since fog and sudden showers are common even when Taipei is sunny.
From the visitor center, continue by park bus or taxi to Xiaoyoukeng Recreation Area, where the short accessible paths lead past sulfur vents and steaming volcanic ground. Stay on marked paths and avoid touching the yellow deposits or breathing directly over fumaroles; the sulfur smell is strong but the landscape is one of Yangmingshan’s most memorable sights. Allow about an hour here, then continue by park shuttle or taxi toward Qingtiangang Grassland. The broad pasture walk takes around 1½ hours, with open views toward the northern hills and, on a clear day, the coast. There is little shade, so a hat, sunscreen, and water are worthwhile.
Make your way to Lengshuikeng Recreation Area for a cooler, quieter change of scenery. The easy paths and mountain basin are a good place to slow down for about an hour, and the public foot-soak facilities are a welcome break—rinse your feet first and bring a small towel. Transport between the Yangmingshan stops is not perfectly frequent, so check the next bus before setting off; if you are traveling as two or more people, a short taxi hop is often more practical than waiting. For lunch, use a simple local restaurant near Lengshuikeng or the visitor-center area, budgeting roughly NT$150–300 per person; menus are usually Taiwanese comfort food rather than a full restaurant meal.
In the mid-afternoon, descend toward Shilin and visit Grass Mountain Chateau, the former residence associated with Chiang Kai-shek. The house, gardens, and mountain setting are best enjoyed at an unhurried pace, allowing about 1½ hours; admission is generally inexpensive, though displays and opening arrangements can vary. Have an early dinner or substantial late lunch at the chateau-area restaurant, budgeting approximately NT$400–800 per person. From there, take a bus or taxi down toward Shilin MRT Station and return to Hotel Midtown Richardson by MRT, allowing roughly 45–60 minutes. Keep the evening easy after the mountain day—Yangmingshan’s weather and uphill walking make an early night more appealing than adding another major stop.
After coming down from Yangmingshan, take a taxi or Uber directly to Yonghe Soy Milk King in Yonghe if you are starting early; allow about 35–60 minutes from the mountain depending on traffic. Order a classic Taiwanese breakfast—savory soy milk, youtiao, egg pancakes, and steamed buns—for roughly NT$100–250 per person. Most breakfast shops are busiest from 7:00–9:00 AM, so arriving before 9:30 AM is ideal. From there, cross back toward Gongguan by taxi or MRT, allowing about 20–30 minutes.
Spend late morning at Treasure Hill Artist Village, a compact hillside settlement of galleries, studios, murals, and small installations beside the Xindian River. Allow about 1½ hours, wear shoes with good grip, and expect uneven steps; some studios generally open from late morning into the afternoon, while the outdoor lanes can be explored earlier. Continue a short walk or 10-minute taxi ride to the National Taiwan University campus. Wander beneath its banyan-lined avenues and around the historic buildings for about an hour. The campus is free, but be respectful around teaching buildings and check signs if entering any interior spaces.
Have a light lunch around Gongguan before heading to Shida Night Market in the late afternoon; the MRT ride from Gongguan toward Taipower Building takes only a few minutes, followed by a short walk. Browse the clothing boutiques and try smaller portions of local snacks rather than filling up here, since dinner is planned at Raohe Street Night Market. Shida is livelier after 5:00 PM, and many shops stay open until roughly 9:30–10:00 PM. Later, take the MRT from Taipower Building toward Songshan, allowing about 25–35 minutes to reach Raohe Street Night Market. Spend around two hours sampling pepper buns, grilled seafood, medicinal pork ribs, and fruit drinks; budget NT$300–700 per person, mostly in cash, and walk the market from the Songshan end to avoid immediately getting caught in the densest crowd.
Finish at Rainbow Bridge, a roughly 10–15-minute walk from the eastern end of Raohe Street Night Market. The riverside path takes about 45 minutes and gives you open views back toward the city, especially attractive after the lights come on. The bridge and surrounding promenade are free; avoid lingering too late if you are tired, and return to Hotel Midtown Richardson by MRT from Songshan Station or by taxi. With the long mountain-to-city transfer earlier in the day, keep the final walk leisurely rather than trying to add another neighborhood.
Start early at Fuhang Soy Milk in Huashan, arriving around 7:00–7:30 AM for your final Taiwanese breakfast. The restaurant generally operates from about 5:30 AM until noon, but the famous queue builds quickly and popular items may sell out. Allow roughly 45 minutes and budget NT$100–250 per person. From there, take the MRT from Shandao Temple Station toward Taipei 101/World Trade Center Station; the journey is about 25–30 minutes with one transfer, or a taxi takes around 15–25 minutes depending on traffic. At Taipei 101 Observatory, allow about 1½ hours for the high-speed elevator, indoor viewing floors, and the open-air platform if weather permits. Tickets are usually around NT$600 per adult; visibility is best earlier in the day, before afternoon haze and clouds develop.
Walk or take a short taxi ride from Taipei 101 to Four Four South Village, a compact former military settlement that makes a pleasant contrast to the tower’s polished shopping district. Spend around 45 minutes wandering its narrow lanes, small exhibition spaces, and quiet courtyards, with excellent low-angle photographs of Taipei 101. Then have lunch in the Taipei 101 or Xinyi shopping district. The food courts are the quickest option, while the department-store restaurant floors offer everything from Taiwanese set meals to Japanese and Cantonese dishes; budget about NT$400–900 per person and allow an hour. Keep the afternoon light rather than adding another attraction—this leaves time to return to the hotel, collect luggage, and avoid rushing to the airport.
Return to Hotel Midtown Richardson by MRT or taxi to collect your bags, aiming to leave the hotel around 1:30–2:00 PM. For a predictable journey, take the MRT to Taipei Main Station and follow the signs to the Airport MRT; the Express train to Taoyuan International Airport takes about 35–40 minutes, with additional time for the walk between lines and the terminal station. A pre-booked taxi or private airport transfer is more convenient with luggage but can take 50–90 minutes in traffic. For a 6:00 PM flight, reaching the airport around 3:30–4:00 PM gives you a sensible buffer for check-in, security, and immigration; confirm your terminal before leaving, since the Airport MRT serves both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2.