Classic Taipei Landmarks Day Tour: National Palace Museum, Dihua Street, Ximending Commercial District and Taipei 101 Mall

08:00 Meet your tour guide at MRT Zhongxiao Xinsheng Station (BL14 /O07), Exit 2


08:15-08:30 The Grand Hotel Taipei (photo stop)
Your tour starts with a stop at the Grand Hotel Taipei, a historic hotel built in the 1950s, where the government hosted banquets for many foreign dignitaries who visited Taipei. The hotel features numerous art and opulent decors, including the ornate wall panels, paintings, carvings, etc, providing luxurious accommodation and dining experiences to the guests.
Here your tour guide will help you snap a group photo against the majestic building of this extravagant hotel, capturing your bright smiling faces. Nothing better than the smiles on the faces to welcome a fresh day!

09:00-10:00 National Palace Museum
The next stop on your Taipei day tour is the world-famous National Palace Museum, which is also one of the world’s largest museums.
With a collection of nearly 700,000 pieces of ancient Chinese artifacts and artworks, the museum showcases 8,000 years of Chinese art history spanning multiple dynasties. Two of the most famous artworks on display are “the Jadeite Cabbage” and “the Meat-Shaped Stone”, which are the must-sees in National Palace Museum.

10:30-10:50 Dadaocheng
After National Palace Museum, you will visit Dadaocheng, a nostalgic area where tradition and modernity meets. The retro cafes and stores in the streets and alleys enhance the nostalgic atmosphere, making this place become a popular destination for hipsters.

11:00-12:00 Dihua Street
The heart of Dadaocheng is Dihua Street, once the most prosperous place in Taipei more than a hundred years ago. Even now, it is still a popular spot to shop for dried goods and herbal medicines. Every year, the Chinese New Year Street Bazaar takes place in Dihua Street, and is always crowed with people getting ready for the coming new year.
Today, the streets and alleys are lined with traditional shops, alongside with chic cafés and mini art galleries housed in the in well-preserved historical buildings, giving off a vintage vibe.

12:10-12:20 Cheng-en Gate (Beimen)
After that, the part of the historical theme of the tour continues with a visit to Taipei City Wall-North Gate (Cheng’en Gate). This grand and impressive fortress gate is one of the five historic city gates in Taipei built in Qing Dynasty, along with the East Gate (Jingfu Gate), West Gate (Baocheng Gate), South Gate (Lizheng Gate) and Lesser South Gate (Chongxi Gate).

12:30-14:00 Ximending Commercial District (lunch on own arrangement)
By walking through the significant historic sites in Taipei, believe you have a good understanding of the city’s history and development. Your next stop will present to you the modernity and diversity of Taipei City.
Head off to Ximending Commercial District, one of the busiest shopping areas in Taipei. Ximending Commercial District, or Ximen Shopping District, is commonly called “Ximending,” which means “west gate district” in Mandarin Chinese. It is one of the busiest shopping areas in Taipei, and is packed with retail shops, restaurants, bars and street performers. Considered as Taipei’s version of Tokyo’s Harajuku’s Takeshita Street, Ximending Commercial District is very popular among young people. From fast fashion garments to quirky yet affordable eating places, this is a place where young people can fully enjoy their leisure time.

14:20-14:50 Lungshan Temple
After having lunch in Ximending, your tour continues with a visit to Lungshan Temple, where the local people pray for good luck or find inner peace. Here you will learn about Taiwan’s religious belief and practices.
The temple was built in 1738 and dedicated to Guanyin (the Goddess of Mercy). The temple was severely damaged during Taipei Air Raid, but the statue of Guanyin survived the raid.
Besides the Goddess of Mercy, the temple devotes Yue Lao (the Matchmaker God), Wenchang Dijun (the God of Literature), Songzi Niangniang (the maiden who brings children) and many more. You can pray for yourself and your family, and even try asking the gods for advice by tossing divination blocks.

15:00-15:40 Chiang Kai-shek Memorial (changing of the guard)
Next, you will head off to Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, an impressive monument in memory of the late President Chiang Kai-shek. Here the changing of the guard ceremony takes place every hour on the hour from 09:00 in the main hall.
In addition to the majestic main hall of the memorial, the exquisite Chinese garden around the building and the vast plaza are also worth visiting. If you come here in the early morning, you can see some people practicing Qigong there.

16:00-16:50 Taipei 101 Mall (observatory ticket is not included)
The last stop of your tour is Taipei 101 Mall, the fashion lovers’ paradise. The mall houses hundreds of fashionable stores and restaurants, along with a food court and a supermarket. From luxury brands to fast fashion retailers, from Michelin star restaurants to cheap eats, you can always find something for your there.
The famous skyscraper, Taipei 101, stands right next to the mall. It was once the tallest building in the world that reaches a height of 508 meters, towering over the skyline of Taipei. The building has 101 stories, with an observatory deck on the 89th floor, where the visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of Taipei City. Not only that, it has one of the top 3 fastest elevators in the world; from the 5th to the 89th floor, it only takes 37 seconds.

17:00 Drop off at Raohe Street Tourist Night Market
At the end of the tour, you may choose to disembark at MRT Zhongxiao Xinsheng Station or Raohe Street Tourist Night Market. 

17:10 Drop off at MRT Zhongxiao Xinsheng Station (BL14 /O07)