Taipei, the capital city located in Northern Taiwan, is one of the well-known tourist destinations for exploring different cultural cuisines, natural sightseeing, and historical sites. In addition, the temperature ranging from 15 to 21 degree Celsius during winter will make the place a perfect place to flee from the cold, harsh winter weather.
Once you get into the Taoyuan Airport in Taipei, you will notice the sheer efficiency of Taiwan’s public transport. After buying yourself an adorable EasyCard, the local transport card to pay transit fees, you can travel to almost everywhere including Taiwan's famous museum, the National Taiwan Museum.
The National Taiwan Museum, which is in Zhongzheng District, is known for having over 70,000 artifacts from the Ming to Song Dynasty. Open from Tuesday to Sunday, the displays are set in three floors ranging from paintings, relics, and potteries. There are so many relics that the collections for each floor are replaced every three months. Once you enter the museum, make sure to get yourself an audio guide to grasp the meaning and explanations of some top displays.
Also, a good tip is to go straight to the third floor, where two famous carvings are displayed: the Jadeite Cabbage and the Meat-shaped Stone, which looks like a real slice of Dongpo pork. After that, enjoy your time starting with ancient artifacts by going back to the first floor. Nevertheless do not consume too much energy for each and every artifact because there will be millions more waiting for you.
After looking around the museum, the next recommended stop would be to Tamsui. Well-known as a seaside district, this area is famous for its long Tamsui River and ports, and will be the perfect place to feel the local atmosphere. In order to enjoy the riverview to its fullest, use the Ubike, which is a public bicycle that is rented through an application. Riding the bicycle on the cycling path along the river will shower you with cool breeze and a clear riverside along with small fish boats. Once you reach the station at Tamsui, use the bus that leads you to Fort San Domingo, a former British residence that is now a tourist spot to take pictures and observe the spacious place. There is also a special ice cream place that is worth waiting in line for. Made with sesame and peanuts, the sweet and cool ice cream will energize you for your next adventure.
Next up is the Bopiliao Historical Block, which is known for being the first area of coal trade during the Qing Dynasty. The now-empty building that was once bustling with merchants and soldiers can be pictured as you walk down the street with quiet yet lively lanterns adorning each side of the building. Then when you return to the Ximending Area, there will be the Dihua Old Street, a livelier marketplace for both tourists and locals to stop and watch new things. There are both cultural and foodie places to stop by, with a modernized bookstore for instance.
After you are done with all the walking, give your legs a rest feeding your empty stomach. The Ximen District is well-known for both crowds and shopping malls to tell you that it is very active. To give you a tip for the best local cuisine experience, walk towards any mall in Ximen, and head downstairs, where you will no longer see foreign tourists but a crowd of locals lining up to get a dish from their favorite menus. Observing their order to get the best combinations is a smart move.
Taipei, a place where the most bustling and quiet streets coexist, is the perfect place to warm yourself and keep your stomach full for winter.