Taipei/Zhongshan

Zhongshan and Songshan cover a swathe of central Taipei. The districts are home to a number of museums and galleries, and also include the bohemian Zhongshan MRT Station area, which is known for its cool cafes, quirky boutiques, and distinctive restaurants.

The MRT green and red lines serve all or part of the two districts.

Landmarks

• Grand HotelThis majestic hotel has graced the photograph albums of numerous generations of Taipei tourists. And, although the increase in other attractions may have led to it losing its status as the must-see-destination, this imposing structure, built in the style of a Beijing palace, still manages to attract bus loads of tourists wishing to have their photograph taken outside the main building and in the foyer. The tea rooms on the first floor are a good place to relax and absorb the grandeur of dynastic China. The hills behind the hotel are crisscrossed by a vast network of trails, footpaths, pavilions, and an abandoned military anti-aircraft base and are a popular exercise spot for locals and urban explorers. Getting there: MRT to Yuanshan station, then hop on the free shuttle bus.

• Martyr's Shrine

  address: 139 Beian Road
  temple memorializing those who gave their lives for the R.O.C. during its tenure on mainland China and it's later existence on Taiwan. A changing of the guard ceremony is performed at the top of the hour where a military honor guard performs an impressive series of gun twirling and tossing in front of astounded tourists. To get to the shrine take the MRT to the Jiantan Station, then take the Red 3 bus from the same side of the street the rest of the way, get off at the third stop.

• Xingtian Temple

  address: Corner of Minquan East Road and Songjiang Road
  The temple was built in 1967 and was devoted to Guangong (A.D. 162-219), a famous deified general who lived during the Three Kingdoms period, and he is an important character in the Chinese classic Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The temple forbids the killing of animals as an offering, so you will see offerings of only fresh flowers, fruits and tea on the main altar. Many believers feel that this is a very efficacious temple, and it is frequently thronged with people praying for help and seeking divine guidance by consulting oracle blocks. Outside the temple, the underground pedestrian passages under the Minquan - Songjiang intersection are filled with fortune-tellers and vendors who take commercial advantage of the temple's popularity.

Arts and culture

• Miniatures Museum of Taiwan

  phone: +886 2 2515-0583
  address: B1, 96 Jianguo North Rd, Sec. 1
  This is a small, private museum that is a monument to patient and steady hand. The 40 bulb chandelier, which is the size of grain of rice, is one of the many impressive pieces on display. Transportation from the Main Station on buses 307, 527, alight at Nanjing East Road and the Jian-guo North Road intersection. The museum is in the same building as Thai Airways

• Museum of Contemporary Art

  address: 39 Changan West Rd
  MOCA Taipei is Taiwan's first art space dedicated to contemporary work. The red brick, former Taipei City Hall is easy to locate on an otherwise unexceptional road.

• Su Ho Memorial Paper Museum

  phone: +886 2 2507-5539
  address: 68 Changan East Rd Sec. 2
  This museum was founded by Su Ho Chen, one of Taiwan's last few masters of papermaking, and who was killed in 1990 in a plane crash. You can enjoy exhibits about paper, and make your own sheet of paper here.

• Taipei Fine Arts Museum

  phone: +886 2 2595 7656
  address: 181 Zhongshan North Rd Sec. 3
  The museum displays work of local and international artists.

• Taipei Story House

  phone: +886 2 2596-1898
  On the same plot of land as the Taipei Fine Arts Museum, this tea merchant's 19th century European style house has been converted into a space for telling the story of Taipei and tea. There are permanent exhibits on these subjects as well as visiting exhibitions and the occasional traditional music concert. The patio serves as a tea garden, which offers pleasant views over the Danshui River and beyond.

• Museum of Jade Art

  phone: +886 2 2509 8166
  address: No.96 First Section of Jianguo North Road
  A small museum that displays jade art as envisioned by Burmese master craftsman Sofeen Hu. Works like his zodiac symbols and delicate insects are on display.

Parks

• Dajia Riverside Park

  phone: +886 2 2596-1898
  This park is a 12 km long green belt on the south bank of the Keelung River. One of the beautiful banks in Taipei. Basketball, tennis, and badminton courts are available, as are bicycles for rent.

• Zhongshan Fine Arts Park

  phone: +886 2 2596-1898
  This park is south of the Taipei Fine Arts Museum. The open green space and many stabiles are on display in the park.

• Children's Recreation CenterIs an amusement park located on Zhongshan North Road Sec. 3, nearest MRT station is 'Yuanshan' on Danshui Line. The center was created by city government in 1991. It has old-fashioned rides, folk art museum, IMAX theater and more. This place is great for younger kids.

• Miramar Entertainment Park

  phone: +886 2 2175-3456
  address: 22 Jinye 3rd Road (敬業三路22號)
  This up-scale shopping mall in the suburb of Dazhi operates a large Ferris wheel that offers great views over the city. It is especially spectacular at night, when not only the city but also the Ferris wheel is illuminated. The 15-minute ride costs NT$150 on weekdays and NT$200 on weekends. The same complex also houses a 3D Imax movie theater and a multi-screen Warner Village cinema.

• Spot - Taipei Film House

  address: Zhongshan North Rd, Sec. 2
  The former residence of the U.S. Ambassador has been transformed into an art center that focuses on independent films. In addition to screenings, the house also has great cafes and restaurants that spill out onto balconies and into the garden. The bookstore offers a good selection of hard-to-get art/independent films on DVD, though for other movies, prices are lower at regular DVD rental stores.

• TaipeiEYE

  phone: +886 2 2568 2677
  address: No 113, Sec 2, Zhongshan North Rd
  The venue is recognized for its traditional Chinese and Taiwanese performing arts. Following a tradition that dates back to the 18th century. The 90-minute evening show is a form of Chinese opera that incorporates mime, dance, acrobatics and martial arts. During the live performance, the dialogue and even the songs are translated into multiple languages, including English.

• Blue Monday

  address: No 28-1, Lane 26 Zhongshan North Road, Sec 2
  A second hand vintage clothes store - excellent selection, good prices.

• Breeze Center

  phone: +886 2 6600-8888
  address: 39 Fuxing South Rd
  Sec. 1 (near the intersection with Civic Boulevard).

• Eslite Spectrum

  phone: +886 2 25813358
  address: 14 Nanjing West Road
  Contains bookshop, cafe, restaurants, and stalls specializing in creative household items.

• Eslite Underground Bookstore

  phone: +886 2 2563 9818
  address: Near exit R79, Zhongshan MRT Station
  A section of an underground mall dedicated to books and creative arts.

• Lovely Taiwan

  phone: +886 2 2558 2616
  address: 18-2, Lane 25, Nanjing West Road
  A shop specializing in Taiwanese hand made goods.

• Miramar Entertainment Park

  phone: +886 2 2175 3456
  address: No. 20, Jingye 3rd Road, Zhongshan District, Taiwan
  A standard shopping center with the usual merchandise. It houses the only IMAX theatre in Taiwan as well as the Miramar ferris wheel which offers great views of Taipei city.

• Core Pacific Living Mall

  phone: +886 2 3762 2577
  address: No. 138, Section 4, Bade Road, Songshan District, Taiwan
  has many stores open 24 hours a day. It also has a large food court, cinema complex, and the nightclub Plush (located on Bade Rd near intersection with Guangfu South Rd).

Night markets

• Raohe Street Night MarketThis well-organized night market, attracts tourists from both overseas and across the country.

• Shuangcheng Street Night Market

  address: Shuangcheng Street, Zhongshan
  Small and popular with locals. Have different stalls during day and night hours.

Budget

• Shijie Vegetarian Restaurant

  phone: +886 2 2541 4787
  address: No 9, Alley 6, Lane 40, Changan West Road.
  A very traditional family run Chinese vegetarian restaurant. Amazing food. Very little English spoken, but photographs of dishes on menu.

• Tandoor Indian Restaurant

  phone: +886 2 2509-9853
  address: 10, Lane 73, Hejiang Street

• Xian Ding Wei Restaurant

  phone: +886 2 2567 3331
  address: 67 Changan East Rd Sec 1 (總店)

Mid-range

• Addiction Aquatic Development

  phone: +886 2 2508 1268
  address: No. 18, Alley 2, Lane 410, Minzu East Road
  If you are craving fresh and super affordable seafood, sashimi and sushi, this fish market is the place to indulge. Includes ten different foodie areas, including an outdoor grill joint, sushi bar, and gourmet grocery.

• Blossom Rena Vegan Cafe

  phone: +2 2585 8626
  address: No. 26-1, Section 3, Zhongshan N Rd, Zhongshan District
  Innovative vegan cuisine. Natural, minimalistic decor. Helpful and fast service.

• Macrobiotics

  phone: +2 2552 1520
  address: 26, Alley 49, Chifeng Street
  A Japanese-style vegetarian fast food restaurant. Quick and efficient service. Tasty meals.

• Thai Star

  phone: +886 2 2719 6527
  address: Fu Xing N. Rd. Alley 231 #2
  Shrimp Toast, Beef Stew, Chicken, Papaya Salad are most famous dishes!

• Tien Hsiang Lo

  phone: +886 2 2597-1234
  address: B1, 41 Minquan East Rd, Sec. 2
  Authentic Hangzhou cuisine. Reservations are recommended.

Splurge

• Ching-Yeh Aoba

  phone: +886 2 2571-3859
  address: 10, Lane 105, Zhongshan North Road Sec. 1
  The most famous Taiwanese restaurant in Taipei, beside the Zhongshan North Road.

• Mitsui Japanese Cuisine

  phone: +886 2 2594-3394
  address: 30 Nong-an St
  The best Japanese cuisine in Taipei.

• Shabu Sen

  phone: +886 2 2596-9568
  address: 63, Minquan East Road, Sec. 1
  This place serves great Japanese/ Taiwanese style hot pot dishes. It is a family run restaurant. The environment is clean and refreshing. The owner Ms. Chiu hand picks her ingredients daily from the market. Try the Kobe beef pot and mushroom pot. The price is very reasonable with well selected ingredients. English menu available.

• Ruth's Chris Steak House

  phone: +886 2 2545-8888
  address: 2F, 135 Minsheng East Road, Sec 3
  Perhaps Taipei's best-known and best American steakhouse.

• Wang Steak House

  phone: +886 2 8770-7989
  address: 169 Nanjing East Rd Sec 4
  An upscale chain steakhouse known for its signature "Wang steak".

Coffee

There are a large number of cafes in the alleys and lanes around Zongshan MRT Station (between Nanjing West Road and Minsheng West Road - near MRT exit R7).

• GaBee

  address: No 21, Minsheng East Road, Section 3, Alley 113
  Probably the best cafe in Taipei for coffee lovers. Winner of the 2008 Barista championships, they take coffee and latte art very seriously. The waffles are excellent too.

• Libo Cafe

  phone: +886 02 2567 1237
  address: 12, Lane 42, Section 2, Zhongshan North Road
  A rustic and cool cafe. Excellent coffee and cakes. Fast and friendly service.

• Recall Cafe

  phone: +886 2 2523 0302
  address: No 34, Lane 42 Zhongshan North Road, Sec 2
  A pleasant cafe offering standard cafe food, desserts and coffee. Friendly and helpful staff.

• Wooden Sounds and Garnet Cru

  phone: +886 2 2511 9949
  address: 23, Lane 26, Section 2, Zhongshan North Road
  Excellent no-nonsense coffee. Warm ambiance and distinctive decor set to electronic music. Simple, straightforward cakes available, but no meals. Good selection of teas.

Alcohol

There are a large number of bars hidden in the warren of lanes off Linsen North Road, many themed to attract Japanese male clientele.

• Standing Room

  address: 508 Changchun Rd
  It is the standing style bar and restaurant with a traditional Japanese hors d'oeuvres, with world wide classic beverages. Its perfect location to have the quick dinner and drink for a busy business person. "Happy Hour" everyday open-20:30.

• My Place Bar & Restaurant

  phone: +886 2 2591-4269
  address: No.3-1 Lane 32 Shuang Cheng St
  Still going strong after 30 plus years. Serves great food, has two bars, pool table, and shows live sports on multiple screens. There is outside seating for smokers. One of the premier bars in Taipei for watching the upcoming World Cup. Happy Hour selected beers $100, special draught beer $100 all night.

• The Brass Monkey

  phone: +886 2 2547-5050
  address: 166 Fuxing N. Rd
  Great atmosphere with live sports shown on big screens. There’s always something going on - it’s never a regular night. Friendly staffs are ready to serve you with good food and a wide selection of drinks. Go have a dance on their famous Thursday ladies nights.

Budget

• Donghwa Hotel

  phone: +886 2 2579-6162
  address: No.156, Sec 4, Nanjing East Rd
  Good value hotel that provides guests with a warm and homey experience.

• Happy Family Hostel 1 & 2

  phone: +886 2 2581-0716
  address: 2, Lane 56, Zhongshan North Road Sec. 1
  Happy Family is an old favorite in the city and it's managed by the very friendly and helpful John Lee.

• Homey Hostel

  phone: + 2 2550-4499 (09:00-21:00)
  address: 7F, No. 180, Changan West Road, Zhongshan District
  A clean and modern hostel. Friendly and enthusiatic staff. Free wifi. Free breakfast.

• Jiantan Overseas Youth Activity Center

  phone: +886 2 2885-2151
  address: 16 Zhongshan North Road, Sec.4, Zhongshan District
  A pleasant HI-accredited hostel with gardens and the best view of the Grand Hotel in town, also convenient for Shilin Night Market and the Fine Arts Museum (both within walking distance) and the National Palace Museum (a 15 minute journey by taxi/bus). Coin laundry, Internet access, convenience store on site. The facility is primarily a youth activity center catering to groups, so it is often full during school vacations and at weekends — book ahead.

• Travel Talk Taipei Backpackers

  phone: +886-918319868
  address: 2F, No.96, Sec.2,Minquan E. Rd., Taipei city
  The international airport bus stop & city bus stop is just right in front of the hostel. There are famous temple (Hsing Tien Kung), traditional morning market, local food shops, future teller shops and foot massage & spa stores around.

Mid-range

• Check Inn

  phone: +2 7726 6277
  address: 253 Songjiang Road, Zhongshan District
  A minimalist and chic hotel in the centre of Taipei. 24 hour reception. Cafe.

• First Hotel

  phone: +886 2 2541-8234
  address: 63 Nanjing East Road, sec. 2
  Ten story hotel that has received mixed reviews due to the poor customer service and somewhat shabby rooms.

• Hotel B

  phone: +886 2 2771-8996
  address: 367 Bade Road, sec. 2
  Cozy and well equipped hotel at a reasonable price, located at the heart of Taipei. Renovated in 2009 with brand new rooms and friendlier services.

• Les Suites Ching-Cheng Hotel

  phone: +886 2 8712-7688
  address: 12 Chingcheng St
  A small and very comfortable hotel. Excellent service - the manager is very kind and will help you find good local restaurants and places to visit.

• The Leofoo Hotel

  phone: +886 2 2507-3211
  address: 168 Changchun Rd
  Aging, although solid choice for those on a budget with clean and comfortable rooms.

• The Riviera Hotel

  phone: +886 -2-2585 -3258
  address: 646 Linsen North Rd., TaipeiI, 104
  The Riviera Taipei hotel is a boutique hotel adjacent to Taipei Expo Centre

Splurge

• Ambassador Hotel Taipei

  phone: +886 2 2551-1111
  address: 63 Zhongshan North Rd, Sec. 2
  While the outside façade may look old and dated, the interior sparkles with fresh, modern colours and features. The bathrooms are big and clean and tiled with marble while the room is well equipped and maintained. Although there are non smoking floors, there is the distinct smell of cigarettes in the air so be aware.

• Grand Victoria Hotel

  phone: +886 2 8502-0000
  address: 168 Jingye 4th Rd
  Near the Miramar Entertainment Park.

• Regent Taipei

  phone: +886 2 2523-8000
  address: No 3, Lane 39, Section 2, Zhongshan North Road
  Sophisticated top end hotel that displays elegance throughout its rooms and building. Large rooms, helpful staff and wonderful amenities.

• The Grand Hotel

  phone: +886 2 2886-8888
  address: 1 Zhongshan North Road, sec. 4

• The Landis

  phone: +886 2 2597-1234
  address: 41 Minquan East Rd, Sec. 2
  One of the city's most luxurious hotels, the Ritz has a comfortable sophistication that everyone can enjoy. Each of their 100 rooms is equipped with the most modern technology like temperature and humidity control, phones with dataports for fax or modems and voice mail service and cable TV. Guests can also dine in two of the most famous restaurants in the city at their hotel, the Tien Hsiang Lo and Paris 1930, both serving fresh, tasty cuisine.

• The Sherwood Hotel

  phone: +886 2 2718-1188
  address: 111 Minsheng East Road, Sec. 3
  Five star European hotel situated in the business district. Staff can be overly attentive but speak good English. The gym, pool and sauna are open until 22:00 each night and are very clean.

• The Westin Taipei

  phone: +886 2 8770-6565
  address: 133 Nanjing East Road, Sec. 3
  Great for business travellers, this 5 star hotel is well equipped for business functions with expansive meeting space and a business center offering secretarial support and translations. Eight restaurants and a hotel piano bar are the perfect way to unwind after a day of busy meetings.