4 Day Taipei Itinerary: Hot Springs, Hikes, and the Best Street Food

ByAmber Hours
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Updated: January 2026

Planning a trip to Taipei? Good choice!

After spending two weeks in Taiwan, with plenty of time in the greater Taipei area, I put together this 4 day itinerary to cover all the major highlights and best experiences.

This guide covers everything from relaxing hot springs to breathtaking hikes and the best night markets. Whether you’re a foodie, nature lover, or city explorer, Taipei has something for everyone.

👉 Check out the full Taipei guide for more guidance on this awesome city!

Day one: hot springs, memorial hall and ximending

Beitou Hot Springs

We arrived early in the morning and after grabbing some coffee and food in the airport, we took the MRT to Beitou. After a long flight, there’s no better way to adjust to the time zone than by soaking in Beitou’s famous hot springs.

Here, check out Spring City Hot Springs Resort, which offers nine pools of varying temperatures.

👉 Check out this food cart – it has the best Gua Boa I have ever tasted. It’s located near the train station.

Getting there: It can be a trek to get to the hot springs, but very worthwhile.

From Taipei Main Station take the Tamsui-Xinyi Line (Red Line) which will take you about 25 minutes to Beitou. Check Google Maps to find local buses heading that way, otherwise you can take Uber, or choose to walk the 35 minutes.

Spring City Resort has shuttles to take you back to the main station at certain time intervals, check with the front desk when you arrive so you can plan your time.

Plan about 1 hour for travel time

Visit Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall

This popular (and free) destination is also known as “Democracy Hall”. Here you can learn more about Taiwan, the Chinese civil war, and can see the changing of guards.

You will see buildings with Chinese style architecture such as the National Concert Hall and National Theater. You can also find the famous bubble tea shop located in the National Concert Hall: Chun Shui Tang.

The guards change every hour from 0900-1700.

Getting there: From Beitou, take the Tamsui-Xinyi Line (Red Line) past Taipei Main Station and get off at exit 5: Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall MRT.

Plan about 30 minutes for travel time

Ximending Walking District

For late afternoon or early evening, check out Ximending Walking District. This lively street is filled with shops, performers and street food. It really comes alive at night, but daytime won’t leave you disappointed either.

Check out the nearby Red House, an artistic and historic building, filled with local shops.

Ximending is a worthwhile destination at any time of day, but it really starts to come to life around 1800. This walking district is a late night hot-spot, staying open until about 0200.

There will be so many stalls at nightfall along the street, but consider these spots (day or night):

  • Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup at Lao Shandong
  • Bubble tea from Xing Fu Tang
  • Mochi (get a few flavors!) from 大力麻吉 Bbq mochi

Getting there: From Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, get onto the Songshan-Xindian (Green Line) and get off at exit 6: Ximen.

Plan about 20 minutes for travel time

Teapot Mountain Hike - Best things to do in Taiwan on 4 day Taipei Itinerary
Teapot Mountain Hike

Day Two: Hiking Teapot Mountain & Jiufen Old Street

This is an iconic day trip destination from Taiwan. You’ll get out of the city and walk through picturesque views and streets.

You can do this day on your own, but to maximize your experience – consider doing a full-day tour. The transportation back and forth can get confusing.

This is also a good option if you want to skip the morning hike.

Teapot Mountain Trail

Get an early start from Taipei and head to Teapot Mountain Trail (無耳茶壺山登山步道)

This is moderate, 2-3 hour hike offering panoramic views of Taiwan’s northeast coast.

Getting here: From Taipei Main Station, the easiest way is to take the Fast Local Train to Su Ao Xin and exit via Rueifang.

You will need to walk to the Resident Square and take the 1062 bus to Quanjitang.

You’ll arrive in a small area with a temple called Chuen Ji Hall. You can choose to continue up the hill from the bus stop or go behind the temple and find the path going uphill – both trails will lead you to the top.

Plan about 1.5 hours for travel time

👉 Highly recommend downloading the trail map on AllTrails to avoid confusion on the trail

Qitang Old Street and the Gold Museum are also within walking distance of the trailhead and may be worth a stop if you have time. Golden Waterfall is another popular destination close by but will likely be hard to visit without your own transportation.

Jiufen Old Street

With a real life spirited-away vibe, Jiufen Old Street (九份老街) is on many Taipei metro itineraries. Though touristy, it’s a worthwhile visit.

Here you’ll wander through narrow alleys filled with tea houses, street food, and breathtaking mountain views.

Amei Tea House is the most popular and iconic spot. The balcony seating is highly desirable, so you may have to squeeze around some tables to get the “iconic” photos.

* Or have people squeezing around your table *

👉 Know before you go: Grab a bottle of water before heading down the street—there aren’t many places to buy it once inside!

Must do in Jiufen:

  • Visit a teahouse and learn how to properly brew tea
  • Try the street foods like taro balls and pineapple cakes
  • Take photos of lanterns along the streets

Getting here: From Teapot Mountain Trail you can take the 1062 bus at Quanjitang stop (where you got off) back to Jiufen Old Street stop.

The 177 Ruifang Sightseeing Bus also departs from Quanjitang and will take you to Jiufen Old Street.

If you stopped by the gold museum, walk to Jinguashih (Gold Ecological Park) and take the 788 bus to Jiufen Old Street stop.

Plan about 15 minutes for travel time

Raohe St. Night Market - best things to do in Taipei for 4 day Taipei Itinerary
Crowds at Raohe Night Market

Raohe Night Market

Head back to Taipei and stop at one of the most popular night markets, and my personal favorite out the several we visited.

Raohe Night Market is a little chaotic, but in the best way. It’s filled with delicious food stalls and with travelers and locals’ shoulder-to-shoulder.

Some must-try dishes:

  • Fuzhou Pepper Buns: Pork pepper buns
  • Chen Tun Pork Ribs: Medicinal herb pork rib soup
  • Mochi baby: Mochi perfection at a Michelin star stand.

Getting there: The easiest way from Jiufen Old Street is to walk to the Daitian Temple and hop on the 1062 bus. Exit at Songshan Station (Bade) which is 5 minutes from the market.

Alternatively, you can take the 788 bus back to Ruifang Train Station and take one of the trains (Tze-Chiang Limited Express or Local Train to Beihu) back to Songshan Station.

Plan 1-1.5 hours for travel time

Day 3: Bitoujiao Trail & Keelung’s Seafood Paradise

Bitoujiao Trail

Bitoujiao Trail (鼻頭角步道) offers stunning ocean views, dramatic cliffs, and an easy, well-paved walking path. Most beginners can accomplish this hike!

👉 Highly recommend downloading the trail map on AllTrails to avoid confusion on the trail

Getting there: There are multiple routes, but you can take the Chu-Kuang Express toward Hualien from Taipei Main Station to Fulong.

Then head toward the bus stop at the station and jump onto the 791 bus where you will get off at Bitoujiao.

It will be a 15 minute walk from the bus station, regardless of the route you choose.

Plan 2-2.5 hours for travel time

Exploring Keelung

After your morning hike, take a trip to Keelung.

Keelung is a bustling harbor town known for fresh seafood and street food markets.

Top things to do:

  • Visit Keelung Maritime Plaza for waterfront views.
  • Explore Zhengbin Fishing Port, famous for its rainbow-colored houses.
  • Wander through Miaokou Night Market, known for its incredible seafood.

Getting there: Walk back to the bus station at Bitoujiao and take the 791 bus to Zhongsi Road (about 1 hour)

Keelung Night Market

Keelung’s Miaokou Night Market is one of Taiwan’s best night markets, especially for seafood. We had some unique dishes here that I didn’t find in other markets.

Must-try dishes:

  • Pao Pao Bing – Taiwanese sorbet, we loved the passionfruit!
  • Crispy Deep-Fried Crab – Perfectly crisp and seasoned.
  • Ding Bian Cuo – A light, fish-based soup located in Dianji Temple courtyard. It’s rumored to be the first food stand in the market!

👉 Check out this full day Northeast Coast Instagram Tour – it takes you through the hike, iconic Keelung spots and through the night market

Taipei 101 - 4 day Taipei Itinerary
Reflection of Taipei 101 during sunset

Day Four: Elephant Mountain and taipei 101

Grab A traditional Taiwanese breakfast

Take a walk around the area you’re staying, and you’ll likely see small shops with locals in line. Take a look at the menu, get on Google translate and order some quintessential Taiwanese breakfast dishes.

I highly recommend ordering Dan Bing (Taiwanese Egg Crepe) – It’s so classic and satisfying.

If you prefer to wake up early grab a spot in line at the highly sought after soymilk spot: Fu Hang Soy Milk (阜杭豆漿). I recommend you order Youtiao (Fried Dough Stick) & Soy Milk. You can order sweet or savory soy milk, and while they were both good, I preferred the savory soy milk

👉 They open at 0530 and the earlier you get there, the better – the line builds fast!

Elephant Mountain (象山)

Work off breakfast by hiking up Elephant Mountain (Xiangshan) for a breathtaking, postcard-perfect view of Taipei 101.

It’s a short but steep hike – about 20-30 minutes to the top – but the panoramic view is well worth the effort. The stairs are quite uneven, so watch your footing if they’re wet or if you’re with people with poor balance!

Getting here: From Taipei Main Station you can take the Tamsui-Xinyi Line (Red Line) to Xiangshan. From here, It’s a 20 minute ride.

Plan 40 minutes for travel time.

Taipei 101 & Pokémon Center

After your hike, head to Taipei 101, the tallest skyscraper in Taiwan.

Head up to the observation deck and take a look at the landscape all around. It’s cool to see where the mountains meet the city. Views are the best at sunset!

Don’t miss viewing the giant pendulum inside, which helps the building stand during earthquakes.

Before you leave, grab some ice cream from Cremia, a Hokkaido ice cream shop (and the best I’ve ever had!).

There are plenty of flagship stores around the Taipei 101 area. Take some time to walk around before or after the observation deck. If you’re a Pokémon fan, don’t miss the Pokémon Center in Taipei 101 Mall.

Getting here: From Elephant Mountain you’ll have to walk about 25 minutes to Taipei 101

Addiction Aquatic Development

For an unforgettable seafood meal in Taipei, visit Addiction Aquatic Development (上引水產), a multi-storefront seafood market offering sashimi, sushi, grilled seafood, and more.

My two favorite dishes here were the otoro (fatty tuna) sashimi and some grilled chin fish I had at the outdoor restaurant.

Getting here: From Taipei 101 take the Tamsui-Xinyi Line (Red Line) to Dongmen and then jump onto the Zhong-Xinlu Line (Yellow Line) to Xingtian Temple.

Then you’ll have a 20 minute walk to the market.

Where to stay

We had a wonderful stay at Via Hotel, which was a short distance from Taipei Train Station. It was reasonably priced, centrally located to many things, and they had free snacks daily.

👉 Check out my full guide: Where to Stay in Taipei

Final Thoughts on 4 days in Taipei

The greater Taipei area has so much to explore – from vibrant neighborhoods and historic temples to unforgettable food and easy day trips. This 4 day Taipei itinerary balances must-see highlights with a realistic pace, giving you time to experience the city without feeling rushed.

Whether you’re soaking in hot springs, hiking coastal trails, or sampling night market street food, Taipei is a destination that rewards curiosity and flexibility – making it an ideal first stop in Taiwan or a return visit worth slowing down for.

Hi, I’m Amber —

A Michigan native now living in Washington with a deep love for travel and the outdoors. What started with church mission trips and traveling across the U.S. as a nurse has grown into a passion for exploring the world through hiking, food, culture, and the beauty of God’s creation. Sometimes I’m joined by my goldendoodle, Millie, but I’m always traveling with my camera. My goal is to help you feel inspired and confident that travel is possible — no matter where you’re starting from.

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