Taipei Travel

Historic Taipei The Taipei of winter is a city cozy with warmth and good cheer! We've got a Christmas stocking-full of experiences, both entertaining and educational, this issue. Let's unwrap the articles we've gift-wrapped specially for you... We present a trio of cover stories, with the rich heritage side of Taipei as the focus. First, you'll travel through the city's commercial and political past, with visits to prominent works of architecture and infrastructure, related to railways, water infrastructure, and postal services, spanning the Qing era, Japanese era, and post-war period. Next up, explore two of the island's unique retired military dependents' villages transformed with new missions as living heritage sites. Finally, we offer up a report with practical pointers on where to find trained guide services for day-tour walkabouts in our history-richest neighborhoods. In our regular A Day in Taipei department, we take you on a guided wander through Taipei's oldest community, Wanhua, taking in a "heritage sugar refinery, nature park, iconic night market, great eats," and then explore the Shilin-Yuanshan area, visiting a former Chiang Kai-shek residence and surrounding expansive gardens, a "forest ark," a well-known night market and pub/bar area. Our two Out in Nature files introduce you to the historic Zhinan Temple Trail in the hilly Maokong tea-plantation area and to the lizards of "untamed Taipei" – and where to find them. You'll then switch from feasting for the eyes to feasting for the tummy in three articles, with a session at a local studio in DIY Fun using Traditional Chinese Medicine ingredients to craft your own health-enhancing herbal cola, trying out traditional food delicacies at four popular family-run century-old eateries in one Fine Food writing, and in another savoring appetizing intros to seven new Taipei recipients of Michelin stars. And to wrap everything up tight with a nice bow, Christmas is the timely subject in this edition's Where to… – where you'll find the city's best spots for a Christmas festive vibe. The cool air is filled with warm holiday spirit throughout the Taipei winter season, and the city's schedule is stuffed with large-scale festive activities. We're tickled and honored that you've chosen to spend your time with us – enjoy!

Taipei's Artsy Side Welcome to Taipei! In our trio of cover stories in this autumn issue, we're taking you on a long walk on the city's artistic side. In our main feature, we visit key galleries, music stores, alternative cinema locations, and important heritage complexes that have been magically transformed into cultural-creative parks. Then it's exploration of hybrid creative spaces where "life encounters art," serving combos of such functions as gallery, café, bookstore, select shop, art studio, or community space. Finally, it's a whirlwind sampler tour of smaller performing-arts venues providing "intimate encounters with performing arts and artists." Autumn's onset brings cooling weather, inviting maximum out-of-doors time. In our A Day in Taipei files, we present two splendid day-tour itineraries. Roam Yuanshan/Dalongdong on foot, an area with "old ways and new ways in cultural fusion," home to such gems as Dalongdong Baoan Temple, Taipei Confucius Temple and the Taipei Fine Arts Museum. Then zip up to the famed Beitou hot-spring resort area and tour about on the local S39 bus, In our Out in Nature department, tackle two trails on the eastern fringes of Yangmingshan National Park, on Taipei's north side. One involves moderately challenging elevation gain, the other is a gentle meander along a creek. And in this section's nature photography offering, get to know the iconic Taiwan Blue Magpie and another endemic belle, the Taiwan Whistling Thrush. Let's head back inside now — time for a Taipei attraction beloved by tourists, our food! In DIY Fun, make traditional Taiwanese pastries to celebrate the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival. And in two Fine Food articles, learn about local eateries that have received more attention after visits by big-name celebrities like NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang or K-pop idols, and two popular spots for "hearty meat meals" serving up delectable tender steaks and crispy chicken. Last but not least, in Where to… check out three high-quality, easy-access campsites that enable you to sleep out under the starry sky right in the city, two in the hills just off the urban core, one close to downtown on riverside parkland by the Xindian River. Enough to keep you busy while with us? Enjoy your stay!