Old Taipei, Taipei: neighborhood guide

Old Taipei means the two western districts of Datong and Wanhua, the oldest settled part of the city, on the flat land beside the Tamsui River. This was the commercial heart of Taipei until the 1990s, when the economic centre moved southeast to Zhongzheng and then to Daan and Xinyi. Much of the original architecture is gone, but the street pattern, the temple life and the wholesale trade remain.

The area splits into three usable pieces. Wanhua, in the south, is anchored by Longshan Temple and the Bopiliao brick lanes, with Ximending — the city's youth shopping and eating hub — just north of it. Dadaocheng, in Datong, is Dihua Street: restored shophouses selling Chinese medicinal herbs, dried goods, tea and, increasingly, crafts and coffee. Between them sits the North Gate, the only surviving Qing-era city gate, and Beimen station.

Practically, this is a daytime and early-evening district. Dihua Street shops mostly close by 18:00–19:00 (check), night markets run to about 23:00, and after that the streets go quiet. If you want bars and late restaurants, you will be taking the metro or a taxi east.

Yes if your Taipei list is temples, old streets, tea and night markets, and you want to walk to most of it. The metro is good: Beimen on the green line, Ximen on green and blue, Zhongshan on green and red, Longshan Temple on blue. Taipei Main Station, the airport MRT terminus and the high-speed rail, is one or two stops from Beimen or Zhongshan.

No if you want the modern city on your doorstep. Old Taipei has fewer international hotels than Zhongshan or the East District, quieter evenings, and some blocks around Longshan Temple and the old Wanhua commercial streets look worn. It is not unsafe, but it is not polished either.

A workable plan: two nights here for the old city, then move east or north for the rest of the trip. Staying the whole time is fine if you value the metro over walking out your door into nightlife.

The food here is night market and old-street food, not destination dining. Huaxi Street Night Market in Wanhua is the classic stop: it was Taipei's red-light district with snake restaurants until prostitution was banned in 1991 and the last snake restaurant closed in 2018. Today it is an ordinary family night market with the usual Taiwanese stalls. Longshan Temple's surrounding lanes and the Guangzhou Street market are busier and cheaper.

Ximending is where you eat if you want choice and speed: Japanese, Korean, hotpot, fried chicken, shaved ice and dessert shops, most open late. Dihua Street and the Dadaocheng lanes are better for tea houses, traditional pastries and a slow lunch between shops; many close early.

For a first meal, get a bowl of braised pork rice or beef noodles near Longshan Temple, then walk to Huaxi Street for something grilled. Vegetarian and halal options exist but are scattered — check ahead if either matters.

From Taoyuan Airport (TPE), take the airport MRT to Taipei Main Station, about 35–50 minutes (2026 estimate), then one or two stops on the green or blue line to Beimen, Zhongshan or Ximen. A taxi from the airport is faster at night but costs several times more.

Inside the area, walk. Longshan Temple to Dihua Street is about 2.5 km, 30–35 minutes, and the interesting parts are between them. The metro is for crossing the city, not for moving around here. You will need an EasyCard or a contactless bank card for the metro and buses; buy one at any station.

Buses fill the gaps along Zhongxiao West Road and Civic Boulevard. Taxis and ride-hailing are cheap for short hops and useful after the night markets close.

Zhongzheng, immediately east, is the government and museum district and a natural next stop on the same metro lines. Zhongshan, north-east of Beimen, has the design shops, cafés and hotels that Old Taipei lacks. The East District is the modern shopping and nightlife counterpart. For a half-day out, Beitou's hot springs and Shilin's night market are both on the red line, and Wenshan and Neihu are further out and better saved for a second trip.