Nickname(s):
"The City of Azaleas"
Demonym(s):
-
Founded:
1709
Democracy:
Developed:
European Union:
Schengen:
Euro:
National Capital:
RegionalState Capital:
Population (City):
2 462 000
Population (Urban):
9 078 000
Population (Metro):
-
Population Density (km2):
9 200
Population Density (mi2):
24 000
Largest City in Taiwan
40th Largest Urban Area in the World
Language:
Mandarin
Currency:
NT Dollar
Avg. Summertime High:
35 °C
95 °F
Avg. Summertime Low:
27 °C
80 °F
Warmest Month:
July
Coldest Month:
January
Avg. Wintertime High:
20 °C
67 °F
Avg. Wintertime Low:
14 °C
58 °F
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Taipei 101 was the tallest building in the world from 2004 to 2010. It's worth a visit, but it's located far from the rest of the areas that are interesting for a tourist so don't look for your accommodation near the skyscraper. Ximending is the area you'd want to be near and where things happen in Taipei. It's an entertainment district that truly comes to life late in the evening.
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This is how Taipei 101 looked like during my visit. I couldn't even see the top of it. Still went up to the Observation Deck but couldn't get any views of the city.
Taipei is one of the rainiest cities in the world and it's the first time that any of my destinations rained away almost completely. I still found Taipei to be a very interesting city.
Taipei has an average of around 1,400 hours of sunshine each year. That is considerably less than London for example.
Ximending is the main entertainment area of Taipei. It's popular for the youth and has been compared to Shibuya in Tokyo.
An excess of lights and signs will make the streets bright all night long in this lively area. But if you visit in the early hours of the morning it's almost empty (I did!)
The streets are narrow in many parts of Ximending, but they are still full of stores, restaurants, and life.
Shilin Night Market is found slightly outside of central Taipei, you will need to take a metro ride to get there. But it's the largest and most famous night market in Taipei are should not be missed!
Scooters are the most popular mode of transport in Taipei.
A street in Taipei.
Longshan Temple
Alleys like this are common throughout Taipei.
A Peace Sculpture in 228 Peace Memorial Park. The park is named so in memory of the February 28 incident in 1947 where an anti-government uprising was violently suppressed with thousands of deaths.
National Concert Hall in Liberty Square.
A view of Liberty Square from Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall.